I took them out to graze last night, gorgeous night, almost full moon, it was lovely...until it was dark and time to go back into the safety of the barnyard. I got the corn bucket out and rang the bell but only half of them came in. Quiet panic set in as I realized they were totally ignoring me. If I opened the gate to get the refusniks in, the sheep I already captured would get out - in fact, they were waiting to go back out. I needed another person to keep them in while I went out and chased the others in. I thought maybe I can get them in the barn and shut them in. Ran to get more grain and put it out in bowls in the barn - rang the bell and they came...but when I tried to run back to the door to put up the gate, they ran out again, carrying me along in the wave. Half my flock, with all the lambs, and the llamas were outside. What to do, what to do...I decide to scare the inside sheep to the back fence, run outside and try to scare the outsiders in. I was running around like a crazy woman, waving my staff, yelling and trying to chase them in. The field around the pen is filled with rabbit and groundhog holes, and holes the dogs have dug to hide their bones. Great, I thought, another fracture. I have already broken my left leg and foot in freaky accidents - don't need to be laid up now. Luckily I got some of them in, chased the inside crew way back in, opened the gate and got more in, chased them all back in. Took three times. Llamas are still out, and you know what? They can stay out. Fell in my bed at 11 PM and I'm still tired after work today. The sheep can eat the round bales. They are yelling over the fence to get out as I write this, but too bad. I'm not letting them out until I have another person here to help get them in, or until proper fencing is up.
No comments:
Post a Comment