The New Arrangements

After I lost Benji, I moved the other three boys up north (I had planned on doing that anyhow).

Simon, Frodo, and Howie

Then I sold the two little boys and Freddie, so I had to find more company for Xerxes and Frodo.

Frodo

Xerxes

I didn’t want to put them together yet because of the hormones, so I put Penelope with Frodo.

Frodo and Penelope

I put Antigone with Xerxes.  She needs a nice dry place to keep her feet in good shape.

Antigone

They will get along much better with girls than other boys.  Xerxes has had Antigone and Astra as roommates in a previous winter, but I’m not sure Astra is bred, so it’s just Antigone for now.

Antigone and Xerxes

When we sold the little girls, we ended up letting Myson and Margarita out.  Which was not a big deal.  They are not too hard to catch and the weather was good.  When they came back up from pasture, Margarita was already back in the Love Shack nibbling on hay.

Margarita (her weight is better, but she doesn’t seem to have much of a winter coat yet)

Myson was having too much fun with his wether bros.  I had to split them up.  He still isn’t up to full weight, and he doesn’t need to waste his energy rough housing (It was all very good natured).

Casey, Myson, and Moose

I might have threatened to pull Moose’s ears if he wasn’t good.  He may hear that threat rather frequently, and you can see he’s really worried about it.

Moose

Then I couldn’t get Dolly to leave the Love Shack, but I figured it isn’t going to hurt her to stand around and. munch on hay.

Dolly (notice Myson and Moose still pushing through my poor fence).

Finally, she changed her mind and decided to come out with the herd.  But it was the next morning.

Updates

Well, everyone is hanging in there. Margarita and Myson are getting along well.  I think Myson is gaining a little weight.  Margarita is about the same, and with the cold weather I’ll call that good.

Myson and Margarita

Benji spent most of his time in the greenhouse when it was cold.  I’m also going to call it a win that he didn’t really lose any more weight while we were that cold.  Hopefully, since he has a good appetite, the copper will kick in and he’ll start picking some weight up.

Benji peeking out the door when it was still cold over the weekend.

The boys can come out of the greenhouse easily even though I had the door mostly shut to keep the wind out.  Frodo really likes his roommates.  They are much nicer than the other big bucks.

Frodo

Xerxes seems to have done something to his eye.  I’m guessing it was poked with hay, but there is no way for me to even check it out.  It was all better by the time I checked him on Monday.  Thank goodness.

Xerxes with a watery eye

Mr. Peacock is still a bit sneezy, but it isn’t as bad.  Hopefully, this more moderate weather streak will continue for a while and he will finish recovering.

Mr. Peacock

Zinnia came back into heat.  I’m actually pretty happy she didn’t get bred on one of the days Benji was out.  She really needs a longer time between babies (her girls were born right at the end of July).

Zinnia with her girls behind her

I’m not sure we’re going to get the hydrant changed yet this fall with the crazy weather.  But the cattle tank is still working, so it’s not too bad.

Antigone behind the hydrant

For some reason, Antigone and Hera were limping the other day.  I am hoping that this week (while I’m on break), I can get a lot of hooves trimmed.  That should help.

Hera resting her foot and eating at the same time.

I hope.

In the Love Shack

Saturday morning when I went out to see what else was frozen, I decided my little girls were cold.  That sudden change in temperatures was a shock to their delicate systems.

Crystal snuggled against Pretzel for warmth.

Now Jeanie and Barbie could snuggle with their mom and stay warm, but they were lucky.

Jeanie and Barbie snuggled against Zinnia

Crystal and Mini’s moms don’t seem to want anything to do with them after they’ve been weaned for so long.

Mini missing room service.

I decided to put my thin Margarita and the other little girls in the Love Shack, so I could give them extra feed and a heat lamp.

Margarita and Terry huddled against the cold.

I also decided to put Myson in there because he’s really showing his age.  As long as he’s nice to Margarita and the littles, he can get some extra feed and heat too.

Myson (with Casey on the other side of the fence)

I had already put the two little bucks (I couldn’t wether them because my bander was too small) in the greenhouse with Benji and Frodo, so they were warm and happy.

Frodo, Benji and Simon (Howie was inside enjoying room service)

It’s a huge relief that the sale barn has opened back up (I still am in shock at his passing–he was such a nice guy), so I’m going to try to get all the littles left to sell and Freddie down there this weekend.