Tag Archives: first aid

Dogs, Farm Stories, Goats, Poultry, Stories

A tale of ducks and turkeys and goats and a dog.

I have a duck in one tub and a dog in the other. And there’s a story behind it.

It’s not the first time we’ve had a duck in the bathtub.

Last time we bought poultry feed we decided to try a cheaper brand. It saved us almost $20 for a month of feed, but it seems to have caused problems for the ducks. Almost two weeks ago a duck had to be brought in for treatment of a prolapsed vent. She got all bound up and tried to eject her innerds. Professor Google provided answers and she got to have daily Epsom salt baths and Preparation H applied to encourage healing. This morning she got released back to the pen, but another one seems to be starting the same problem. We need two people to catch the duck because they are slippery suckers.

Well, the ducks share a pen with the turkeys. The turkeys don’t like anyone messing with their pen or their ducks. They need to go out on grass anyway so we herded the turkeys out of the pen and down to the pond pasture. The goats were at the gate, but the leaf-rake-of-doom kept them far enough back so we could shove turkeys through one at a time.

Then we noticed that one goat had grown too big for his collar. I don’t know how it came on so quickly, but he looked like he was choking and gasping for air. That needed to be dealt with immediately. But he didn’t want to be caught. The other goats were eager to run in defense of him to keep us away. We had a merry chase around the pond and back and forth across the creek. We were getting nowhere and he just got more stressed.

Here’s a word of advice: don’t bother chasing goats to catch them. It works for poultry, but goats are stubborn and smart. They will always escape if you chase. It’s better to lure them in. A coffee can of COB (AKA goat crack) properly applied will get them to do almost anything you want.

So we had a can of goat crack. We had the rake-of-doom and a long stick and a leash for just in case. We got 4 of 5 goats to come and partake of treats. You can guess which one refused. We got 3 of 5 into the other pasture and closed the gate. So now we have the meekest goat (Ritz) and the distressed goat (Moo). They’re easier to manipulate on their own. I walked over to the roofed dog kennel they use as shelter and drop a pile of crack…COB. Ritzy meanders in, happy to have a chance at treats and Moo follows. I step in and close the door.

We aren’t supposed to use horns to manage goats, but they sure are handy. I caught him. My helper straddled and pinned him. I unhooked the collar… finally! Then we let him eat out of the coffee can so the entire encounter could be associated with treats instead of terror. I might have made a mistake in not working with this goat much. He needs to be better socialized to humans.

Okay, the goat is dealt with, the turkeys are hanging out with them and intimidating them while wrestling each other. Meanwhile the dog has been gleefully running in circles, unable to decide if he’s going to “help” us wrangle goats, chase rabbits, or roll in all the smells he usually doesn’t have access to. Guess what he did.

Back to the duck pen. We got the ducks cornered and pulled out the ailing one. Got back to the house and I started filling the tub with water and Epsom salt. The dog followed me in and boy did he smell foul! The minute that duck was settled in her bath I took the dog to the other bathroom to get him cleaned up.

“But Mom! I thought it smelled so good! Why don’t you like my perfume?”

There is something about manure that is irresistible to dogs. Especially male dogs. Most baths given to dogs in this house happen after they have found their way into a pasture and come back crusted in stink. It’s like a 13 year old boy that believes the Axe commercials. Except we all know that repulses rather than attracts.

I got the dog clean. I even finished off with a dab of the boys Old Spice body wash around his neck. We’ll see how he likes that smell. The duck has gotten her treatment and is in the hospital cage for observation. The bathrooms are clean-ish and the used towels in the washer. Let the day go back to the sleepy rainy Saturday we had intended to have.

Camping LIst

My Camping List Part 8

Personal Care and First Aid

Spending time away from your normal systems of support can be a dirty business. Getting hurt while far away from possible care can be frightening. This is probably the biggest reason that people are afraid to try it out. A little bit of preparation can help.

