Boys Night Out !!

 

 

We have had a lovely sunny day here today for a nice change !  It has been a nice change from being battered by gales, thankfully we survived.

 

As it has been such a nice day, I have decided to leave the big boys out, this is the first night this year for them to be left out overnight.... its a lovely calm evening and its about time that the weather was picking up.  The alpacas were wondering tonight if they we coming in for bed, but I managed to persuade them otherwise.  All the alpacas have nice fleeces to keep them warm at the moment, its only a couple of months until they will be sheared.

 

Just another little job on the 'to do list' ..... I got a lovely load of logs last week, which will need to be cut and chopped for the fire for next winter ...

 

The youngsters are doing fine, starting to grow up nicely, we caused quite a stir when we were out for a little walk the other day.

 

A view from the house looking across the fields, the girls are down eating the haylage and the babies are in the distance, I only have 6 bales of haylage left and the grass is no-where to be seen, hopefully if the weather stays warm and sunny it will spring into life. 

 

I'm keeping a close eye out for my summer friends ... the Swallows, they are late this year.  Last year the first ones arrived with us on the 13th April ..... then I know that summer is well and truly on its way !

 

On a summery note, its only 12 weeks until the first Zanzibah babies are due to arrive !  This will be an exciting year as we are looking forward to hopefully four of Wellground Stravinsky babies, as this will be his very first progeny  here.... I'm really quite excited to see how last years plans, turn to reality .... like most of us with babies due, its a mixture of excitement and worry all at the same time.

 

Its lovely to see other breeders new babies arriving already, but we shall have to wait a little longer I'm afraid !!

 

 

Now you see it ... Now you Don't !!

 

 

The task last week .... this is about half way, 7 loads Monday, 6 loads Tuesday and 8 loads Wednesday !  So that was 21 loads ...@ 5 ton ... I'll let you do the maths ! 

 

This is the finished look ... the area will need a little tidy up another day.

 

Onto the next job, I had a Willow tree in the garden that need to be moved as it was growing too big where it was. I have planted it in the field where the girls are .... hopefully it will grow and be happy there. We just about managed to get Ruby through the garden gate with an inch or two either side !

 

The horses are tucking onto their haylage ..... we have snow again today, we are down to 9 bales !!  When will we get Spring.  Last year the Swallows arrived on the 13th of April ... at this rate they'll need their winter woolies.

 

The 'Bigin' enjoying some sun .... if you look closely ... you can see him smiling !!

 

Ah .. the babies .... Zirdar, Zazu and Zanto in the distance ... well it is an alpaca blog after all !!

 

 

Spring Cleaning & Weaning

 

 

After the horribly cold weather, we have been lucky to have sunny but cold wintry days and bitterly cold nights.  I have managed to get some chores done.  At this time of year there are loads !  The first job was to muck out the piggies ..... this was done with the help of Ruby (little red tractor)  I mucked these out direct into the muck-spreader and managed to spread this load the same day which was a good job.  The next day was the turn of the horses side of the barn, it was time to crank up the bigger tractor, I like this tractor and we are a team !!  Its great to have one that now starts well, after seven years we have eventually sorted out what the starting problem was with this tractor.... and what a difference it makes to the task....its been a real pain over the years but this is now a distant memory. 

 

The following day, the task was the other side of the barn where the alpacas live....it has also been spring cleaned, the muck pile was huge and growing by the day. 

 

The next task on the list was to get the babies weaned, I have been extra late this year weaning the babies, due to other issues.  The babies were approaching 8 months old, most of the mothers had self weaned them, there was only one still feeding.  Little Zodo .... the plan was to get the barn cleaned then re arrange the pens and to get the babies in with the other younger boys, these are all under the age of 2 this is where the babies will stay until they are much older.

 

 

On Sunday evening we were prepared to do the weaning deed.   I managed to separate them quite easily and the task was done with very little chaos.  There was a little bit of humming but I was very surprised just how happy the babies were.  They can see their mothers on the other side of the pens, so its really not that traumatic.

 

Some of the babies out in the field with the other boys.  It has only taken a couple of days for the babies to be happy and settle in their new field.

 

This is yesterdays task .... spreading the huge pile of muck out onto the fields which will be set aside to make hay ..... I have managed to do 7 loads yesterday and I think I've got the same again to do .... hopefully by the end of the day .... the job will be done ....I'm guessing I've got about 15 load to clear the pile, the muck spreader holds approx 5 ton so by my estimate, that's about 75 ton .... that's a big pile !

 

Then I'm having a .......... day off  !!

 

We are still here !!

