Crunch time

It’s that time of the year when all university students finally decide its about time to stop procrastinating, and start getting back into the books.

The little moments.

As a vet student, you’ll find everyone constantly questions you on why you do what you do.

“Why deal with the smell?” “Why do something with so much manual labour?” “Oh, you don’t get paid for your placements?”

Questions that are all too common. Everyone has a different answer, but when you ask me why? I say its for moments like these.

Connecting with these animals, each with their own charm no matter small or big. Moments where you’re holding a sleeping lamb or watching a piglet take its first breath. Moments where you’re nudged by a cow, or teased by a mischievous lemur. The moment where an ewe eats feed off from your palm and continues to nuzzle you to find more food.

The little moments.

Highfields Happy Hens - The Project

Have you ever heard of a farm that reared chickens with the intention of giving young “society failures” a second chance in life? If you haven’t, then I’ll introduce you to Highfields Happy Hens - a small establishment in Derbyshire, one with a cause.

Run by Roger and Beryl Hosking, they came up with an idea to use their farm to provide work, support, teaching and love for youngsters whose lives were in a mess. It was a simple idea, but it worked. Bringing these youngsters in to handle fragile eggs and chickens was a good method of anger management. One just couldn’t keep breaking eggs by being rough, or you’d get egg yolk all over you.

“I think its calming working with animals. You know you’ve got to be gentle or if they do something to you, you can’t shout at them or do something, they won’t understand” - Chante Smith (19 year old young offender)

http://www.highfieldshappyhens.co.uk/bm/project/index.shtml

12 weeks of AHEMS? DONE.

And today concludes the last of my Extra-Mural Studies placements at the pig farm. It’s been an amazing two weeks working here, and like every other species I’ve worked with, likewise, the pigs have a charm of their own.

A flop of their ears with their tiny eyes and a cocked head are enough to make you smile.

And only in vet school will you ever intern for free, smell like a farm everyday, see animals mate and mess around with all the animals around you. Oh, I love my course. :)

Excuse me miss, I mustache you a question.

And one little piggy looked straight at me.

This marks the start of the last bit of my AHEMS. Two weeks of managing the farrowing shed, bring it on!

Radiologist at work: Me and my makeshift light box.