OK. It has been a rough 36 hours. Or how many hours? Since Saturday morning anyway. It feels like a week. We are not out of the woods yet but I do see the light a little. 
The calf scours have not got the better of us yet. I have three calves looking quite good- still not robust but on the way. Another of the big girls is up and about but still needs a lot of patience to get feeding. But all four are standing to drink. And jump up when i come into the barn. Little is still lethargic – he is good in the morning – not so good in the afternoon, but he is cleaning up slowly and is peeing. He sleeps too much but often is in a different part of his pen each time I visit now which is good. I make him stand up to drink but it does not last long. It just takes so long to get him fed but I have all the patience in the world for little animals. He was also observed chewing his cud though how he got any cud to chew is anyones guess. I give them all lots of strokes and massages to get their bodies working. I can’t tell you how many disposable gloves I have gone through. And a different set of gumboots for each pen. Not good for the environment at all! But the best I can do.
But we need a few more days yet for any kind of prognosis.
They get milk and electrolytes in a four hour rotation, milk at 6, electrolytes at 10, milk at 2 and etc. The milk is still at a third strength. But three times a day. 
And in all this we have lost Godot. Our beautiful white peacock died of shock after being attacked probably by Mr Flowers. (I know it was not a dog as this happened during milking and the dogs were in my sight and he looked untouched). Mr Flowers has been hounding this young peacock since I let them all out. Usually Godot hides in the top of the barn but he must have been caught in the open. I found him with his head hidden under a tree root. (A classic with birds who have been harrassed.) He was alive but let me pick him up which was a very bad sign. I laid him up in the loft close to Mrs Flowers who is his buddy but he was dead in the morning. 
Miserable.
A short life is not a bad life. I say this all the time. But I felt devastated.
Especially after battling for the lives of these calves refusing to give up when when the calf stops peddling and then this magnificent bird dies without a murmur.
But life goes on. An age old saying but a true one. We must keep moving along. So we do.
Tomoyo is getting stronger and more confident every day. She looks after the meat chickens amongst a number of other things and is developing some wonderful skills in the garden.
Do you see that Geraldine is developing her crown? 
I was pruning yesterday. Pigs love mulberries and they actually have a high protein level too. So I throw the branches in with them any chance I get. The piglets grabbed the little branches and ran about with them, in high spirits!
As I was driving back from the barn yesterday afternoon we passed a large fertiliser truck on the side of the road. The man was working on his hitch. I slowed down to go around him and lowered my window to wave and say Hullo. He matched my Hullo with a nod of his head as we do out here and waved his arm to tell us to pass. I saw that he had no hand and the other arm had a little hand up by his shoulder. He smiled at me with his farmers smile and waved us on with a grin.
I am small compared to his heroism. His beauty and determination both captured me and chastised me. I lose a little sleep and I whine. What am I complaining about.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
70 responses to “The Woods”
Hang tough there. Godot will be missed…morning miss c! t
Oh dear Godot, may you rest in peace.
So sad to lose Godot. Farming is a tough life.
It always seems as though when your whole attention is focused on a big problem with one group of animals that something hits you hard from somewhere else. So sorry for the loss of Godot.
I just walked in from feeding Little and for the first time since Friday he stood up when he saw me and trotted over to the door.. then drunk his drink without me having to hold his head.. I am well heartened.. not Sure yet, but certainly he is feeling better. I hope you have a good day too! ..c
So sorry you lost Godot. I am glad he had such a wonderful owner as you while he lived. And that you shared him with us! 🙂 I love the last photo the most today. It is good to see a happy cow. Sending you good thoughts for your current farmy struggles.
Oh, Miss C…so sorry. (I’m having trouble not feeling bad towards Mr Flowers). I hope the calves continue their recovery. Geraldine and her tiny crown, wonderful photo.
I adore Geraldines little crown – it is so breathless – right off I go. Off in my nightie around to the other barn and see how they have fared- it was almost chilly last night – I doled out coats to the sicker ones.. c
I agree with you kathytgoodwin…..it may be ‘nature’ but I reckon Mr Flowers is a bully
Sad about Godot. I to this day can’t see a mulberry tree without thinking back to my young childhood and all those silkworms we used to have. 🙂 Laura
So sorry to hear about Godot Miss C. A short life is still a good life but we still feel cheated. Thank you for giving him a good life and sharing him with us.
Tears, tears and more tears..beautiful Godot is no longer there…it hurts my heart. You must be a very strong lady somewhere underneath. Your love of animals shines like a beacon in the dark..Wonder Woman Will Win the day….was it because Godot and Mr Flowers are both male birds? Rivalry, jealousy, Leader…. I notice this with our 5 dogs..Missy is always being picked on and withdraws under a bush until I call her.I keep a special eye open for her
I am so very sorry that you have had all these problems…I can only guess that God must have something really special for you and this is the testing time, otherwise why?
love to you all
I am so sorry that Godot has been lost. I hope that today brings you a little rest and those little calfs are better.
My dearest, c. Hugs, darling. xx
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Oh my dear. A big American hug is inside this message.
Lovely Godot was always an angel and not quite of this world. The way he went is so sad, but animals do what they must. Perhaps he will become a Farmy guardian… I’m so sorry you have yet another blow when you’re so busy, so stressed, so worried and so tired. But I’m so very happy that your babies are turning the corner.
You have truly had another bout of bad going on there. I’m so sorry about Godot. Nature can be so beautiful and yet so incredibly cruel at the same time. Heartening to see your news about little in the comments lounge. Hopefully all is on an upswing now. Little Geraldine seems so proud of her crown. The look in her eye seems older than her days.
So sorry for such a hard time you are having. I suppose it will make you stronger, if that’s even possible. I keep wondering if probiotics would help those calves, not that I know anything about them. Maybe some milk kefir…?