People matter too, just tired of most and like animals better:)

I think people are critters too but just wish sometimes that we didn't have the ability to speak verbally.  The greatest truth in my life comes from my animals who I realize I don't 'own' , can't verbalize but can speak volumes if you care enough to interpret what they are expressing, but who allow me the privilege to feed them and be in their company.  They never pretend to be anything but what they are, don't promise anything, but still fill my life with amusement and joy.  It may sound simplistic but maybe we humans need to take a lesson?  If I posted a video or mocked one of my critters, they would be smart enough to not give it the time of day or more than a 30 second reaction.... As Ellen says, be kind to one another.....

Alpacas grateful that the heatwave is over:)

Well the girls and boys have survived this wonderful (not) summer.  I was trying to capture pictures of them doing entertaining things but as people tend to do when they are baking in the outdoor sauna, they would look at me like I had two heads.  Feeling like I had two heads and sweat dripping in the camera lens, I did not get many pictures.  Good news is that with their 'hair cuts', constant running of fans, and hosing daily, we all survived.  They got their toes cut, worming shots, and a clean bill of health so life for them is good.  Now that the weather is cooling off a bit, they are getting 'frisky' and boy o boy the boys want to get to the girls.  Thank goodness my fencing is good!  There is actually an 'extra' paddock between them just in case.  The deer and coyotes are starting to move more with the weather changing but these critters are my best alarms.  I just look where they are looking when they start their whinnies and if necessary aim accordingly. 
At least they aren't whinnie-ing at the kitty any more.  I guess she has their seal of approval.  While the Alpacas don't seem to chase kitty, they do get into 'moods' where chickens they see every day and even ones who roost in with them, will all of a sudden seem to annoy the you-know-what out of them and the 'pacas' will chase them relentlessly.  Go figure.  Teenage syndrome, PMS, ??? Funny to watch though:)

Chickens are laying great, and scaring the cat!

It still amazes me the colors and personalities that chickens have as well as the environmental advantages (IMHO) that they bring.  Some may think that they are dirty, poop everywhere, and even carry disease but I find that not to be the case, at least for me.  I am more concerned at what stray cats bring!  It's true that chickens do doodoo wherever they want, especially when they are free range as mine are.  I have a property that is laid out very well for it, and a patience to deal with poop around the front of the house!  Hosing the deck once a day is a small price to pay for not having to have (or spray for) ticks, fleas, mosquitos, which the chickens gladly consume.  They also keep the flies away from the Alpaca and dog poop which helps them (although the dogs still consider the chickens a food group and I do have to practice animal segregation for everyone's survival.  Call it profiling but if I don't I will lose a chicken:) ).
I have a picture below comparing one of the new chick's eggs compared to the older chicks and I think the weather is a factor.  Last year's chickens that I got did not really lay until September but this year's have been laying since about July.  I got them at the same respective time of the year.  While both last years and this years chicks froze at the sight of the snake, they all terrorize the cat.  It's too funny to watch them chase her.  I can put a can a food out for the kitty but if I don't guard the can for the kitty, the chickens will chase her away.  They are bigger than she is.  BTW I NEVER GET CHICKEN FLAVORED CAT FOOD!  Don't want to tempt fate but my money is on the chickens!

Latest Snake Buddy - Welcome Kitty!

About a month ago, I was checking the chicken coop's nesting box area around dark.  To my surprise, I saw (with help from my flashlight) a black tubular thing in there and 3 chickes were standing as if frozen.  Using a stick, I poked the tube since I had a pretty good idea of what it was but not how big it was.  Since a flashlight takes one hand and a shotgun/hoe usually requires 2, I used my free hand to text my neighbor who helped me with copperhead snake buddy earlier this year.  I hated to do it but knew that if this snake was not accounted for/killed, I would have permanent Indiana Jones' type nightmares.  While I am a snake non-hater and appreciate the value black snakes bring as in killing rodents, etc, this sucker turned out to be big enough to have killed 2 of my smaller chickens and explains where most of my chickens eggs had been going.
Long story short, the snake got 'charmed', I slept great, and kitty is now the mouser with help from, yes, the chickens!  After the snake was charmed and we saw/measured it, it looked like it had swallowed bubble wrap with all the eggs it had inside.  Also, it measured 6foot, 4 inches.  Anyone familiar with the half-body length strike rule?  I am 5foot 1inch.  That was so not happening.  I slept great, but still don't like killing snakes but hey, my critters come first.  Guess I have a cat now...

