Here on our little ranch, the summer provided a predictable rhythm of deer movement. With three little fawns hidden in various areas of the property and the orchard beyond, it was common to see the mama does coming and going. They were either nursing their young, munching on browse and deer feed, or patrolling for … More Without a Trace
After Ruthie deer delivered two female fawns, Ellie and Jojo, on June 27th, Forrest and I did our best to keep an eye on Ruthie’s habits and ability to care for her twins. Ruthie herself had suffered a snake bite to her mouth and jaw prior to birthing, which left her unable to eat well … More Four Yearling Mothers
The day after fawns Ellie and Jojo were born, we realized that Jojo had problems with her legs and that likely, in the wild, would have left her as predator bait. A fawn should be able to stand and nurse within about 30 minutes of birth, and be able to walk and follow it’s mother … More Diligence
Last Sunday, June 27th, I woke up to Oscar and Lollipop gently scratching the door to our bedroom. It was just after 7:00 a.m. and I could not imagine why the dogs let me sleep an hour later than usual. But, just that one extra hour of sleep had me refreshed and ready for the … More Born in a Barn
We took our first outing with the fawns last Saturday. The girls enjoyed their freedom and finished the day by entering the pen to eat some feed and fresh browse we cut for them. While they were eating, we shut them in for the night and, due to snowy weather, waited another day before allowing … More Sisterhood of the Traveling Hooves
When my siblings and I were quite young, Mom would take us shopping for school clothes in a nearby town towards the end of each summer. I looked forward to these trips because I liked new clothes, but my brother and one sister loathed having to go along. Because they really did not want to … More A Walk on the Wild Side
In the days and weeks after taking in an orphaned fawn, we always enjoy watching their personalities evolve. The eldest of our little trio this year, Scout, has shown us her staunch independence, reliance on instinct, and physical strength. She’s highly alert and is often the first to flee into the safety of tall grasses … More Walkabout Scout
In early July, Oklahoma temperatures were on the rise and, because of ample rains this spring, the humidity was almost unbearable at times. With this oppressive heat, it seemed I was continually cleaning and filling water sources. Many afternoons, I freshened the water in the chicken yard and deer pens, making sure good, cold well … More Creating a Fawn Splash Pond
The weather has cooled down quite a bit with this past week’s rains and the arrival of a Canadian cold front. Our three orphaned fawns have enjoyed the respite from the blazing sun and stifling humidity of summer. During those hot days in June and all through August, the fawns took advantage of the cooler … More Building on Survival Skills
It has been a most quiet and and enjoyable summer here on Ten-Acre Ranch. Forrest worked from home most of the time, and our pace changed a bit because of that. I found myself outdoors even more, to keep the house quiet while he worked from his computer and laptop, and conducted meetings via the … More Nine-Hundred Spots to Enjoy During the Pandemic
It is always interesting to collect information and stories about various injured or orphaned wildlife that we take in. The main point in knowing the animal’s background has always been to determine how to proceed with treatment. With that background knowledge, we try mimicking the scenario that the particular species came from, and continue care … More Everyone Has a Story…
Day by Day the Farm Girl Way... 