Around the Farm: Wildlife Invasion

Most of the time I like to hole up on the farm like a hermit in all of the hours that I’m not at my day job. Recently I’ve been away more than I like, and I’m pretty sure that in all of those hours, the animals have been planning an invasion.

There’s this little rascal…

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Who was basically tearing around the farm for an afternoon while mom was off napping or something. I caught a glimpse of him zooming around the back yard in the morning, then, later, when I couldn’t find the little Nugs I walked around to the front of the house and he was just hanging out in the front yard with the chickens.

Then, in the late afternoon, I spotted him out by the pasture staring quizzically at the donkeys.

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I mean, he was utterly perplexed. If the fence wasn’t there I think he would have walked right up and introduced himself.

The donkeys, for their part, weren’t too sure about the little guy. But they still seem to like me.

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Or else they just like wiping donkey snot on my face.

The nugs affection shows up in more subtle ways. By “subtle” I mean that sometimes I wake up from a nap, walk into the kitchen, and one of them is staring at me…

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Not creepy at all, Nug.

They have also discovered the previously unexplored garden area AND MY BERRY BUSHES.

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This is penance for not having the gate to the garden built yet.

My ginger Nug. #blackfeatherfarm

One of these innocent little faces has also recently taken to roosting on the topmost beam in the donkey barn at night. Which means I spend a lot of time doing this…

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There’s really nothing like balancing on a couple of beams, in crocs, in the dark, while holding on to a struggling bird to really put things in perspective.

But not only have I been able to thwart these increasingly obvious attempts by the chickens to take over the farm, I also managed to save a fledgling robin they were bullying.

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Berry baskets make excellent makeshift nests.

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Don’t worry. The little dude’s parents found him shortly thereafter.

(The berries got put to good use too.)

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Why yes, I do use bribery to avoid mutiny.

Hey, when you’re outnumbered 12-1, you have to do what works…

10 Responses

  1. This might be a dumb question, but why can’t the nug stay overnight up on the high beam? Is it because she flies up there before you shoo them into their covered enclosure at night? That’s probably it… nevermind! Great post as always!

  2. Well, at least that nug wasn’t staring at you while you were sleeping. That would definitely be creepy!

  3. OMG! Feel so blessed whenever i see a deer, such beautiful creatures. That little guy was looking for some friends to hang out with for sure!! Hope those hens get to laying se eggs for you!!

  4. If you cut the hens flight feathers while they’re young, they learn they have to stay on the ground. Even after the feathers grow back, hens tend to forget they could fly. If they get in the habit of flying, they will fly up and over your garden fence whenever they feel like helping themselves to your produce, gate or no gate.

  5. Fawns are like puppies, they love to play. At my first house I’d get a herd almost every night in the fall and occasionally there’d be a fawn or two always hopping around, poking at the older deer trying to get them to chase.

  6. Awww. I love all the animals! The fawn is adorable! That is…until it is full grown and runs out in front of me on the road, or eats all of the corn in the fields. They do so much damage!

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