Dogs are still wo(man's) best friend:)

Well the heat is finally abating, and I do have some great if not evil (:) ) looking pics of my daughter with some of my dogs.  The 'evil' look comes from the lack of red eye reduction and they look like they are saying "I keell you:)".  Once I get them off my Iphone, I will upload them.  On the bright side, I don't need a new adaptor since I don't have the 'new' Iphone 5... 
Daisy, Mo, Sampson, and Dutchess have all had their shots and are crazy as ever.  Delila is due next month for her shots.  There have been a couple of new dogs roaming through the property and I don't like that.  As much as I love dogs and realize that I live in the country, I still expect people to contain their critters... Whenever these two come through, my Alpacas go nuts with warning whinnies and I really don't like it.  Especially with the weather changing and deer season starting soon enough, I really need to get some sleep:)
The dogs also go nuts over the cat that has adopted us which I don't mind since the latest snake buddy got charmed to death (see snake buddy update:) ).
September 14, 2012

Mad Catter

Not sure but think I may have a permanent 'property cat'.  There has been a momma cat and kittens on my property for a couple of months.  The kittens aren't nursing any more but Momma cat and the 2-3 babies were starting to chase my newer chickens.  I set a trap and caught one of 'them'.  After checking to make sure it wasn't a nursing mother cat, I fed it, talked to my vet and other locals to see if anyone wanted a 'barn cat', but the vet was full, and since this is a female cat, I feel bad but released it back at the edge of my property.  It didn't seem fair to dump her somewhere else but if she goes after my chickens, it won't be good for her.  I fed and watered her while she was in the trap (humane live trap and probably kept her safer than she would be in the 'outdoors').  The good news is that I haven't seen the other I am assuming related felines since.  Please pray that she is a good mouser and leaves my chickens alone...

Mighty Mo and the Mole

Mo and Daisy went to the vet today to get their shots.  They also got their nails trimmed and Daisy got an 'ear cut'.  She is such a baby when it comes to being poked or prodded.  Colleen and I can try to hold her still to trim her nails or matts in her ears but she gets so upset that we really can't (translation (I can't) stand it).  I wish I was a dog groomer since mine (for my Cavaliers) is always sooo booked it is hard to schedule and I have grass, not concrete, which doesn't help.  Poor girl Daisy was trying to scratch her ear and got her nail caught in an ear matt and wound up with her back leg caught up and walking really funny for a few minutes until I could untangle her.  Hence she and Mo will be getting dental work done and then going straight to the groomers (another one with more openings).  Mo turned 7 on June 15 and Daisy will be 7 on July 4 (true firecracker).  If older dogs get too much tartar, bacteria can get into their system and cause heart and other organ damage so it is definitely worth it, they deserve it:)

New Chickens getting Big and Beautiful

I can't train dogs let alone chickens.  However I am happy to see that one of my favorite 'cauna' girls has started roosting at night with the 'old girls' in the barn with the girl Alpacas.  (Sort of a girls night in.)  I hope the rest will follow suit for their own safety but this happened by chance.  I was on the riding mower and since it has headlights (and 4-wheel steer which is awesome), the newbies pretty much had to fend for themselves.  I have been letting them out all day for the last week or so to socialize them with each other.  The 11 'oldest' newbies had all gone back in the coop, and the newest newbies (minus 1) had all returned to on top of the 2 cages they have been spending the night in.  I was relieved to find the missing (minus 1) in the barn with the older ones...  Some are starting to 'nest' and I can't wait to see what color eggs, how many, and how soon they will start laying!!!  Their colors and 'toes' are too funny.  It may seem ridiculous to some but I find chickens very entertaining creatures and they are awesome at pest control (ticks, mosquitos, etc).

Gianni Versace and Gus

Versace is such a goofball.  He always seems to have grass hanging out of his mouth and loves to stand over Gus (acting like the herdsire he thinks he is).  Anyway, it has been SOOO hot and humid that they spend most of their time in the shed by the fans, and come out when they see me with the hose.  The only activity I like in this weather involves the hose so I water them and then me and then my tomato plants:)

This year's chicks getting big:)

Today I let all 20 of the 'new' chicks out at the same time so they could mingle with (and survive) with the older residents.  They really enjoy spreading their wings and are fun to watch.  Colors are really cool, and I can't wait to see what color eggs they lay.  If it is like last year's bunch, they will start laying around September.

Alpacas looking awesome and much cooler!

