Post by genebo on Jul 2, 2014 23:02:45 GMT
Monday night I was locking up the chickens and putting out a square bale for the cows and goats. It was already pitch dark. The solar light on the barn lit up the barn lot.
Suddenly, Bambi moved quickly to the edge of the light and bellowed. They all turned that way. Beauty took off running into the dark, but came rushing back. It seemed obvious that there was something out there that was alarming the Dexters. They were all fidgeting and mooing.
I grabbed my flashlight and pistol and headed out the way they were looking. I could hear something, but couldn't place it. I got close enough to make out some movement, but the shape didn't look familiar. It didn't look like anything I'd ever seen before. My heart was beating hard.
Then it dawned on me what I was seeing. It was Dara Inion with a side panel of the round bale feeder on her head. It's made of cedar wood and made a hollow sound as she scraped it across the ground. That is what had the herd spooked.
My fault. I had turned the round bale feeder upside down, so it would protect a circle of grass. Later I'd move the feeder and let th ecows enjoy the grass inside. With it upside down, a triangular window in the feeder was now at the top, instead of along the ground. Dara had somehow managed to get her head through the hole and couldn't get it out.
She certainly tried. She tore the feeder completely apart. The eight side panels were separated, but the one on her head must have been the strongest one of all.
I calmed her down by petting her and talking softly to her. Then I tried to get it off. It was like a Chinese puzzle of some sort. There was only one way she could have gotten it over her head and I had to figure out what that way was to get it back off. She was a trooper. Calm as can be. I could get her to lift her head while I turned it one way then another. After several minutes, we got one horn out. In another minute we had found the magic way and off it came. Dara was certainly relieved! She shook herself like a dog.
I told her to follow me and I would get her some bread. I think she recognized the word bread, having heard it a lot, for she followed me through the herd and over to the gate. Ther my bride fed her slices of bread while I examined her under the light. No cuts, no injury, no big deal. She's a good little heifer!
The next day, I picked up all the pieces of the round bale feeder. It's one I made 4 years ago out of cedar trees that the goats had killed. It would have been good for another year or two if this hadn't happened.
It has been two days and I believe that Dara and I are closer than we were before. We have a special bond.
