Cow Escapades

What is wrong with this picture?  Yes, that is not a cowbird at the birdfeeders, it is a cow.

Last night at 3 a.m. the dogs woke us up with frantic barking - the cows were out, snacking at the bird feeders. We  pulled on our coats and boots and  herded the through the deep, crusty snow back toward the gate.  Jitter went back into the pasture ok, but LaFonda squeezed her way though the people door into the barn and  found the grain sack, which she immersed her head into and began to chow down, i was finally able to pull  the sack away and we got her back through the door (amazing she could fit!)

FInally, with the enticement of  fresh hay and cow cookies we lured her into the pasture and closed the gate. I had forgotten to notice whether the gate was unlocked, but we couldn’t see anywhere else they could have gotten out so I reprimanded myself for not securely latching the chain. As you can see from the above photo, the cows have been  very well fed over the winter (they needed the calories; it was so cold!)  and I decided to  reduce their rations a bit before swimsuit season. Apparently they thought they needed a midnight snack.

This  afternoon when I got home from town, Jitter was bawling  unhappily at the gate. Then I noticed suspicious hoof print tracks meandering all over the driveway, going into the garage,  through the patio...and sure enough, LaFonda was munching down at the bird feeders in the back yard again.  She followed me readily back to the pasture and I let her in, noting that the gate was LOCKED, so this was not where she had escaped.

I walked to the far end of the pasture, through the deepest snow, and found where she had gone over the  chain link fence. Apparently she had plowed through the prairie trail and woods west of the house, come back along the north side of the house, through the snowy yard on the east and then  poked around the garage and barn, before entering the fenced patio and passing through to the bird food court.   She certainly got her exercise for the day.
When Rog got home he strung bright yellow nylon electric fence wire above the chain link. There is really no way to electrify it until the snow melts enough to restring the wires - so our fingers are   crossed that she respects the wire.