I finally posted pics of the 'pacas' after their haircuts.  It has been so hot that the fans have been running almost daily, and I have been hosing them at least once a day.  They are too funny in regard to how they fight to be hosed first, and then inevitably roll around in the grass/dirt which makes it hard to tell the white ones from the brown ones!  The most important thing is that they are all healthy and comfortable.  For me, it is such a privelege to watch these majestic but goofy creatures run and frolic out my kitchen window.  It's cheaper than blood pressure medication and doctor bills:):)

Chick Flicks and Pics

My first round of chickens for this year are about ready to be released permanently.  They have been outdoors but kept in a coop until they are close in size to the ones I got over the last 2 years.  This group consists of 4 Plymouth Barred Rock (Domineckers?), 3 New Hampshire Reds, and 4 Black Link Pullets.  Check out their pic below and how big they have gotten!  My second round are 10 'caunas', which I have in 2 separate cages because they are too big to be in the same one.  Their colors are gorgeous and they love to spread their wings.  Chickens are not 'flightless', but I guess they are if you clip their wings.  Some people do this but I personally don't believe in it, nor do I want to do it to them.  My older chickens fly up 6 feet and roost on a chain link panel by the Alpaca girls.  They are pretty consistent and start this process about 7:30pm every night.  When the old birds(:) ) roost, I let the newbies out of their cages so that I can clean/feed them, but they actually go back in voluntarily (security feeling).  There is always a feeling of trepidation when I let the young ones with the 'veterans', but they usually get along just fine.  It helps that I don't keep them in a coop as I have heard they get territorial and even cannibalistic (yuck!).  There is enough yard for everyone:) 

Dog Days of Summer showed up early :(

Well, the heat is not man's best friend nor mine.  I took Dutchess (my big Mastiff rescue) and Sampson (my white chihuahua rescue) to the vet last Saturday for their shots.  They did pretty well but I have to admit it was funny watching my vet get Dutchess up on the counter!  She is 80 pounds, and Sampson is 12 pounds.  Because of the warm weather and overabundance of insects, I had them both tested for heartworm and THANK GOD, they were both negative:)  Daisy and Moe, my cavaliers, are also due for their shots but I have a small car so they will go on a separate trip and get trimmed as well.  I will post pics of all my canine critters in the next couple of weeks.  Little Delila won't be due for her shots until October.  I am glad I got more chickens as the bugs this year are awful!

May 28, 2012

Alpaca Hair Cuts - Professionals Required !!! OMG

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY! Rob Long at www.osagealpacas.info came today to give my Alpaca critters their annual trim and he is awesome. (I call him the Alpaca Whisperer.) Check out the photos below for the visuals on this amazing process where Alpacas are shorn. This is done once a year and does not hurt the animal. I will update next week with the 'after' shots but the pictures below are too cool. Each Alpaca is put next to a 'table' and strapped in before the table is flipped to what looks like a normal table position. Then the Alpaca is trimmed on one side, and flipped to the other side to finish the trim. It is really a site to behold!

Dogs are Man's Best Friend but not always Each Other's

Even though dogs are 'fixed', females can sometimes act like they are in heat. This happened about 10 days ago and turned into a scary situation (all is well now). My tiniest rescue is Delila who is so little that I actually put her on a tie-out in the back yard since she can fit through one of the gates. Well, my cavalier Daisy started playing around with Sampson and Delila, and then got an attitude with Delila. Daisy began getting rough with Delila who happened to be on a chain and could not get away. Then Dutchess (mastiff mix) wanted to join in and I had to pull Delila to safety. She (Delila) was shaking and bitten but not hurt too badly. It was hard to watch but unfortunately these things can and do happen. The good news is that everyone is okay and getting along now. Maybe it's the weather??? I wish people could recover from their fights so easily!

