Never take your eye off the Prize,,,or Goat Hoof!!

I did it!

I slept a little too late this morning and decided before I could eat, I needed to feed the animals.
It was 9 before I stepped outside. Everyone was clammoring for their breakfast.
When I arrived at the barn, I noticed 1 of the weaned calves were no longer weaned and enjoying breakfast at her mothers expense. Took note, I would separate her after I fed.
I usually start watering right away as that takes a while for tank to fill and I can feed in the meantime. Went through 3 hoses and found all were solid ice and not going to work. Rolled 1 and took to house to thaw, back down to barn and fed horses, watered chickens, fed cows and decided I could chase the weaned calf back into the pen since all the other calves were busy feeding and not by gate. Opened gate and keeping an eye on any other possible escapees I hurried to the top pen to head the weaning calf down. Easy,,,,did that in a snap but while I was tying off gate I notice the other twin weaned calf was by the mother again.. What the???...now I look for a hole..none...to be seen , so I separate him and get him back in with the babies.

Now proceed to take care of goats...I get the bright idea, I will worm and trim feet of the new babies. Get it done and it will feel better. So enter pen,,gingerly,,offer a little goat chow and the bravest one comes close. Note she is quite big, pehaps save her for last...wait...I may run out of steam. So....decide take the opportunity and run with it...and I did. After much crying and screaming I finally succeed in a all wrestle meet and I have her contained. Wormed her and took about 20 minutes of trimming feet to get it right. Didn't look like feet had ever been done before. Release and try for the next smallest. Now this one took more time, she was a better squirmer. Much crying and screaming and I gently pet and coo and get her feet done...20 minutes later. Now,, catch my breathe and go for the wildest wiggiest highest jumping goat I have ever seen. I spend a little more time with her and get her nails ever so manicured and worm her but give her a little more tender petting to assure her eventually she can trust me.

Now the big job....to get back to an upright position after squatting on the floor and kneeling for the last almost an hour. That took me crawling on hands and knees to the chair I brought in with me, and creaking and groaning to get into a standing position. This took much crying and screaming......
Must of been the cold today that stove up my joints......