Saturday 6 October 2012

She's better, he is not

The brown mum goat has had a limp. She doesn't have it now. Lester trimmed her hooves, found a wound in between her toes, sorted it out. Now she can charge into the sides of others, if she has a mind to do so. All four feet are now able to provide her with a springboard for her charge. She is well. She is better.

Orpy's comb was going from red to purple and back to read again all the day long. I watched it with fascination. He stayed close, seemed to want to be near to us. Missed him  yesterday afternoon. Lester said he was around somewhere. Went to look for him at dusk. Found Orpy. He was in the Hen Hut, not on the perch but on the ground. Deceased. 

We thought we heard a cockerel crow at dawn, but it was a splintered call, not Orpy-like. Assumed it was the young cockerel, who is the grandson of Orpy, starting to practice his crowing. It takes a while for them to master the art of doing this.  We thought we heard him do his first practice. In hindsight, we think that it was Orpy trying to welcome the dawn, but the effort expired him. 

But at least he died with his girls around him. The previous day he had even mounted one of the hens. You can tell when a cockerel has done his duty because the hen gets a bit of a wet botty. And we had made a fuss of him, just to let him know that we appreciated his efforts at keeping our hen flock provided with new additions. 

All in all, it was a good death for him. At least he can rest now.

We are, however, feeling upset. Surprising how animals wriggle their way into the heart. 


8 comments:

Zimbabwe said...

So sorry but as you say it was a good death. He has obviously not been 100% though for the past week. Will you use the young bird or get another cockerel with a new blood line?

Glad to hear the goat is back and running and around.
Have a good weekend Diane

John Going Gently said...

orp cockerels.. there is something quite sweet about them.... sorry chuck.....

Vera said...

Diane, in hindsight we realise that Orpy has been in failing health for some time. We were going to get another cockerel, but I think we are going to see how the youngster turns out. He looks like Orpy, but is stronger in body, less fluffy. Hope you have a good weekend as well.

John, thanks. You are right, they are very sweet cockerels.

Niall & Antoinette said...

Sorry to hear that Orpy has crowed his last but he'd had a good life with you.
I'm not surprised you're feeling upset.

As you say animals always find their way into your heart.

rusty duck said...

Sorry to hear about the cockerel. At least he didn't suffer.

Horst in Edmonton said...

Well at least he had a great life at your little farm.

Vera said...

Niall and Antoinette, animals do really pull at the heart strings, but we feel that we did our best for Orpy, and that is all one can do.

Rusty Duck, hi, and thanks.

Horst, yes, indeed he did.

Jean said...

It sounds like Orpy had a good life to me, so I am sorry for you to have lost him but not sorry for him. He was a lucky cockerel.