I so hope that once RU is back on her feet, we can finally figure out where animals are getting out. I got a call from her hubby, CU, Friday night around 6:00. 3 horses were out. I get there and find 2 horses and a donkey out. The neighbor had stopped by to help, and had the one horse in the RP. They were trying to round up the donkey, but w/no luck. I tried getting her to go in the barn, but one of the dogs came and started to bark at her, she headed for the RP, so I let her in there for a bit. RU's daughter thought she should go back in w/the donks since she has a baby, and tried to catch her. Of course, she had no luck, and neither did the neighbor. I was able to walk right up to her, get a lead rope around her neck, and get her where she belonged. The neighbor's son found a place he thought she got out, and did a temp fix to it. I realized they were out of water, so I gave them water. I figured that was why she got out. By this time, they had rounded up the other horse, and put him in the RP too. i just left them there. Figured if I put them in where they belonged, they'd just get out. And, I figured the reason they got out was because they were out of hay. It was still too wet to get to where the hay was, but since it was cold overnight, I figured that would help to firm the ground up, and I'd be able to get it out the next day, so I went home.
Saturday, I was just getting ready to leave when CU called. There was animals out again. This time, it was 4 donkeys. I got there, and found that they left the area where they belonged. We had someone new come out to the farm, KW (she's willing to work in exchange for riding), so between the 2 of us, we were able to get the donkeys rounded up, and into a field, just not the one that they belonged in. W/a little bit of feed, I started to work on bribing them into the RP. KN showed up, and between the 3 of us and the feed, we got them in. I was able to push some hay out of the barn for the donkeys. So, for now, I'll probably have to put hay out for them. There's still 1 RB in the barn, but we couldn't get it out, so I'll just peel layers off of it.
Once the animals were all safely penned up, I took the tarp off the tractor, and tried to start it. It wouldn't start. When it does that, you need to let it sit. So, I did. KN, KW and I got some of the horses fed, and I tried to get the tractor to start again. Still no luck. So, I started working on other things. I'd work for a bit, then try the tractor. I finally got it started! First RB I put out went in the riding arena. We still have minis and donks in there, and until someone has the time to fill in the hole in their field, they'll stay in there. But, KN was going to let KW ride so we had an idea of how good a rider she was. She looks to be OK, just needs to lighten up on her hands. I got another RB out and put it in w/the main herd. Then I went to get another part bale out that I was going to stick in w/the goats, but couldn't get it. It was really in my way, but I figured I'd leave it, and see if I couldn't get another bale out. But, I couldn't get them. I was thinking it was just the angle I was coming from-until I noticed the spear was kind of floppy, so I got down and went and looked.
There were 2 bolts that hold the spear onto the bucket of the tractor. RU had lost one and now the other had sheared in half! I found 1 piece of it, moved and shut off the tractor and went to the store. I bought 3 new bolts and nuts, went back to the farm, got 2 bolts on, and threw the extra one in a small tool box on the tractor. I was then able to get the part bale out for the goats, and get the rest out that I needed out. There's only 3 RBs left.
Then KN and I went to feed the horses. They didn't want to come up. They were happy w/the hay. I went out and got one, thinking if I had him, the rest of the herd would come up. Nothing doing. And, I almost lost my boots getting him. The mud was quite literally to the top of my boot! So, I figured if they didn't want to come up, I wasn't going to worry about them and just fed the ones that came up.
By the time I was done all this, it was after 4:00. I had thought I'd be able to leave well b4 then. No such luck. And, I still wanted to get some of my field cleaned. So, I started in on it. The first several feet went pretty quickly. Then, I got to the bad area. There's old hay mixed in w/the manure. I've been raking it up the best I could, then scooping it up w/the manure fork. I've been thinking there has to be an easier way. Then it hit me-pitch fork. I went and got one. What a difference! I was able to get the rest of the area cleaned up real quick. And, w/all that gone, that area dried out right away! As much as I don't like to work on Sunday, I'll be doing another area today. Then, w/what I get done on Monday, I'll be able to drive in the field and get the rest of the manure I want to take home.
Once I was done, I went and checked on my chickens and fed Stormy. I also split the herd for overnight. This way, I can just feed half of them this morning. As long as no one has gotten out again, that means I should be able to make it to church much earlier. I'll feed the rest of the herd when I go this afternoon to give Storm his 2nd feeding, and feed everybody else.
By the time I was able to leave, it was around 6:00. So, I went home, fed my animals and did some more wood, mad dinner, and went to bed. I was beat.
There was just no way I was going to be able to do anything w/the fence in that area that would keep the horses in. So, when I was done work, I went to TSC, and got 2 cattle panels (after checking w/her), as well as some fence staples. There was a ton of multiflora rose, honey suckle, poison ivy as well as a couple of trees growing right along the fence line. So, w/the help of her hubby, we cleared the fence in that area. Then, we put one cattle panel up against a fence post, marked the middle, put a fence post there, then did the same at the end. Then, we put staples in, got the other cattle panel out, and just needed to put a fence post at the end. 
