Tuesday 13 December 2011

Stocking Up.....& Swans !

Ruby...with the supplies !!

The Geese and Swans.....having a well earned rest ...


Today I have been busy stocking up on supplies....

I have received my delivery of alpaca feed to last me over the winter, I have always fed my animals on Carrs Billington Alpaca Coarse Mix. It is essential to feed your animals a correct diet throughout the year, this helps to make sure that they receive the correct vitamins and minerals essential to keep your alpacas healthy and free from deficiencies which can lead to much more serious health issues.

We must never take for granted that these animals can just survive alone on our grasses in this country, after all they are not native to our climate and rely on us to provide them with a balanced diet !

I have today received 20 bags of alpaca feed, this will last me most of the winter, I will need another delivery probably around mid Spring. I have also found that my alpacas love Apple Chaff, this is very high in calcium, which is excellent for helping maintain good bone development especially in the babies, it also help provide them with fibre, essential for camelids as an over rich cereal diet can also cause problems !

I was out and about the other day posting a letter, when I drove past a nearby field, it was full of what I think was Hooper Swans and Canada Geese....stopping off for a well earned rest.

I managed to take a photo before some of them flew off.......what a magnificent sight.

It is fantastic to see such beautiful birds so close, this time of year nature always has a nack at surprising you.

Tonight the winds are getting stronger and we are forecast more windy weather and maybe some more snow.....!

I have a delivery of 'Ovoids' coming tomorrow...for the fire to help keep me warm and there is an oil delivery booked for sometime next week.......I don't want to be caught out with bad weather.....and I'm determined to keep nice and warm.....the logs are chopped....and stacked.....ready for the winter....so I think, we are nearly organised for the colder weather.

I do like to have plenty supplies in....just incase !!

3 comments:

Debbie, Barnacre Alpacas said...

The wind is terrible again here, in fact it is rather scarey - roll on Spring is all I can say.

Cotswold Vale Alpacas said...

I agree roll on the spring, I also love that feeling of getting all the animal feed supplies in, knowing their food cupboard if full.

I have been considering feeding an alpaca mix, but didn't know anyone who used it or anyone who knew much about it, so have been feeding along with their pellets, sugar beet, alpha, rolled peas and rolled oats, but how much easier would it be to just have a mix?

And we use the apple chaff for the horses, but wasn't sure if it was suitable for alpacas.

The girls love their breakfast and tea, so may well give the mix a go.

Terry said...

I never heard of apple chaff before, and had to look it up. Very interesting!