Task II-Bull Pens

We have pens behind our barn.  They are made out of heavy duty (6 ft high, 10 ft long) bull panels.  We use them for all kinds of things like sorting, keeping bulls, etc.  Recently we were housing Stubby in them.  We plan to buck him in September so we penned him up to feed 'em and get him ready.  The Husband bought new feed (some our stock contractor friends use) and was trying it out.  I think it has given Stubby super powers!

Not one week after penning him, the Husband found him in Mojo's pasture!  He jumped a smaller gate and went thru the fence to get in with Mojo.  That got Husband to thinking and we all know that leads to work.  He decided to switch the pens around.

First he took out the shorter gate and closed it off with the high panels.  Stubby contemplated that situation for about 3 days then did this...

He found another escape route!  And left his belly print on the gate.  The Husband again closed off everything we thought would be tempting for him to jump.  Then a few nights later, the dogs barked ALL night.  Husband went outside but couldn't see anything.  We don't have a security light so it was pitch black.

Next morning, Husband went out to feed and saw Stubby was gone from the pen again and the barn was ransacked!  This time he used Gus' pen to escape.  I had moved Gus to the other side of the barn so I guess he saw an open opportunity!

You see his belly print here on the right.  He basically went thru another gate at the back of the barn to get to this one.

After he made it out, he went in the barn, got a midnight snack and hooked everything.  He also made is way down the drive.  Luckily, I had asked the Husband to close the front gate that evening.  We NEVER close the gate but we replaced it that afternoon.

So after his little stroll, he decided to go thru the fence into the pasture.

After that, the Husband said he was doing a complete overhaul of the pens.  So Saturday and Sunday we moved panels, pounded t-posts, tied wire and SWEATED!  Now we have three holding pens and a load pen.  All the outer border is tall panels.  We just knew this was going to do it.

So we get Stubby into the pen late Sunday evening.  Husband heads out of town on Monday.  Tuesday I go out to feed before I leave for work and guess what.....NO STUBBY!

But I found this gate.....

And this one in the alley...

And then this one in the load alley next to the trailer!

I swear every panel on our place is gonna have the Stubby imprint before all is said and done.  I found him in the trap next to the barn with the calves and Itty Bitty.  He came up to the gate wanting his feed.  I told him he was bad and I was punishing him with no breakfast.

When I got home yesterday afternoon, he was in the pasture with the other cattle happy as a clam.

We have NEVER had an issue with him jumping out of the pen.  I swear it's the feed.  Their slogan should be "Red Chain Feed gives you wings!"