Otis and Odin Leave the Farm

I didn’t plan on bottle kids, and three was a bit overwhelming.  I don’t have enough milk in my freezer to raise all three.  They were constantly under my feet and in danger of getting trampled while I was doing chores.  They are young and cute and might get a home as pets.  I took Otis and Odin to the sale barn today.  After I unloaded them, while they were still in the unloading area, I gave them a bottle.

They were there for a little bit, and then they were moved to the holding pens.  Otis looks like he’s about to get his bottle squished out of him, but Odin looks like he’s just hanging out.

They were really good to my kids.  They had an entire pen by themselves so they wouldn’t get picked on.  Since they had just had bottles, they took a nap.

Bottle kids don’t go through the sale like most animals.  Most of them run in to get away from the people when the doors open.  Bottle kids just want to stay with the people, so they get carried in.  They weighed thirty pounds together.

They just explore their way through the sale.

I love you Otis and Odin.  I hope you have a good home.

Here are some of the other animals I saw down there.

Linking to SOOC Sunday and Your Sunday Best

Linking to Homestead Barn Hop

At the Sale Barn: In the Back

One of the reasons I love going to the sales on Saturday morning is to watch everything going on in the back.  This is where the animals are unloaded and penned until it is time for them to go through the ring and be sold.  Here a young sow is arriving.

She certainly seems unconcerned about her trip to the sale barn.

After all, there might be something good to eat lying there.

They have several different kinds of animals that are typically sold.  They have a lot of sheep going through.  Most of the sheep are not like this one.  I’m not sure what kind it is, but I love those horns.

The bottle calves are always a favorite!  Back when I first started coming to the sale barn, you could buy bottles calves very cheap.  Now, they bring more money than a weaned calf.

The Jersey steer is making new friends.

When I first started going to the sales, it was an oddity to see a goat.  Nobody wanted to buy them, and if someone did, it was only as a pet for their human kids.  Right now, the goat market is pretty good.

I’m not the only one that likes to stand on the catwalks above the pen and check out the animals.

Of course, sometimes you just have to get down there a bit closer to inspect the animals.  Obviously, this gentleman is a real farmer.  You can tell by the pliers.  No self-respecting farmer would leave the house in the morning without his pliers.

Doesn’t this just scream, “Please take me home.”  That’s actually how I got my very first goat.  I came to the sale barn looking for a heifer and came home with a little buck.  Of course the week before I brought home a llama, so after that my family banned me from going to the sales (at least for a while).

This young lady watches as her animals are unloaded.  I love the ingenious series of gates for penning and moving animals.

This is never a good thing to see–an open gate with a ticket on it.

There she goes!

She’s coming back.  She must just be looking for more good stuff to eat.

Where’s she going now?

She seems to be getting to know the lay of the pens.  I think she’s planning on a daring escape later!

Finally, I spoiled her wandering around and let the guys know she was on the loose!

Eventually, I have to quit watching everything in back and head up front where the auction is taking place.