However...picture some "middle schoolers" that are used to relative freedom, and try putting them into a room with kids they've never met before. A pecking order is going to be established pretty quickly!
I know it's not a great quality picture, with the evening sun blazing in the west windows, but I don't think it's too hard to figure out who the newbies are! The two calves standing sideways blocking the feed trough have been together alone in the pen for a while now, and they are not about to let the new kids get first pickings! They stood that way for a very long time...
Fortunately it doesn't usually take too long for them to tolerate each other.
Bullies!
Bullies are everywhere! My chicken pen is full of them. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I so can relate to this picture. Yes, bullies are everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWe have a different set up where we have on long pen that has head gates. When I move younger calves with the older one, I put a scoop of grain in the feed through and as soon as the larger calf put her head down to eat, I lock the head gate and she will have to stay there till I open the head gate. The younger one can eat their grain without being bullied by the larger one and soon they are adjusted. There are always a few stupid ones.
Hugs, Julia