Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose

We lost:

We buried little Charlie today.  It was heartbreaking.  Not even two weeks old.  I don't know what happened-he went downhill quickly.  We went to move them outside to the brooder, and he just wasn't wanting to move.  He was pale and cold.  I tried warming him up under the heat lamp, but it didn't help.  Finally I wrapped him in an old kitchen towel and put him on a hot water bottle.  I kept him with me.  I fed him water and a little vitamins with an oral syringe.  Nothing helped.  He really never perked up.  He hardly opened his eyes.  I racked my brains, and consulted every book I own, but I could not find a cause.  He gave in a couple of hours later.  He shuddered and left us.

We are very sad here for the loss of him.  He was just so young.  He is buried next to Flower on the hill overlooking the stream.  Rest in peace, little one.
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Emmett will probably be departing soon as well, though not in the same way.  He's hale and healthy and terrorizing Arthur.  He is so aggressive he does not allow Arthur to eat, go in the pond, or go anywhere near either Ferdi or Ginger.  It seems as though he's chosen Ferdi and Ginger as his mates, but I can't figure it out.  Ginger will stay with Arthur wherever he goes, but Ferdi is stuck to Emmett like glue.  Obviously, we can't have that.  Ferdi is meant to be with Ginger, and I can't have Emmett, who is aggressive, keeping Arthur out of the food.  There is only so much space.  So he has to go.  I have put him on Craig's list.  Hopefully someone will want him.
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We won:

This day has been a damn rollercoaster.  I trekked back up the hill after burying Charlie, and checked on the geese to see what the hell was going on with them.  I chanced to look into the nest box I built that while ago because I had seen Ginger popping in there for the last few days, and look:

She laid an egg-her first.  I was in shock, and stood there laughing and crying at the same time.  It's beautiful.  She had dug a hole in the box floor, arranged the straw in a beautiful circle, and laid the egg right in the middle.  My little girl is all grown up!  She did not intend on sitting on it, as she hadn't lined the nest with her down, but wow.  An egg.  Whose baby is it?  It's Emmett's.  I know that because I know that.  I will spare you the "gory" details, but it's his.  That would have been interesting--A Buff African.  Hmmmm... 

Emmett still has to go. 

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Other good news--Mr. Responsibunnity is doing well.  He is nosy as all get out, funny to watch, will play a game with me occasionally, and LOVES his timothy.  He's also decided that he will eat the pellets I gave him.  I thought that was nice.  Oh, and he likes his water from a bowl, thank you very much.  Apparently, that cage-side waterer is just too hamster.

Today was a rough day.  I hope that tomorrow will be better.  Such is life on a farm.