Chickens On the Move

Well, I think the Grey Lady is now a ghost lady as there was a fox visitor which most likely had her for breakfast. She was always in the literal 'dog house' and would lay on eggs all day and night which made her a sitting chicken so to speak. She would have been a great brooding hen, ie laying on eggs until they hatched, and I hate that she is gone. Some say, and it is sad but true, that when you have livestock you have deadstock. I still cry over lost critters. On a happier and preventive note, I have moved all the chicken nesting boxes, dog house, and coop as close to the house as it can be without being in my living room! My first round of chicks for this year are happily (and safely) in a coop outside and are growing fast. Due to the wonderful (not) weather, I have had to run heat lamps a few nights to keep them cozy but they are doing great. That only leaves me with 10 still inside! Hopefully the 'caunas' can move outside in a couple of weeks into the coop that the first round won't need anymore. I will update with pics next time, but this round of updates is about the taller 4 legged critters:)

Alpaca Girls and My Girl Chillin'

I am not sure what happened to spring but when the mercury hits above 85, the Alpacas love to be hosed down. They actually need it. My youngest daughter Colleen was more than happy to help cool the girls down. Miranda, the brown and white (largest as well) girl, is the biggest hose hog. She insists on being in front and whether we are trying to fill the water tub or cool her off, she will put her face in the hose and then her legs. She does the face in the hose bit and then sneezes, go figure. When we aim the hose lower, like toward her underbelly or legs, she will raise her legs up to (I guess) meet the hose half-way? Lola (the all-white girl) will usually be next in line and try to twirl around to make sure we get her front and back legs. I call her twirlygirl. And then she will 'kush' or kneel down when she is wet enough. Titania, the dark brown girl, will try to get her turn but Miranda usually tries to block her shots! It is pretty funny to watch them but I also have to be careful in terms of where the water hits them. It may sound strange, but getting the tops of their fur (upper back) wet can be more harmful than helpful. This is especially true when they haven't been shorn and the humidity is high. Luckily the humidity wasn't high and there has been a breeze to keep both boys and girls cool. I just really enjoyed watching Colleen hose the girls down as they all had fun and I felt like such a proud Momma!
Fun fact (not really for the electric bill): I have the fans on standby as when the weather gets too warm and humidity too high, I put a fan for each Alpaca and they love laying in front of them. Even though I have one per Alpaca, Miranda is a hose AND fan hog, and Versace is the male equivalent!

Daisy and Delila, the Cavalier and the Chihuahua

The two 'little girl' dogs are Daisy (featured at the top of the blog) and Delila, who is a chihuahua mix I rescued from an area vet's office. New pics of both are at the bottom of the blog and speaking of bottoms, the picture of Daisy's bottom half is actually a picture I took on purpose. After a conversation with a woman at my church who was asking why sometimes dogs lay like upside down frogs with their legs splayed backwards and tail in between, I remembered a conversation I had with Daisy's breeder. She (the breeder) told me and it was confirmed by Google and other sources, that the best way to tell if a dog's hips and knees are in good shape is if they are able to lay this way. It also allows maximum skin exposure to cool the dogs body since most tend to do it on kitchen or bathroom (tile or concrete) surfaces when the temps outside get too warm. Mo, my male cavalier, is a little too fat to do it anymore but he could at one time:)
Delila is my other little girl and she was too cute to pass up. When I got back from a trip to Iowa where my oldest daughter was married, I stopped at my vet's office to pick up my dogs (took two trips in my little car). On the first trip, I picked up Daisy and Mo, my cavaliers, and couldn't help but notice that there was a very cute dog in a crate in the middle of the reception area. My curiosity and heartstrings were inspired. After taking my cavaliers home and returning for my two rescues (Dutchess, the mastiff mix and Sampson, a chihuahua mix), I kept thinking how cute that little doggie in the crate was.
When I got back to the vet's office, I didn't see the crate but asked about the dog. The vet's wife told me that the dog was still there and in one of the kennels in the back. They were trying to do a 'show and tell' to get people interested in adopting or spreading the word about dogs that needed homes. Well it worked! I told her that if my big mastiff mix got along with the 'show and tell dog' who is now mine and named Delila, I would take her. Guess how that turned out?! I did warn the vet's wife to not 'do that' to me again but it is a great idea that has resulted in several adoptions. I love her and wouldn't change a thing. She looks so tiny in the picture below and in person but she has the heart and attitude of a lion. Since she was literally picked up on the street, they can only guess her age to be about 1-2 years old but I will love her and keep her forever. Of course I had her 'fixed'!
Please recommend to your vet or shelter to try a similar 'show and tell' approach as it is free advertising and works for suckers like me! :) :) :)

Good news about the warm weather; 7 chicks are now outside!

