Why I will never be a farmer

[punchy]

10 days ago a doe gave birth to a fawn in the back yard. Since then, the doe has been using the property as her day-care drop-off, which has caused lots of surprises when the fawn and I discover each other in the tall grass. It is delightful, and charming, and I have become invested now in this fawn. So, I tip toe around areas I know it is (or avoid them altogether). I have dragged brush across the field by hand to avoid having to scare it off with the tractor. I perform reconnaissance before riding and mowing. I leash up my otherwise free ranging dog.

And now this morning it’s lying right next to the driveway. I don’t really have to drive anywhere today, but my horse’s dentist is coming this afternoon and I’m considering canceling or asking him if he will park at the head of the drive and hike around the very long way to the barn

[trubandloki]

If it is really young, it will likely not move when they pull in if they are slow and careful.

Instinct tells them not to move at all.

[punchy]

Oh no, this one’s moving! It jumps up and runs away, even last week it was jumping up and running away. It’s has a very jumpy personality. I imagine it’s mom is tired of saying ‘no just stay there!’

[S1969]

Sadly sometimes the does learn where not to leave their babies when they end up dead. I had a number of them in my yard before we got a fence. My dogs found them immediately despite the “no scent” rumor. My first two dogs left them alone but my current dogs would kill them without a 2nd thought if they found one.

[Marla_000]

I’d cancel the appt
Critters need all the help we can give them, especially this time of year

[punchy]

Yeah, leaning that way. Plus, the neighbors will be cutting hay soon and I don’t want it camped out in that field and wind up in a bale. Sigh.

Spring is hard, with all these vulnerable critters. The baby wrens in the kitchen window box successfully graduated from the nest. I discovered the bunny nest before I attempted to move some equipment to mow around, so they have avoided murder by tractor. I’ve got another wren nest in my helmet in the barn, and will worry about the stray cat occasionally making an appearance.

[fordtraktor]

I think it will be fine, but my horse dentist takes ages to schedule so I’d just tell him to drive slow. A lot of times they react less to mechanical things than people.

[NaturallyHappy]

@punchy

And now this morning it’s lying right next to the driveway. I don’t really have to drive anywhere today, but my horse’s dentist is coming this afternoon and I’m considering canceling or asking him if he will park at the head of the drive and hike around the very long way to the barn

This seems like a good plan to me. You could always check to see if the fawn is still there prior to arrival time.

[MapleFarm]

I completely understand! We currently have a baby crow in the yard, so have had to ask our contractor to park further away and we aren’t mowing until it’s flying more! The parents are caring for it, but apparently they do this for about a week until they’re fully flying. I’ve also had to get pretty quick at locking the barn cat up at night!

[punchy]

Yes, this is what happened! Dentist called to give me an ETA, and I checked and the fawn has moved away on its own or mom came to pick it up. Searched with binoculars to confirm.