April 12, 2007
Hello again!
It's about time for a long overdue update... Try as I might, time just seems to get away from me.
Things are going wonderfully for us this spring. The crias are growing like I have fed them Miracle Grow! It is amazing.
Our oldest cria, Black Velvet, was born on December 30th. We affectionately refer to her as Tank. She is already 58.2 pounds at three months old. Most of that weight went on simply thanks to her dam, Miss Wise. She already weighed fifty something before she started eating pellets!
Duncan, is a slow gainer just like his big brother Friar Tuck. We aren't worried about him at all as he body scores fine and is obviously healthy. Duncan is going to be drop dead gorgeous and will most certainly be standing stud here for us when he's old enough. He has Angus' beautiful head; fiber that we are anxiously awaiting being able to test and is a really pretty color. He's between fawn and light brown. Since we haven't registered him yet we are holding off in making the decision as to where to put him on the color charts. Wonderful conformation... A very nice package!
Lady Emma is following her big sister's footsteps and gaining very quickly. She had doubled her birth weight in the first three weeks and as of last weight was just two pounds behind Duncan. What makes that amazing to us is that she is two months younger than he is! Emma also has her sires's head and is a beautiful medium brown. Straight, straight legs. She seems very lady like in her demeanor. Well, unless you catch her neck wrestling with big brother! :-)
Our barn cats are fat and happy. They really have a pretty good life here and I think they know it! Wesley follows me around like a puppy dog - it's really kind of neat because he sure is a lot quieter than the dogs! Little Mama still isn't too happy if we pet her but you can tell she's happy here.
The dogs? I am about ready to buy some ear plugs! Skeeter has a big bark but it is actually more tolerable than Cotton's. She is a Jack Russell terrier and has a yippy bark. I think the most aggravating on earth. Sometimes I think she barks at the breeze but it is probably squirrels.
Last weekend was quite interesting. I was out back playing 'lunch room' monitor in the young males paddock. I heard deep barking and it wasn't coming from Skeeter's pen... All I could think of was how did he get out?!? Well, I finally made it through the two gates - ever notice how those gate latches work exceptionally well at preventing entry/exit when you need to be
quick? Just as I got to the second gate Skeeter barked - from his pen! That meant it was another dog. My heart sank. Sure enough. There was a shepherd mix just outside the barn barking at my cats who were doing a wonderful job protecting the barn! I ran the dog off but could tell he really didn't want to go! Most of the rest of the day was uneventful. Around four pm the dogs (ours) started barking in such a way I knew it wasn't at the cats or deer. Sure enough, the dog was back. This time he wouldn't leave! I ran him off but he decided to run the fence line. I really think he wanted to play but we all know that wasn't about to happen! I had gone in with the females who were alarming. As I always have done in the past, I put myself between them and the danger ... Well, we don't have a lot of danger around here normally. And, keep in mind that I have three dams with cria at side and an older girl who is like "grandma" out there and just as fierce a protector as the others. This time as I put myself between them and THE DOG, I got looks that said "Would you kindly get out of our way - we have it covered!" I kid you not, if they could have spoken I am sure that would have been the message.
Finally, I left the pasture and called the dog to the front. I had a 10 x 10 pen set up for visiting studs in the front yard. I opened it... the dog walked right in. I locked it in... Went in the house and called animal control. I am sure it was just before four pm when I placed the call. After threatening to shoot the dog I was finally connected to the animal control officer. It was 4:06 pm. They would only come out on Monday morning! Our situation didn't meet the criteria of an emergency that would allow them to be paid overtime to help me out... So, I had this dog out front in a 4' high pen. I decided I had to try to make a covered area for him and a wind break. I was out there with a vinyl tarp and wrestling with that when Wesley and Little Mama came to see what "Mom" was doing... Needless to say the four foot high pen didn't make the cut! In about a nano-second the dog was over the side and in half that time the cats were sitting in their window hissing and scratching at him as her tried to get at them. This of course set off the dogs who actually live here!
Plan B (or are we up to Plan X by now?). We have a dog kennel with panels that are six foot square. It was apart and stored next to a shed so I brought panel after panel to the front yard where he would be out of sight of the dogs and alpacas. I had to bolt the panels together - not a problem, just time consuming. The dang dog stayed right with me in spite of my telling him this was his chance to disappear and be free, on someone else's property! He didn't listen and very trustingly (is that a word?) he went in when I opened the gate... I made him a three sided "shed" to block the wind and rain if that came. Gave him an old quilt and food and water... He spent the weekend there. We posted his picture at the corner store but no one came for him.