This wacky weather has a few upsides. My first 7 chicks from this year are now living outside but confined to a chicken coop to protect them from the older chickens. So far the new kids are adjusting well but I am having to do a little premature Easter Egg hunt. (The chicken coop has a couple of nesting boxes inside and with the little ones closed inside, the older girls are on the outside looking in and have to find new places to lay!) Now I only have 14 in the house. No, I am not a hoarder but rather a protecter of the babies. Four Black Link Pullets are in one cage and can probably go outside in the next couple of weeks, weather permitting, and ten "Rainbow Layers" aka 'caunas' are in a separate cage and will probably have to remain inside (in a cage) for a month or so as they are so tiny still:) If I can get them to pose, I will pose more pics next week. They are too cute but messy so I can't wait to relocate them outdoors...

A Look Back to Critters in My Recent Past

3/23/12
I am so happy to have the new baby chicks for this year, but can't help remembering some of the other critters who I am grateful to have had. Some of their pictures are featured at the bottom. I'll start with dogs, my first ever Cavalier named Tanner. He is a tri-color boy and never liked the water until we put a catfish in a small pool. When he saw that fish, he went nuts. I had to pull his head up because he kept swimming in circles in this pool (only about 1 foot deep) and forgot to come up for air! He did come up with the catfish by the dorsal fin, though. I loved him dearly but he started losing weight and I thought he was dying. The vet determined that he had a pancreatic enzyme defficiency that could be treated with medication. Due to the high cost, I found him a great home through a Cavalier Rescue group who could afford the daily medication and he is doing fine. (Times were tough and he was better off.)
I miss HonkyDonk, too. A local guy recommended that I get a donkey to ward off coyotes so I did. She was so sweet (until the vet tried to trim her hooves, and boy did she get frisky!). I had her for about a year and started to wonder if she needed a donkey companion which I really couldn't provide. I guess the final decision was made when she didn't warn me that a large pig was standing 5 feet away from her but the Alpacas did make a warning sound. She ("HonkyDonk") wanted to 'play' a lot but her play hurts! It came down to me realizing that I didn't have enough extra pasture to put her in to graze, and I couldn't let her run with the Alpacas because if she kicked them in their underbelly region, she could kill them. Luckily my plumber's wife had fallen in love with her when she came out one day. Turns out, she has 4 horses and another donkey. Perfect! Even though I hate to give an animal up, I INSIST that they go to good homes where they will get the treatment they deserve. (Not that I didn't but she needed a donkey buddy:)
Speaking of the pig, I looked out by the girls (Alpacas) on New Year's Day, because they wouldn't shut up. Lo and behold, a large pig was just grazing as happy as could be. To make a long story short, I called a local guy who 'pigtied' it to a tree (see picture below), the owner was tracked down, and came to collect his future ham. The Alpaca girls were frozen like statues when this 'thing' came bursting into their pasture. Luckily the owner also fixed my fences as I don't have fences that are pig-proof!
Last but not least, my favorite cat Sparky (shown below with some of Daisy and Mo's pups) has happily found a home at a farm nearby. He is a cool cat and very laid back. While I do miss him especially as a mouser, my dogs consider cats a food group. There is a stray that looks to be mostly Siamese that shows up every other day and the dogs go ballistic. I don't feed any outdoor cats but if they kill mice and not my chickens, GREAT!
My main philosophies when it comes to animals are pretty simple: Don't have an animal that can kill you; Don't have an animal that you have to kill to profit from; Don't get an animal that you aren't prepared to care for forever; and if you can't care for it forever (ie the animal would be happier somewhere else or becomes destructive), find it the best home possible.
Have a great day and be kind to all God's creatures.

Focus on Funny - Daisy and Might Mo, the Old Married Dog Couple

3/22/12
Daisy and Mo are my Cavaliers which I bought as a breeding pair when they were each about 8 weeks old. They had 9 litters, totalling 45 puppies, and were always (and still are) very much in love. Daisy and Mo are both retired as I don't believe in just having a puppy factory dog, but they were such great parents that I do miss the litters. Yes I said they. Mo would actually help Daisy move the pups on occasion, and Daisy was very trusting with others around her pups. Some dogs are overprotective, while she was overtrusting. A perfect example is a new picture I have below where my cat Sparky (male) climbed into a pet carrier where Daisy had left 2 pups. He just snuggled right in and neither the pups nor Daisy minded.
Gentle as they seem, Mo has a funky quirk. If he gets hold of one of my socks he turns into a totally different animal. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iySlJUSzk0&context=C4ec3436ADvjVQa1PpcFM2XB830GNh5Cn8ETmI6KmnTs9tOLoOltU for a full viewing. When it comes to Daisy, she is so laid back but has some wacky hair issues. I have a pic below of her before she was groomed. She gets this tuft of blonde hair on the top of her head which is fun to play with. When she had her litters, she would usually get this hair growth more as she got closer to having her babies. About 2-3 weeks after she had them, it would start to shed?? Weird but cute. Anyway, they are the greatest dogs around kids and I love them to death. I call them the old married couple because where Daisy goes, Mo is sure to follow, and they are always together by choice (I have 3 other dogs, all rescues).
Next week, more on my rescues. Have a great week!

