She Felt the Calf Kick February 27, 2012

People have been asking if I’ve felt Nellie’s calf move yet, and I hadn’t. I’d felt around on her before, but not thinking it through I was feeling on her belly. Everything was hard and the ribs were there, and it didn’t feel like I would be able to feel anything through it all, but then I realized that the cow anatomy wasn’t human anatomy. The calf should really be up in the uterus which is closer to the back, somewhere between the hips and the ribs, like this diagram:

Sure enough, when I observed her for a little while, there was movement below her backbone by about 6-8″ and between her ribcage and her hipbones. It was erratic movement, not consistent like breathing would be. I then placed my hand, and from my experience with human babies, I believe I did in fact feel a wiggly calf.

She was only so patient with the attention. Fair enough. I remember saying rather disparaging things about the women who felt it was acceptable to just walk up and touch my pregnant belly. I did get to feel it, and that was cool enough. My bribe of extra hay was well received.

Food bribes were used all around the farm today. I came out to see that the pigs were sleeping. I thought I’d take their picture.

I took the above picture, and then started to walk away. While I was leaving, one of the pigs became suspicious, sounded a grunt that sent everyone running. They were all scared, having been woken up from their nap. Oh, man. No way to convince them it was okay, until they slowed down enough to realize it was me.

These girls, in particular, were not happy.

Extra grain smooths over a multitude of sins, in the eyes of the pigs.

I will be sure to announce myself, from a safe distance, in the future. They agreed that would be best.

New kits arrived last night. Isabelle kindled 6 nice big bunnies. Their father is Charleston Bentley, who, when he was a bunny, was dubbed chubby bunny because he was growing so fast that we needed to having him skip a couple feedings, so his legs wouldn’t become disjointed. He seems to have passed his size on to his new litter. Well see if they grow quickly, too, but they are starting out strong.

Mimi’s litter from last week is down by 2, but 6 solid, strong bunnies remain. They should be opening their eyes, for the first time, before the weekend. Their fur is all in, and they are so cute!

And when you add chubby baby fingers, stained with markers, the image at least doubles in cuteness.

The new incubator is plugged in and we are letting it run for a couple days, to see that it properly holds temp, and humidity, before adding our first batch of eggs!