Chuck, the New Steer

We're getting excited around the farm this spring! River is due with her kids in 15 days. We don't really know how many kids she will have. Last year she had 2 kids so we are hoping that she will have 2 or 3 kids this year.

We are hoping for girl kids! Girl kids are called, 'doelings.' There is nothing wrong with boy kids (they are called bucklings). We like doelings because they get sold for more money than bucklings.

Kids are a lot of fun whether they are doelings or bucklings. We love to watch them jump and run and play, just like human kids!

We are also excited because we have a new steer on the farm! A steer is a boy cow.

Meet Chuck!
Chuck is a 5 month old steer that has come to live on our farm.

He is still scared of us, but he isn't scared of Echo at all. She loves him just as much as he loves her. They share their food, and Echo makes sure she always knows where Chuck is.


We love that Echo is so sweet. We love that she is so kind to Chuck.



Chuck always wants to know where Echo is, too.


Chuck wants to be wherever Echo is. He wants to be in the barn and explore when I'm milking.


We are frustrated because Echo loves Chuck so much that she lets him snack on her milk! He is old enough he doesn't need any milk. He drinks so much milk from Echo that we only got a gallon of milk yesterday so we had to separate Echo and Chuck.



Chuck gets to live in the stall for a week or so until he decides to stop drinking Echo's milk. He's pretty mad right now. Echo isn't very happy about it either.

They can see each other through the stall door. They can touch noses, and they can visit with each other. They aren't lonely because there is only a stall door between them. Chuck is out of the bad weather, and he has plenty of food and water. But he's pretty mad right now! Even his voice is hoarse from mooing so much!

You might think that we're being mean to Chuck, but we aren't. He doesn't need milk anymore, he still gets to see Echo and be by her, and he has a warm, dry place to stay with plenty of room to move around. Sometimes we have to do what is best for the animals even if they don't like it right now. Parents and teachers also have to do what's best even when children don't like it.

One of the other good things about Chuck being in the stall is that we can get close to him easily so he can get used to us more quickly. That will be really good for both Chuck and us especially since Spring is right around the corner and people will want to come visit the farm.

It's much more fun to visit a calf who likes to be around people!

I hope you are still finding something kind to do for someone else every day!