Spotlght this Week On Goofy Gus (and the Rest of The Alpacas)

3/22/12
The constant rain has soaked the ground but not the Alpacas' moods. Gus in particular will just walk about in the rain although he has shelter available. Versace and Truman usually run for cover but not Gus. He will eventually go into the shed but doesn't seem to care either way. His 'real' name is "Little Peru's Gustav", and I did not name any of my Alpacas. He has a birthday next month (born April 8. 2005). He loves coming in the immediate back yard where I have a new picture of him below checking out the Martha Stewart Outdoor Bar Set. He is the first to venture into this part of the yard but smells the dogs' pee areas and won't graze there. I was hoping he wouldn't be so picky as the grass is starting to grow and he is cheaper than gas for my mower. Gus was actually a 'therapy animal', having visited nursing homes and so on with the previous owners. They would literally put him on a tarp in a minivan and take him to cheer people up! I don't since I don't have a way to transport him and it would be a two person job anyway. Fun fact: whenever Alpacas are taken anywhere, the owner will usually carry a ziplock bag full of their poop. Why? Alpacas will poop in the same (communal) pile so if you take the poop along and drop it where you want them to go, they will go in that same spot. It makes for pretty easy pasture cleanup:), and Alpaca poop can be sold for great fertilizer as it doesn't have to be burned and is great for gardens and landscaping.

Another fun fact (and my excuse for my Alpaca's names, but I love them:). Individual Alpacas can be (mine are) registered with the Alpaca Registry, Inc, where they get their own numbers and so on. It is to Alpacas what the AKC is to dogs.

Welcome Home, 'Cauna Girls (I hope:) )

3/22/12
The farm store called to let me know they received Americauna chicks which I was on a waiting list for (yes, a waiting list). Pictures of the new chicks are at the bottom and it is true, they are like a box of chocolates (never know what you will get). Last year I got both Americauna and Aracauna chicks and am really not sure of the difference. There are a lot of different varieties within both types of 'caunas' and it's pretty neat to see what they grow into. Perfect examples of this surprise factor are Mr Waddles (my black/white/red rooster) and Cogburn (my blue/yellow/black/brown rooster) who both came from the 'caunas' from last year. They try to determine the girls from the boys but it's obviously not an exact science. You know when the first cockadoodledoos are heard:) Anyway I have 10 and they are tiny but doing well. Rumor has it that a gentleman had come in before me picking out his 'caunas' and he was looking at their feet(?) to tell what variety they would be. I wish I had his number but can't wait to see and will document their growth. The newbies are in a separate cage with a heat lamp, feed, and water. The other two sets are getting big and hopefully the weather will stay warm as the first ones I got are getting antsy and flighty!
PS. There are a lot of varieties of both Americauna and Aracauna chickens and I don't pretend to know them all. Interesting fact found in my chicken book is that you can tell the difference by the color of their skin (one is yellow, one is slate). I don't get that up close but to keep it simple I just label their pictures as 'cauna' because they are all beautiful and unique!

Alpaca Aches (They are fine, I am sore.)

Well, my 'Alpaca guy' came out this week for the basic body score check and deworming for all 6 of my Alpacas. He is a really nice guy who comes every 6 weeks or so. These critters aren't mean but it is hard to do anything besides feed, water, and enjoy them with only one person. That is why I am sore! Each one is led into a catch pen and I 'hold' them one at a time while Dan 'does the work'. Haha. Trying to hold a 200 pound animal involves muscles that I don't often use, but they are really fairly cooperative and sense that you are trying to help them. While I am holding one, Dan runs his hands down the back, under the belly, around the legs to feel and determine the 'body score'. They have their full coats now so you can't tell just by looking at them. Then the fun starts. We prepare the syringes with the right dose of Ivermec (dewormer) for each one and after their body score is checked, the needle comes out. It burns them a little bit but parasites would be much worse, even fatal. For the most part, they cooperate, but get quite squirmy. That requires a little more effort on my part, especially when they try and 'kush'. I put a picture at the bottom of Versace 'kushing' which is the term used when an Alpaca tries to lay down. Each tried but we kept them up long enough to give them their dosage. Lola got her toes done which was not too bad. She looked like those rich Chinese people (not quite but they were curling out:).)
After the body scores and shots, Dan helped put some pine shavings into the stall areas and the first thing they all did was to roll in them. It stood out most on Titania who is a really pretty dark brown girl. The next time Dan comes out here will be for shearing so I guess we will have to pick the shavings out! It will be a while and my muscles will have recovered! I am not complaining. They are worth it especially when they act like their goofy selves (check out Gus on his hind legs below...)...

