Weaning Phase Two....Complete !

Zirrius ...

Rufus meeting Sparky & Stravinsky

Some of the big boys...Zanubis, Zeto & Duke

All girls together !..

On Saturday night....it was time for the 'Big Weaning' for Zirrius, Rufus and also to take Max out from the girl group.....Max is a castrated boy who came to stay with us last year !

This also meant one thing....it was a happy time for the baby girls who have spent approx 6 weeks being weaned, it was time for them to rejoin the main group of females....back with their mothers.

As I am usually working single handed....I had a plan, however it was whether or not tha plan would work !

The babies came into the barn as usual accompanied with Strav & Sparks (the Nick Nacks). Then it was time to get the girls in, all went to plan as usual, now the fun would begin and I'd see if the plan would work.

I allowed the baby girls back into the other side of the barn and managed to catch Zirrius who was no problems as he is very friendly. Then I had to catch Rufus, he is the youngest little boy here, however he was two days over the six months, I managed to catch him and persuade him into the other side of the barn. I only had Max to catch, I managed to corner him with my crook....I guided him towards the gate....and it was a bit tricky to try and keep him confined and try to get the gate open all at the same time...but I managed, he did try to dodge under the crook at one point...but I held him off in the right direction. The little boys....ate all their feed and hardly noticed that they had been separated...I find that it works well to separate the babies from the mums....but they can see them, this means that both fret less....the main aim is to give time for the mothers to dry up from producing milk...and the separation does this....but the contact is still nice, I think this way is far less stressful....and it works for us....any-way !

Max has actually been more bothered about getting back in with the girls......

Tonight we have all had a bit of a cuddle moment....obviously Zirrius is coming over to see me and he is getting used to being separated, both mothers are gazing over the divide but are not too concerned about their babies being on the other side of the fence !

This is the second day out and harmony has reigned....the newbies have met Strav and Sparky, there has been a bit of argy bargy but nothing to fuss about.

Its lovely to see the herd growing, I am at a stage now where my main herd is up to capacity, I had always aimed for having twelve females, I now have sixteen....!

So depending on this year.......it might be a time to broaden our horizons .... branching out into the sales department !!!!!!!!!