Canesister's 2025 journal - Bushel & Peck Farm

[canesisters]

Very little 'farm-y' stuff happening here right now.
Work screwed up all 4 shift's schedules. I got switched to days for this week with no idea yet if I have to work the weekend or not. Too many people here so I've been put back in the "Coater" lab. LOTS to learn!!!!! LOTS of hours on my feet.

Plant boss just came back to let me know that the work we're all here on days to do.... but not doing... isn't happening this week after all.
Duh!
He wants to know if I want to work days NEXT week; when the trial for this week might actually happen.
..as long as I get all my scheduled 12's & am still getting the night shift differential, at this point, I don't care.

Itching for some day light hours to finish the chick pen. If the weather holds this weekend, should be able to get to it.

 

[canesisters]

Oh no

I just got home & Eva is bellowing like she's in heat!
Not just that, pacing the fence line, even cantering around all upset. No discharge though.
I'm going to try to lock her in the barn overnight. It's been a terrible day & I NEED to get some sleep..... which I won't get worrying about her.

I guess I should contact the AI guy????
Maybe she lost the calf????
Maybe she just noticed the tall grass in the back pasture & is mad that she can't get to it??

 

[farmerjan]

How long has it been??? Could be any of the things you said... AI guy could come breed her... NOT go through the cervix so that if she is bred, it won't disrupt the cervical plug... and semen can make it's way from the end of the cervix to the egg... not as good but it does work.....
She could have slipped it... she could have seen something in the pasture.. maybe another loose cow? Since you aren't there to see I would not begin to speculate...
OR wait and see if she comes back in, in 3 weeks... I had a jersey that got bred AI... went about 60 days... showed heats for most of the rest of her pregnancy... preg checked her twice... still preg... she was with a bull for about a month... but she would stand for other cows all the time... She calved on time, to the AI breeding... no doubt about the pure jersey calf compared to an angus cross that would have been 3 months later... never did it again... sometimes their hormones get "OFF"....
If you see some bloody discharge in 1-3 days... then she was in heat... had slipped it....if not... then a preg check would be in order... or wait 3 weeks and see.... if she does it again, then you can pretty well guess that she was in heat.......

 

[canesisters]

Thanks @farmerjan !
March 24 was when she should've come into heat after her breeding on March 3.
I've got her in a stall tonight - checked her over to be sure she wasn't ill or injured ..... not that I'd expect cantering & fence pacing if she was. And I sent a text to my AI guy.
I'm too tired to do any more tonight.
Will reevaluate in the morning.

 

[canesisters]

Still a clean rear end. Still bright eyed & overly alert. Still bellowing her head off.

I just walked the fence line & checked that the charge was 100% all around. Found skid marks where she was cantering last night & slid up to the gate like a reining horse!!!
I'll go back out & let her out when I get dressed & start today's project.

Assuming that I don't end up chasing a horney cow around the woods , today's big goal is to finally get the chicken yard cleaned up, section off a small area that Mom & babies can spend the days in & see how the rest of the flock reacts around them.
They're getting their wing feathers!
I've not taken the time to examine them closely to see if I can tell sex yet.

 

[fuzzi]

Still a clean rear end. Still bright eyed & overly alert. Still bellowing her head off.

I just walked the fence line & checked that the charge was 100% all around. Found skid marks where she was cantering last night & slid up to the gate like a reining horse!!!
I'll go back out & let her out when I get dressed & start today's project.

Assuming that I don't end up chasing a horney cow around the woods , today's big goal is to finally get the chicken yard cleaned up, section off a small area that Mom & babies can spend the days in & see how the rest of the flock reacts around them.
They're getting their wing feathers!
I've not taken the time to examine them closely to see if I can tell sex yet.

Pictures!!!!

 

[canesisters]

Pictures!!!!

Of the skid marks?


For @fuzzi

 

[fuzzi]

Of the skid marks?


For @fuzzi

Now, let's see those chicks!

 

[canesisters]

I let Eva out around 11 am.
She bellowed a little, walked around a while & is now (2pm) napping under he favorite tree.


I guess it's a waiting game for a few weeks. If it happens when her next heat is due, I'll have the very out to preg check her.