I know how the Pied Piper feels when I feed the chickens!

I posted a picture toward the bottom of this blog and I was standing inside my shed when I took it. When I first come out the front door in the morning and head toward the shed, the chickens all come running from every direction and follow me to the door. I have to close the door behind me or they all try to get in and it is not a pretty sight! This morning I had my camera in my pocket and took the pic. The hew chicks are getting bigger and all are healthy. With the warm temps, I haven't had to heat the room they are in which is nice on the electric bill. It will still be a while before I can let them outside, and I can't wait. Cleaning their cages is NOT fun, but it is worth it. I still want to get more green and blue egg layers but they haven't come in yet:( They have plenty of bugs to eat. For those who haven't had chickens, I feed the 'babies' what they call "Starter Crumbles" which are just fine little pellets, and the older ones get "Layer Crumbles" which look basically the same. (Maybe they are and it is just a racket?) I doubt it though because the price is about the same. Selling their eggs pretty much covers the cost of feed so it all works out!

Can you make pillows out of dog hair?

I am not going to complain about this summer like weather but.. My dogs are loving this weather and just laying out in the sun which is great. THEY ARE ALREADY SHEDDING! That part I could do without, or at least my furniture could do without. It is interesting, though, that my shortest haired dogs (chihuahua mixes and my mastiff mix) seem to shed as much as my Spaniels??? Daisy and Mo (the Spaniels) love to chase the butterflies, flies, bees (yes I have them already). I missed a great pic when Daisy was so intent on catching a butterfly that she crashed into the fence. They are so cute when they are embarassed! (Anyway, I am grateful for the chickens eating all the bugs because they are out in force already and I HATE THEM.) My rescues prefer to chase the rabbits and chickens on the other side of the fence. Dutchess loves to challenge the Alpacas while Sampson and Delilah just kind of look at them with confusion (I do the same sometimes). The good news is I don't have to buy dog toys as they can always entertain themselves by just looking around:)

Alpaca Alley

Believe it or not, Alpacas actually prefer the cold to the heat, and especially the humidity. This weather is great for people but if it hits 85 degrees, it's time to break out the hoses. They LOVE having their underbellies and legs soaked with the hose water, and fight each other to get the first dousing. It's pretty funny to watch and you have to be careful not to get spit on or kicked. People often ask if they spit and kick like llamas do. I have never had llamas but have heard they are less friendly. When my Alpacas spit, it is usually at each other (or if I am doing something to annoy them in which case I deserve it.) When it comes to kicking, I would compare it to walking behind a horse. They have kicked me and it HURTS, but it has always been when I startled them from behind. All in all they are gentle creatures with a flight vs fight response to danger. They do like to 'play' though which can be painful for the human.
I was going to feed the boys one day and had on my tan Carhart coat with the hood up. It was the first time I wore this coat to feed them. I always look over my shoulder as I walk to the feeders with my bucket in hand because they like to 'sneak' up on me and give me a literal head butt. When I looked over my shoulder, to my surprise I saw Gus on his hind legs like a horse rearing up and I quickly pulled my hood off of my head while speeding away. He must have thought I looked like him (he is my tan guy) because he never acted that way before or since. I now wear my blue coat to feed:) !!!
Fun facts: Alpacas are shorn once a year and they look really goofy afterwards.
When Alpacas kneel down, it is called cushing. They tend to try to
'cush' whenever we try to give them their shots, which makes it a little more difficult.
Most insurance companies consider them 'exotic' and some won't cover
them.

