Post by wyomama on Oct 16, 2011 10:30:06 GMT -5
I'm so excited, and no one else would understand!!!!
Mocha, my "project cow"? Well, about a week and a half ago, I finally got brave enough to turn her out with the other cows. I was nervous, because even though I had graduated her to being in the catch pen, she still wouldn't come up to the gate when it was time to milk, I'd have to go get her. I just hoped she would follow the other cows into the catch pen and I could close the gate and sort her out if I needed to.
So, that plan worked okay, I was able to get her milked twice a day, but would have to catch her and lead her in - sometimes I'd have to sort some of the other cows out until I could get close to her. Then getting her out again was a chore - I have a one-way gate with a spring, and the cows all have learned easily how to push their way through that gate to get back into the catch pen. With her "issues" (she's no longer running off or charging, but she is not comfortable with walking by me where she can't see me well. ) I couldn't crowd her up to the corner and show her how to open it, so I had to lead her out, too.
She's not running off or charging anymore, but she's not comfortable walking by me if I'm within 3 feet of her - makes holding a gate open for her really difficult.
Anyway... yesterday, both in the morning and at night, she came up to the "in-gate" and waited her turn. When I opened the gate for her, she walked right past me with only the slightest of hesitations and went into the stanchion.
AND!!! Last night, when I got done with her, she backed out of the stanchion into the area before the gates, and while I was pulling the lead rope off the wall to take her out, I heard the sweet, sweet music of the gate hinge squealing, followed by the smack of the gate against the panel that stops it when it closes. She let herself out - just like all the other cows!
Maybe someday, she'll even get to be called "Mocha" by the rest of my family instead of "Crazy Cow".
Mocha, my "project cow"? Well, about a week and a half ago, I finally got brave enough to turn her out with the other cows. I was nervous, because even though I had graduated her to being in the catch pen, she still wouldn't come up to the gate when it was time to milk, I'd have to go get her. I just hoped she would follow the other cows into the catch pen and I could close the gate and sort her out if I needed to.
So, that plan worked okay, I was able to get her milked twice a day, but would have to catch her and lead her in - sometimes I'd have to sort some of the other cows out until I could get close to her. Then getting her out again was a chore - I have a one-way gate with a spring, and the cows all have learned easily how to push their way through that gate to get back into the catch pen. With her "issues" (she's no longer running off or charging, but she is not comfortable with walking by me where she can't see me well. ) I couldn't crowd her up to the corner and show her how to open it, so I had to lead her out, too.
She's not running off or charging anymore, but she's not comfortable walking by me if I'm within 3 feet of her - makes holding a gate open for her really difficult.
Anyway... yesterday, both in the morning and at night, she came up to the "in-gate" and waited her turn. When I opened the gate for her, she walked right past me with only the slightest of hesitations and went into the stanchion.
AND!!! Last night, when I got done with her, she backed out of the stanchion into the area before the gates, and while I was pulling the lead rope off the wall to take her out, I heard the sweet, sweet music of the gate hinge squealing, followed by the smack of the gate against the panel that stops it when it closes. She let herself out - just like all the other cows!
Maybe someday, she'll even get to be called "Mocha" by the rest of my family instead of "Crazy Cow".