Big news on the farm today!
At lunchtime, I thought I'd pop into town and drop some things off at the post office. As I was walking to my car, I noticed Queenie was laying down in the barnyard and it looked like she was in labor. Sure enough! I ran in the house to put down my things for the post office, grabbed my camera and zipped out to the barnyard. Unlike our other cows who give us lots of ooey gooey warning before
they deliver, Queenie doesn't bother with the warning signs. Nope, she
just delivers.
And deliver she DID! A CUTIE of a dun... bull calf ... *groan -- that makes 4/4 for the year*. But at least she managed to cook up a dun! Driskoll (aka Beavis), our herd sire, is a black Dexter but has dun in his pedigree. Queenie, the calf's mama, is also a black Dexter, and also has dun in her pedigree. Finally...third time's a charm... the two of them managed to produce a dun colored baby! Here he is napping in the shade of the barn in the heat of the evening. Nevermind his little newborn booger.
I was lucky to get an entire series of photos of his birth. I'll share just a few of them here. Sorry for the slime!
Fresh outta the chute! (Sparing you the chute photos...)
Queenie chose to deliver out in the barnyard under the shade of the tree
instead of in the barn where there was straw put down for her. Silly
cow... the calf was covered in dirt and dried grass from the barnyard!
Only minutes old, you can see the babies are VERY slimy. Mama cows do a good job of cleaning their babies up quickly.
Looking a little less than sure about me and my ONE BIG EYE as I clicked photos.
Not exactly "cute" at this stage, is he?
Princess and Stewie stood only a few feet from Queenie and watched very quietly while she delivered her baby.
Runner: "Duuuuude, look at the new guy... whoaaaaa, far out....."
Stewie: "I'm just excited to have a new friend to play with! I will teach him how to run, and how to jump, and how to twist his tail in circles when he pees!"
Betty: "What!? Another COW!? Do I EVER get to go back in the barnyard? The goat yard is a drag!"
Welcome to the farm, little fella!
What a cute slimy cow. :)
Posted by: DeeDee Roe | August 25, 2009 at 10:31 PM
O these are wonderful, I am so happy that you shared them with all of us. The miracle of birth is such an amazing thing. Love coming over there to get a dose of happiness. I hope you have a wonderful day
Posted by: Justine | August 25, 2009 at 01:33 AM
Oh my gosh, that's just cool! www.whatupduck.com
Posted by: Kelly | August 21, 2009 at 07:13 AM
A magical place you live in....
Posted by: Shae | August 12, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Hey didn't even see the booger til you pointed it out-- smile- such cute babies .
I miss living in the country .
Thanks so much for sharing
Posted by: Chris Coverston | August 11, 2009 at 03:54 PM
Oh my gosh, i have missed sooo much on your farm this summer! lol, just doing a little catching up and your little Betty goat is still funny as ever! Welcome new baby cows!!
Posted by: paula | August 11, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Awwww! He is soooo cute! I love all the animals with their captions too! Congrats Anna and Queenie!
Posted by: Danielle | August 10, 2009 at 01:42 PM
Oh Anna, what a wonderfully handsome dude! You have to be so happy for mama cow, that she delivered and all is well. I love your pics and the captions just keep me laughing. I love going to your blog and reading all the latest news on the farm, what a delightful sense of humor you have! Betty has to be my favorite (I love them all but she has this place in my heart) and I love seeing what she has to say next about what is happening in HER neck of the woods.
Keep them coming, I'll be watching.
Phyllis
Posted by: Phyllis Ward | August 09, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Anna those are some awesome photos - it's great that you photographed as the process was occurring - he's darling!
Posted by: Erika M | August 08, 2009 at 04:08 PM
Congratulations! Although I know you wanted a girl. I felt the same way when my fourth son was born. Ha! But he's the best, so it's all good.
These guys are all pretty sturdy and studly looking, so no doubt they will find good homes and hopefully make some female cows very happy some day. (*grin*)
As always, thanks for the awesome pix, which help us city folk see a bit of the country life.
Posted by: Lisa Hjulberg | August 08, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Aw I certainly do miss seeing cows giving birth. We buy in our calves to rear now, so don't have that pleasure. Also don't have the stress! Congrats on the new arrival, glad to see he made it safely.
Posted by: Janice | August 08, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Aw, Anna! He's just adorable (minus the slime of course) ;-)
I love the comments from the other animals! Congratulations!!
Posted by: Michelle | August 08, 2009 at 07:05 AM
How exciting to have you share these wonderful photos with us!
They are all awesome and the pic of Betty/the goat...really tickled me!
Thank you ever so much!
Anna - Love that big ole 'one eye' of yours!
Posted by: kjo13 | August 07, 2009 at 09:47 PM
Awwwwww! Who wouldn't love this adorable face? Outstanding photography!
Posted by: Charlene Merrick | August 07, 2009 at 06:54 PM
City Mouse, here, Anna, but I love all things Critter. Even spiders (sorry!)
Thanks for the heart-lightening!
Posted by: Liz S. | August 07, 2009 at 06:47 PM
He is very adorable. Thanks for posting their photos. I am loving your pics of all the babies.
Posted by: Kelli V | August 07, 2009 at 07:08 AM
He's Beautiful Anna!!
Posted by: Dru Cabral | August 07, 2009 at 06:21 AM
he is so adorable. Congrats all around!