Personal Care Items

  • Hand Soap/Sanitizer
  • Baby Wipes
  • Toilet Paper
  • Comb or Hair Brush
  • Bug Repellent
  • Sunscreen
  • First Aid Kit

When my kids were little I was working in a coffee shop. So handwashing was ingrained in me as a habit. I set up a handwash station on the table during the day. Hand soap, a basin of water, and a towel were ready whenever I felt I needed them. But as time went on I relaxed my standards and the basin simplified into a bottle of hand sanitizer and a tub of baby wipes. Baby wipes are probably the best thing ever for basic cleanliness while camping. You can clean feet, hands, faces, or freshen up other areas when a shower is not an option. I bring toilet paper because you never want to be without it. Bathrooms may be provided, whether flush or vault toilets, but even the best kept facilities can run out of supplies between cleanings.

Bug repellent and sunscreen should be self explanatory. You will discover what works for your family if you don’t already know. I remember competing with my siblings over who had more mosquito bites and therefore was more miserable, but not everyone will want that to be the story of their campout. And as much as I personally dislike sunscreen, we made sure the kids got slathered with it. It only takes one time trying to wipe dirt off the toddler’s face, only to have a layer of skin slide off to make you dedicated to not letting the kids get burned again. She had only been sleeping in the shade for a half hour and the shade had moved, leaving her in full sun for a short time.

So yes, burns and bug bites and skinned knees are virtually guaranteed. That doesn’t mean they have to be catastrophic. Start with doing your best to pay attention to safety and common sense. Then have a decent First Aid Kit to patch up whatever happens. You could buy one or put it together yourself, but make sure it has what you need to deal with the most common problems that you’ll run into.

This box lives behind the seat of my truck. I chose what goes in it, but like everything in life it is a constantly evolving thing. FYI, paper tape degrades in the heat of a summer car. I couldn’t pull off a decent length last time I needed it. I will have to find a better adhesive tape to store in a vehicle.

First Aid Kit

  • Adhesive Bandages in various sizes
  • Gauze Pads and Rolls
  • Adhesive Tape
  • Wound Disinfectant
  • Gloves
  • Antibiotic Ointment
  • Burn Treatment
  • Anti Itch Cream
  • Sunburn Treatment
  • Benadryl, Ibuprophen, Acetaminophen
  • Butterfly Bandages
  • Elastic Ankle Wrap
  • Feminine Products

First Aid training would be a very good idea for everyone old enough to pay attention. But when it comes down to it, the most important thing anytime anyone gets hurt is to stay calm. If you are a parent that goes into panic mode over a skinned knee your child will be terrified over every bump and bruise. I would argue that a few bumps and bruises are good for kids and adults because they remind us that we have limits. Nothing teaches you what not to do faster than unexpected pain. We should be calm and accept the lesson, and make sure that we work around it in future.

Most of the items in the list above are self-explanatory. I almost forgot wound disinfectant because in my mind I also have hand soap and sanitizer. I would probably go to that and the baby wipes first, but it’s good to have disinfectant as well. I also remembered gloves when I looked into my existing kit. You never know when you might have to help out a stranger and blood-borne pathogens are no joke.

Butterfly bandages are in there because of a specific incident. I had put my kitchen knife into the cardboard box I was using and didn’t realize there were gaps along the edge, so when I lifted the box the next morning my arm rolled into the sharp edge, cutting a nice clean gash on my forearm. My boys, though nearly adults, freaked out. They didn’t know where we could get stitches so far from home. That was when I got to teach them when and how stitches can be avoided. A piece of paper tape was folded into a makeshift butterfly bandage and the trip was saved, though I had to be careful. Now my kit is ready and I am dedicated to keeping my sharp edges protected.

Watch out for those sharp things! injuries make camping less fun, but they do make stories for a lifetime.

Ladies will know why I added the last item. Make sure they are in a plastic baggie so they don’t get messed up. I even have told my boys to include those, and not really for first aid purposes. Just imagine how quickly your trip would be ruined if something so important was forgotten…having something on hand could save the day.

I have known people who think being prepared means they are afraid of what might happen. I even know a person who refused to carry more than a couple of bandaids because having more might jinx them. Then again, I remember listening to a podcaster (I’ve forgotten which one!) who told the story of being at an outdoor wedding when a small plane crashed into the field across the road and he was able to help save the pilot’s life because of his well-stocked first aid kit. Mine isn’t huge but is respectable and it lives in my truck. I might never need it for any big things, but whenever I do pull it out for little things I am glad it’s there.

My most recent little thing where my kit saved the day. This is when I learned that my paper tape wasn’t doing so good. Someone tried to take off my mirror. I was able to secure it until I could access duct tape.