Critterhaven Farm

What One Can Bear....

I hear all the time that God will not lay on a person more than one can bear.  Well I'm about bearing all I can this week.

Three of the puppies have died, but the other two are very healthy.  My papillon, Bea, who has never been bred or a mom is now feeding them as she is going through a false heat/pregnancy.  Has milk and everything.  Beats all I've ever seen.

Then Tuesday one of our Nigerian Does died after struggling for a couple of days.  She is at the state lab pending an autopsy, but I'm betting it's hypocalcemia.  That same day while I was taking her to the lab hubby called and another doe had twin bucklings, one was deceased and the other weak.  I treated him for white muscle disease but he didn't pull through either. 

Then today, in the middle of selling off the majority of the herd to pay for the mortgage and cut down on the feed, we found our herd sire, Zorro, dead.  No apparent cause, but he was butting heads last night awfully hard with the other bucks.  We are burying him tomorrow under the willow tree out back.

I sometimes wonder if it is worth all the effort.  All the sweat and tears we have put into this place, not to mention the money.  I think maybe it would be easier if we rented and didn't have to go and feed every night...but could just enjoy life.

But them I realize to us this is life.  I'm already missing terribly the does I had to sell tonight to pay the mortgage.  They are still here but now belong to another farm.  They won't be far up the road and I can visit, but I miss them already.  And now that Zorro is gone I feel our herd's foundation is gone.

So here is to you Chestnut Grove Lilly's Zorro.  Mom's little man...our champion even tho he was never shown and never won a ribbon.  In our book he already was a champion.  I was once offered $500 for him and turned it down.  I would again in a heartbeat.

2-26-04  to 10-3-08

AGS and NDGA registered Nigerian Dwarf buck