How Now, Red Cow?

Cookie the Wonder Cow tried to jump over the fence when she saw her old owners departing. She’s a loyal beast, that one. After I hastily rigged some hotwire (electric fence) she stayed put, at least. I left the bedroom window open so that I could talk to her in the night. Sure enough, she loves company, and bawls when left alone.

Daniel spent the next morning sitting in her paddock observing her. Observing, in particular, how she had trashed the grass in her nervous half-ton pacing back and forth. He came to breakfast with serious eyes, and I agreed that Cookie’s impact there was detrimental if it went on any longer. Maybe Cookie would be happier next to her fellow ruminants, the goats? I moved the goats into a narrow pen adjacent to their usual barn, and ran hotwire around the pen that the goats are usually in. Moving Cookie was like trying to corral a runaway pickup truck, but we got her installed in her new digs.

The goats were terrified. They scattered and snorted. Figgy even scampered up and over the 5’ fence. I stood by a tied Cookie (because I worried she would pull the barn down if left alone) while Senia and Daniel moved the goats to Cookie’s old pen.

Ah. That’s better. The goats love their spacious, airy hoophouse, and Cookie feels secure in the snug barn where she can look in the kitchen window for company.

Cookie likes Senia a lot. Here they are in the hoophouse, during a rare moment of Cookie relaxing in there. She relaxes a lot more in her new paddock.