Saturday, October 12, 2013

Cato

I bought a little buckling a few days ago.  His name is Cato.  He's a sweet, timid little guy.

Cooper is getting up in years and I decided it was time to add some different genes to the herd.  Cooper will probably breed most of the girls this year but next year he's going to have to share the girls. 

Cato is very tiny and not exactly the picture of health right now.  He has a snotty nose and appears younger than his true age.  I have a doeling who's a month and a half younger than him but probably weighs at least 3 times what he does.  She's still nursing though so she's a stocky little girl.  I wonder if he was weaned young.   I bought Cato because of his mother and grandmothers' udders, which were beautiful from the pictures I saw of them.  I doubt he'll be ready to breed any of the girls this year because he couldn't reach them if he tried.  Also, everyone is bullying him.  I feel so sorry for him.  Even my girls who are usually gentle and sweet are being mean.  I hate that.  Yesterday afternoon and this morning I found him in the donkey barn.  At least Chy and Wilson are being kind.
It's funny how he was afraid of me for the first few days but would walk right under the donkeys without being scared.  He doesn't go out and graze with the others much.  He stays close to the barn.  I was tempted to put him in the large field with the other boys and big donkeys, thinking they'd be nicer than the girls,  but I want him closer to the house for now so I can keep an eye on him.  I'd like to get a little meat on his bones so next year he'll be the buck I'm hoping he can be. 

1 comment:

  1. Poor Cato. I hope the rest of the herd are warming to him by now. Love his ears. Phyllis

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