The Dogs and their antics

The weather has been unseasonably warm and, as a result, the dogs have an overabundance of energy! It seems I now have 3-4 rabbits that like my back yard (the fenced in part where the dogs run.) Last night and every night before this week, I let the dogs out to do their business and there are at least 2 just sitting on the concrete. They seem to wait until the dogs get so close it scares me to run through the fence. I used to have only to do a 'chicken check' but now I have to do a 'rabbit check' as well. As much as I love my dog critters, the big rescue girl Dutchess has killed one of my chickens who happened to be in their area. (It was my fault for not checking.) Yes, I cried.
When the dogs are outside and running around, it also tends to rile up the Alpaca boys who are right next to them. I have read that in the 'wild', the main predator for Alpacas are wild dogs. The dogs kick / attack their underbellies which is an extremely vulnerable area for Alpacas. For the most part, my Alpacas don't mind the dogs with the exception being Versace who loves to chase them. (I was mortified coming home one day last year and realizing that I had left Mighty Mo, my male cavalier, out with the boys!). He was fine, thank God.
Next week will be even warmer so I guess this hyperactivity will be around for a while yet. Thank God for the chickens as I wouldn't want to be buying Frontline this early!!!

It's a fun time of year if you raise chickens!

I put new pictures at the bottom of this blog which show some of my newbies for this year. So far I have 3 New Hampshire Reds and it seems like a strange name since they are mostly yellow. They do have red crowns, though, and lay pinkish brown eggs. The one in the picture below is only a few weeks old and it is amazing how fast they grow! I keep them, along with the 4 new Barred Plymouth Rocks, inside in a cage with a feeder and water. In a separate cage I have 4 Black link pullets which are so pretty when the sun hits their feathers. They are a week or two younger than the New Hampshires and Barred Plymouths, and are in a separate cage right next to the other one. (That way I only have to use one heat lamp!). With any luck, I can put them together in a couple of weeks since I still want to get some of the 'caunas', which are the green and blue egg layers:) More to come, as the best part is the first time they go outside, which will be a while...

This is just a test post, real updates to come tomorrow.

www.hypersmash.com

Why I have (and love) my chickens.

This is the third year that I have had chickens.  It has been a learning and positive experience with many benefits for me as well as the other critters.  I never knew there were so many kinds of chickens (and roosters) until I went to my local farm/feed store when they had 'Chick Days' in February.  This store buys from hatcheries and gets deliveries once a week of various types of chicks.  I have some pictures on the bottom of the blog page.  This year I have 11 new ones so far and am amazed at how quickly they grow within just a week's time.  The only downside I have experienced is when they choose to poop in inconvenient locations (which for me has not been too often.)  Here are some fun facts I have learned:
- Chickens will solve your insect and tick problem.  They eat them all which is great because I have not had to use flea medication on my dogs since I got them.
- You can usually tell the color of egg the chicken will lay by the color of their earlobe (sounds weird but seems to be true.)
- Chickens can fly for short distances.  Mine, however, seem to forget they possess that skill when they most need it (ie a predator or dog is after them, they will run...Duh!!!).
- Roosters don't care what time of day it is to speak their opinion.
- If you ever come to my place, leave your windows/top closed or you may leave with one of my chickens.
- They are hardier than you would think.  I do not have a separate shelter for them and they have survived some sub-zero conditions.

I wonder what colors I would get if I tried to dye the blue and pinkish eggs for Easter?

My dogs: Daisy, Mo, Sampson, Delilah, and Dutchess

Daisy and Mo are ruby and black/tan (respectively) Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, CKC registered.  They will both turn 7 this year and I have had them since they were 9 weeks old.  Daisy and Mo are like an old married couple, and Daisy is definitely in charge.  Mo follows her everywhere (ie if I want Mo to come, I call Daisy:) ).  They were a great breeding pair and their pups were all sold to good home (all 9 litters).  I retired them by having them both fixed last year so they are enjoying their 'senior years'.

After moving to the country, I have adopted 3 rescue dogs from my vet's office (shelter).  All are fixed!  Dutchess is my big mastiff/great dane mix and she is about 3.  This gentle giant, however, thinks she is a lap dog.  Sampson is a white chihuahua/terrier mix who won't leave Dutchess alone.  Delilah is also a chihuahua mix who won't leave Sampson alone.  They all get along and are happy and healthy.  More pictures will follow.

My Alpacas

I have 6 Alpacas and each has a very distinct personality.  The boys are Gianni Versace (I didn't name any of them), Truman, and Gus.  My girls are Miranda, Titania, and Lola.  Males and females are kept in separate areas, and the boys ALWAYS want to get to or be near the girls.  They are herd animals and part of the camelid family which includes llamas.  Most people are surprised when they see them for the first time that Alpacas are only about 5' tall.  More to come on their antics:)