Yesterday, after work, as I was puttering around in my corn crib barn, I peaked through the window into the goat stall, and laughed out loud. Ha! Rufus, hold still while I grab my camera!
Rufus, there's something on your back!
Huh?
He was totally chill, and allowed this little hen to walk up and down his spine. I've noticed that this chicken hangs out in his stall, but I didn't realize they were so close! This little hen is the last one to be hatched here at home, and I kept her locked in the brooder when she was small, to protect her from the other big birds. Once she was big enough to leave the brooder she decided that the donkey stall was her new safe place. She's unconcerned that she will get stepped on, and spends her time scratching for tasty bits on the floor and taking dust baths. Apparently she also perches on patient Rufus!
I'm glad Rufus has a chicken (and goats, and me), because he doesn't have Hattie to be his companion any more. The vet made a visit last week, to look at the tumor that grew back on her eyelid, and we had to make the hard decision. It really wasn't hard to decide once he showed me the ulcer on her eyeball that was forming because the tumor was causing her eyelashes to rub her eye. Another surgery wasn't possible. Successful chemo treatments were unlikely. I walked her to the grass near the driveway, and then I went in the house to wash the dishes, and before I had the dishwasher loaded the vet was gone, Hattie was covered with a tarp, and a man from the county was scheduled to come for her body the next day. He came with a big truck with a chain wench, loaded her up quickly, and I handed him twenty dollars and didn't ask where he was taking her.
Caring for Hattie's leaky eyes has been part of my daily summer routine, but Rufus and I are adjusting to life without her. He's going to need another equine companion, for sure, but in the meantime he'll have to make due with a barn full of goats, a chicken on his back, and lots of extra nose kisses from me.
2 comments:
I really think you should (if you could afford the insurance) host a party farm; complete with hay rides, bon-fires and a petting zoo (watch out Rufus). Think of the crazy children's and child-like adult parties you could throw!
-Tamara
It would be fun, wouldn't it. I keep telling Brandon we need to build a guest house (a yurt!) and have weeks during the spring and fall when it's open to rent, like an airbnb. We might even find a guest who would be willing feed all the animals, and we could go on a vacation!
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