Well, Monday finally came around and he was picked up. Turned out one of the animal control officers had come here the year before on a farm visit! (Hello S.J.!) She wanted to see the babies so they spent a couple of minutes looking at them. I was glad that he left but have to admit I was considering keeping him and saying it was our two who were the intruders!
The bottom line with this was that I did take relief from the fact that the alpacas recognized him as a threat. I had begun to worry that after listening to Skeeter and Cotton bark so often that they would not be leery of other dogs.
About the only ones I haven't spoken of are the ducks. Our Muscovy family is doing very well. Mocha Latte, the drake, is doing his job whenever he is allowed with Bandanna and Nugget. I found an egg out in the young males shed one morning and the next morning I found one on the ground next to the ducks water. They have a shelter and I put a dog carrier in there to be used as a nest. For some reason I thought just one of the females was laying.
Due to rain and wind last night I had closed the females and crias in the barn. They had been shorn on April 1st and I worried they would stay out in the rain and really get chilled. We looked out and saw one of the female ducks desperately trying to get in. She checked every four inch square in the gate hoping she could fit through. We thought it was sort of funny.
This morning I saw one of the females go into the barn and couldn't find her when I looked for her. Hmmm. I continued with my chores and all of a sudden she appeared again. I had to investigate - I mean, how many places are there to hide in a barn? Not many in ours! I noticed that the hay was somewhat depressed in front of the hay feeder... I looked under it and found four eggs! I gently picked them up with some hay and brought them into the nest box. Then I decided I had better get some of the hay up and much to my surprise I found another nest under the feeder with four eggs in it! I scrambled and found a Rubbermaid tub that I made into a second nest box and moved those eggs in there as well. Then, in case they didn't get my message I decided I had better make a duck door so that they could get in and out of the barn even if the alpacas couldn't. So, we have ten eggs so far. The ladies aren't sitting on them yet so I haven't marked the calendar for when to start watching for the ducklings. Once they do sit it should be about 35 days later. In spite of their end use I am looking forward to the little ones. I am sure the alpacas will be thrilled!
Until the next time!
Sue
It's about time for a long overdue update... Try as I might, time just seems to get away from me.
Things are going wonderfully for us this spring. The crias are growing like I have fed them Miracle Grow! It is amazing.
Our oldest cria, Black Velvet, was born on December 30th. We affectionately refer to her as Tank. She is already 58.2 pounds at three months old. Most of that weight went on simply thanks to her dam, Miss Wise. She already weighed fifty something before she started eating pellets!
Duncan, is a slow gainer just like his big brother Friar Tuck. We aren't worried about him at all as he body scores fine and is obviously healthy. Duncan is going to be drop dead gorgeous and will most certainly be standing stud here for us when he's old enough. He has Angus' beautiful head; fiber that we are anxiously awaiting being able to test and is a really pretty color. He's between fawn and light brown. Since we haven't registered him yet we are holding off in making the decision as to where to put him on the color charts. Wonderful conformation... A very nice package!
Lady Emma is following her big sister's footsteps and gaining very quickly. She had doubled her birth weight in the first three weeks and as of last weight was just two pounds behind Duncan. What makes that amazing to us is that she is two months younger than he is! Emma also has her sires's head and is a beautiful medium brown. Straight, straight legs. She seems very lady like in her demeanor. Well, unless you catch her neck wrestling with big brother! :-)
Our barn cats are fat and happy. They really have a pretty good life here and I think they know it! Wesley follows me around like a puppy dog - it's really kind of neat because he sure is a lot quieter than the dogs! Little Mama still isn't too happy if we pet her but you can tell she's happy here.
The dogs? I am about ready to buy some ear plugs! Skeeter has a big bark but it is actually more tolerable than Cotton's. She is a Jack Russell terrier and has a yippy bark. I think the most aggravating on earth. Sometimes I think she barks at the breeze but it is probably squirrels.
