Friday, March 23, 2012

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!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

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:)

Saturday, March 10, 2012

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...

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

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:)