 

 

Have we been missed .....we are still here, albeit a bit quiet here in Zanzibah Land.  We have snow here at the moment and it is bitterly cold.  This is Zirrius and Rufus a few weeks ago when we had glorious sunshine.

 

I have taped the horses off as I needed to put the alpacas out, the horses are waiting patiently for their haylage..... at this time of year they are roughed off for the winter .... mind you if the truth be known they have been retired for quite a number of years.... Its been ages since they have been ridden but the desire is still there, just need to find the time and feel more like it, maybe this summer, mind you I say that every summer !

 

Ah .... this is more like it ... another 'piggy moment'  there are three snouts here .....sleeping, two on my knee and one nearby.  I think its fair to say, this is about as energetic as it gets lately.

 

This is a photo this afternoon of some of the big boys, sitting around their haylage.  The other boys were in their shelter.  However it soon changes as I appear, they all get up and come to the gate waiting patiently to come into bed.  Tonight they are all tucked up nice and snug.  The weather forecast is for more snow tomorrow and it looks like its going to be cold for a few more days yet.  Its a good job I have plenty of haylage, mind you we are down to 18 bales ....and I kept 70 for us,  its hard to believe that when the bales were stacked the pile was huge and we are onto our last two rows.  I'm usually feeding until May time, so we have a few weeks to go before the grass starts to grow. 

 

 

 

A Lighter shade of Grey !!

 

 

The trouble with these Elite white alpacas ..... they like to blend in with the other boys in the group.  This is Stravinsky doing his very best at trying to blend in with the greys boys...

 

This is another attempt to try and be as dirty as possible ..... this is Duke.

 

Here we have some proper greys ..... looking remarkably clean !  Zeto and Zanubis.

 

Zirrius ... looking rather clean with his lovely fawn fleece, he is far too nice to get down 'n' dirty.

 

Mr nosey himself .... Duke coming for a closer inspection.  Its freezing here tonight, all the alpacas are in, tucked up nice and snug.  We are looking forward to seeing the boys looking sparkling and clean, sometime soon.

 

More Snow ..... we are Snoozing !

 

 

We have another dump of snow today and we are all in the same frame of mind ... this is Niggy ... he is hiding and refuses to wake up ....I think he has the right idea considering the weather. 

 

The girls are running into bed ... no one wants to be out in this weather.  Who can blame them!

 

Even Slinky has taken to her bed and is tucked up nice and cosy ...

 

There are two out ... Thomas & Taco are waiting for their haylage.

 

A snowy Scotland once again, the snow is here however its supposed to go as quick as it came.  This is the view from the wood down to the farm.  I have filled all the bird feeders and put the peanuts out, as I feed a Red Squirrel and a Wood Pecker up the wood and its at times like this, they need a helping hand.

 

I have had some nice news tonight .. my parents are hoping to come up at the weekend.  I think my dad has a burning desire to have a nice mobile home sited on the new gravelled area ....any excuse to get a bit of man-space !!

 

 

Blizzards & Bales !!

 

 

What a day ... we have been blasted with blizzards and the weather forecast is due to deteriorate tonight.  I have had a busy day today.  As the rest of the weeks weather is due to be even worse, I needed to sort out the haylage for the alpacas.  They all have access to a large round bale inside the barns and this needed to be replaced.

 

 

I also needed to move another four into the lean-to wooden barn, this is used to feed the horses.  It makes life much easier especially when the weather is bad.  This is a new bale just about to go into the barn for the girls, it is still wrapped.

This is the same bale, now opened and ready to be put in the hay-ring.  This was a brief rest bite from the gales and the snow storms.  The sun is out for a brief moment... but not for long.

 

The big boys have been blasted by a blizzard, you can clearly see the snow covering on their fleece.

 

I need to use both tractors to do this job, as the big one is too big to get the bale inside the boys barn, so the little one is required... the bale is huge on little Ruby ... she does a good job, it might be a brief job, but its a good job to get the bales placed.... the boys bale usually lasts about a month.

 

 

The alpacas have been turfed out, so that I could get the jobs done. Tonight we are all sorted and have battened down the hatches.  Its blowing a gale outside and the snow showers have continued.  I have a nice roaring fire on and I'm having a rest !

 

Now, yesterday I took the dogs for a walk round the wood, I spied upon a fox, he was siting waiting for something.....the wind was blowing and it didn't know I was there...until the dogs gave the game away that is ...I managed to get a quick photo, then he was off.  The dogs were trying to work out how to cross the burn .... as he was on my neighbours land.

 

Today's view across the garden .. back to winter !

 

We have had a busy day ..... but tonight we are all snug inside .... but outside .. its a White-out !!