Last weekend was quite interesting. I was out back playing 'lunch room' monitor in the young males paddock. I heard deep barking and it wasn't coming from Skeeter's pen... All I could think of was how did he get out?!? Well, I finally made it through the two gates - ever notice how those gate latches work exceptionally well at preventing entry/exit when you need to be
quick? Just as I got to the second gate Skeeter barked - from his pen! That meant it was another dog. My heart sank. Sure enough. There was a shepherd mix just outside the barn barking at my cats who were doing a wonderful job protecting the barn! I ran the dog off but could tell he really didn't want to go! Most of the rest of the day was uneventful. Around four pm the dogs (ours) started barking in such a way I knew it wasn't at the cats or deer. Sure enough, the dog was back. This time he wouldn't leave! I ran him off but he decided to run the fence line. I really think he wanted to play but we all know that wasn't about to happen! I had gone in with the females who were alarming. As I always have done in the past, I put myself between them and the danger ... Well, we don't have a lot of danger around here normally. And, keep in mind that I have three dams with cria at side and an older girl who is like "grandma" out there and just as fierce a protector as the others. This time as I put myself between them and THE DOG, I got looks that said "Would you kindly get out of our way - we have it covered!" I kid you not, if they could have spoken I am sure that would have been the message.
Finally, I left the pasture and called the dog to the front. I had a 10 x 10 pen set up for visiting studs in the front yard. I opened it... the dog walked right in. I locked it in... Went in the house and called animal control. I am sure it was just before four pm when I placed the call. After threatening to shoot the dog I was finally connected to the animal control officer. It was 4:06 pm. They would only come out on Monday morning! Our situation didn't meet the criteria of an emergency that would allow them to be paid overtime to help me out... So, I had this dog out front in a 4' high pen. I decided I had to try to make a covered area for him and a wind break. I was out there with a vinyl tarp and wrestling with that when Wesley and Little Mama came to see what "Mom" was doing... Needless to say the four foot high pen didn't make the cut! In about a nano-second the dog was over the side and in half that time the cats were sitting in their window hissing and scratching at him as her tried to get at them. This of course set off the dogs who actually live here!
Plan B (or are we up to Plan X by now?). We have a dog kennel with panels that are six foot square. It was apart and stored next to a shed so I brought panel after panel to the front yard where he would be out of sight of the dogs and alpacas. I had to bolt the panels together - not a problem, just time consuming. The dang dog stayed right with me in spite of my telling him this was his chance to disappear and be free, on someone else's property! He didn't listen and very trustingly (is that a word?) he went in when I opened the gate... I made him a three sided "shed" to block the wind and rain if that came. Gave him an old quilt and food and water... He spent the weekend there. We posted his picture at the corner store but no one came for him.
Well, Monday finally came around and he was picked up. Turned out one of the animal control officers had come here the year before on a farm visit! (Hello S.J.!) She wanted to see the babies so they spent a couple of minutes looking at them. I was glad that he left but have to admit I was considering keeping him and saying it was our two who were the intruders!
The bottom line with this was that I did take relief from the fact that the alpacas recognized him as a threat. I had begun to worry that after listening to Skeeter and Cotton bark so often that they would not be leery of other dogs.
About the only ones I haven't spoken of are the ducks. Our Muscovy family is doing very well. Mocha Latte, the drake, is doing his job whenever he is allowed with Bandanna and Nugget. I found an egg out in the young males shed one morning and the next morning I found one on the ground next to the ducks water. They have a shelter and I put a dog carrier in there to be used as a nest. For some reason I thought just one of the females was laying.
Due to rain and wind last night I had closed the females and crias in the barn. They had been shorn on April 1st and I worried they would stay out in the rain and really get chilled. We looked out and saw one of the female ducks desperately trying to get in. She checked every four inch square in the gate hoping she could fit through. We thought it was sort of funny.
This morning I saw one of the females go into the barn and couldn't find her when I looked for her. Hmmm. I continued with my chores and all of a sudden she appeared again. I had to investigate - I mean, how many places are there to hide in a barn? Not many in ours! I noticed that the hay was somewhat depressed in front of the hay feeder... I looked under it and found four eggs! I gently picked them up with some hay and brought them into the nest box. Then I decided I had better get some of the hay up and much to my surprise I found another nest under the feeder with four eggs in it! I scrambled and found a Rubbermaid tub that I made into a second nest box and moved those eggs in there as well. Then, in case they didn't get my message I decided I had better make a duck door so that they could get in and out of the barn even if the alpacas couldn't. So, we have ten eggs so far. The ladies aren't sitting on them yet so I haven't marked the calendar for when to start watching for the ducklings. Once they do sit it should be about 35 days later. In spite of their end use I am looking forward to the little ones. I am sure the alpacas will be thrilled!
Until the next time!
Sue
Labels: Spring
posted by Sue at 9:27 PM
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