Posted by: janice | August 07, 2009 at 04:42 AM
How sweet!!! I'm such a sucker for babies of all kinds. I wouldn't even have minded the chute pictures, lol.
My mare is a sneaky deliver-er like Queenie. We realized her last baby was on the way only I happened to see her turning around and noticed a foot sticking out!
Posted by: Jeanne | August 06, 2009 at 09:16 PM
Wow... he is sooooo cute! Congrats to all the barnyard for the new addition...
Diane
Posted by: Diane Cooper | August 06, 2009 at 06:50 PM
What awesome photos, thanks so much for sharing them. I love to see the babies!
Posted by: Tami McBeain | August 06, 2009 at 05:50 PM
Ahhh!! What sweet pictures!!!! Thanks for sharing :)
Posted by: Julie Ann Grakowsky | August 06, 2009 at 01:53 PM
Superb photos as ever and what a real cutie! I wouldn't have minded seeing him coming out of the chute (love the description - lol!). Your blog is the one thing I look forward to reading everyday. Just love the stories from the farm - and the cards!
Posted by: Pam (PeeJay) | August 06, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Wow!! What a cutie!! And such amazing photos, as always!! Thanks for always sharing your never-a-dull-moment life on the farm with us!
Posted by: Michelle | August 06, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Wow, thanks for sharing such a wonderful glimpse of farm life. What a handsome guy he is. Love the pic of Betty checking things out. Congrats.
Posted by: Troy Louise | August 06, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Perfect job with the pics. Thanks for sharing. How about naming him Gunner, or Louie?! haha. :)
Posted by: lorasue | August 06, 2009 at 11:05 AM
I think calves are cutest when they first come out because it means all the hard bits are over! :) I miss having cows. Thanks so much for sharing his birth photos, Anna!
Posted by: Shala | August 06, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Oh how fun...new babies! Anna I just love seeing all your critters and reading the wonderfully fun captions. It's like being on the farm without really being there. Congrats on all the new little ones. Oh and Crazy Boxcar Betty is hilarious!
Posted by: Ida | August 06, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Thank you for sharing...the pictures are amazing. Your comments add so much. It was like being there....thanks again Miss Farmer.
Posted by: Ginny | August 06, 2009 at 09:42 AM
Anna,
Thank you so much for sharing your farm experiences with a city girl like me. I enjoy your pictures and your stories. You do great work and I want you to know it is appreciated!!!
Posted by: Vicki Sopcak | August 06, 2009 at 09:29 AM
Congratulations! Another cutie on the farm. Love the photos and captions!
Posted by: Beth M | August 06, 2009 at 08:06 AM
He's very handsome, all cleaned up. Loved the crazy eye photo of Betty.
Posted by: Ann | August 06, 2009 at 07:58 AM
How sweet! LOVING your captions on the photos (and thanks for no photos of the "chute!") LOL
Posted by: Tammy Hershberger | August 06, 2009 at 07:14 AM
Your photos are always so beautiful!
Posted by: Lola Goldberg | August 06, 2009 at 05:50 AM
He is really sweet, Anna! Love the up close and personal photos! WOW! Baby time must be so exciting on the farm.
Posted by: Mary Anne K. | August 06, 2009 at 05:46 AM
Awwwww, such a cutie!!! Love all your photos and your captions are hilarious.
P.S. I think your dad is a stitch! It's a good thing:)
Posted by: Cindy H. | August 06, 2009 at 05:43 AM
Very nice! Sure makes me miss those farm days. Whatcha goin' to do with all the bovine testosterone around there???!!!! Runner sure has a funny 'cowlick', doesn't he?
By the way, love the goat collar. Great idea. It that one of your creations? We still have one that your made for our Annie!
Cheers!
Posted by: Julie Douglas | August 06, 2009 at 05:30 AM
Thanks for sharing the birth photos. :)
Another handsome dude! Maybe next year you'll be 4 for 4 in girls! HA...hugs...
Posted by: Carol Dee | August 06, 2009 at 05:07 AM
4 for 4 in the bull calf department! At least this cutie is brown, though your black beauties are, well, beautiful! Can't wait to see what you name this one. Congratulations on healthy babies!
Posted by: kathynruss | August 06, 2009 at 02:11 AM
How bout that now brown cow? Sorta, huh, OH, I was vegging. Brown bulls are worth more than black bulls you know. To bad the other boys are already named. Harpo, Groucho, Cheako, Zepo.Or John, Paul, George and Ringo? T-bone, Porter house, Sir Loin,and the Barron of Beef of course.......... Love Dad
Posted by: DK Wight | August 06, 2009 at 12:00 AM
awww adorable!! Too bad its another boy! LOL But safe and beautiful little cow is all that we can ask for. The biology and sexes part is in gods hands or the Momma and Dad
Cazx
Posted by: caz | August 05, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Well congratulations again!! Wonderful pics and oh he's another CUTIE!! Something special about those little babes that just make you go aaawwwww! Your commentary is hilarious! You really crack me up! :)
Posted by: Dotty | August 05, 2009 at 09:54 PM
Oh, he is SOOOO beautiful!!! And yes, he does look better DRY! lol He is just so gorgeous...why couldn't he have been a SHE??? Doggone it! Still, you must be terribly proud!
I don't know how the Momma cows get all that dirt off their babies! But Queenie surely did a great job of it! I hope she got a good drink of water after cleaning him! haha
So glad he's safely here, and Congrats on all the new babies! :D
Posted by: diane mcvey | August 05, 2009 at 09:31 PM