purplequeenvt - Ivy Knoll Farm
- Thread starter purplequeenvt
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purplequeenvt
Herd Master
It's been a long, hard weekend.
We bring a petting zoo to a local farm market/apple orchard for their fall festival and that event was this weekend. That is usually fine and they pay us generously, but this year I got sick Friday night. My dad and my 2 little sisters were able to get everything there and set up in time and I dragged my butt out of the house a couple hours later and joined them. It was a cold damp day. The animals were all well behaved, some of the visitors not so much. There seemed to be a higher concentration of *stupid city people* than usually.
The most memorable visitor was a 12 or so year old boy who, with his parents looking on, lifted the ducks' fence off the ground and was standing there shaking it and yelling to the ducks to "Run! Be free! Run away!". I had to explain to him in detail what would happen to my domesticated Blue Swedish ducks if they were released into the wild.
Sunday was a better day. Warmer, fewer aggravating people (lots of dumb dog owners though - I mean really....my little chicken is screaming and jumping around in the cage and you think it is alright to let your dog continue to bark at him?). The big bummer to the day though was that we have decided that it is time to put my old llama Shadow down.
Shadow is 16 and he started having trouble getting up and down and then he had trouble walking. As of yesterday he could no longer get himself off the ground. He seemed to be quite uncomfortable last night. I'm sure if we put a lot of time and money into it we could nurse him along for another few months or maybe a year, but that doesn't seem kind to him. He has lived a long life and he has been loved dearly. I took him to every event that we brought animals to. He loves Gus the goat and all of the lambs - he was so kind and gentle with them.
He been with us for 12 years so saying goodbye to him is very, very hard for me. I knew this day was coming soon, but it doesn't make it any easier.
To make things harder, we are considering putting a 2nd llama down at the same time. Hayley is only 13 and we've had her for 12 years. She's an old stubborn block-head (always has been), but she has arthritis pretty badly. It hurts me to watch her walk. I don't know that it would be nice to put her through another winter.
Well that was my weekend, how was yours?
We bring a petting zoo to a local farm market/apple orchard for their fall festival and that event was this weekend. That is usually fine and they pay us generously, but this year I got sick Friday night. My dad and my 2 little sisters were able to get everything there and set up in time and I dragged my butt out of the house a couple hours later and joined them. It was a cold damp day. The animals were all well behaved, some of the visitors not so much. There seemed to be a higher concentration of *stupid city people* than usually.
The most memorable visitor was a 12 or so year old boy who, with his parents looking on, lifted the ducks' fence off the ground and was standing there shaking it and yelling to the ducks to "Run! Be free! Run away!". I had to explain to him in detail what would happen to my domesticated Blue Swedish ducks if they were released into the wild.
Sunday was a better day. Warmer, fewer aggravating people (lots of dumb dog owners though - I mean really....my little chicken is screaming and jumping around in the cage and you think it is alright to let your dog continue to bark at him?). The big bummer to the day though was that we have decided that it is time to put my old llama Shadow down.
Shadow is 16 and he started having trouble getting up and down and then he had trouble walking. As of yesterday he could no longer get himself off the ground. He seemed to be quite uncomfortable last night. I'm sure if we put a lot of time and money into it we could nurse him along for another few months or maybe a year, but that doesn't seem kind to him. He has lived a long life and he has been loved dearly. I took him to every event that we brought animals to. He loves Gus the goat and all of the lambs - he was so kind and gentle with them.
He been with us for 12 years so saying goodbye to him is very, very hard for me. I knew this day was coming soon, but it doesn't make it any easier.
To make things harder, we are considering putting a 2nd llama down at the same time. Hayley is only 13 and we've had her for 12 years. She's an old stubborn block-head (always has been), but she has arthritis pretty badly. It hurts me to watch her walk. I don't know that it would be nice to put her through another winter.
Well that was my weekend, how was yours?
jodief100
True BYH Addict
So sorry about your llamas. I have decided some people's children need to be leashed.
- Thread starter
- #334
purplequeenvt
Herd Master
Here is some brand new baby cuteness to cheer everyone up!
Alfonso and Cleopatra are purebred Border Leicester twins born 2 days ago. They are bottle babies we got from a friend because the ewe wasn't making any milk. They are special babies because it is extremely uncommon (I've never heard of it happening) to have Border Leicesters breed out of season.
Speaking of lambs, we've got all of our breeding groups set up. Lambs should start arriving the beginning of February. We have 4 different breeding groups with 26 or 27 ewes being bred.
Alfonso and Cleopatra are purebred Border Leicester twins born 2 days ago. They are bottle babies we got from a friend because the ewe wasn't making any milk. They are special babies because it is extremely uncommon (I've never heard of it happening) to have Border Leicesters breed out of season.
Speaking of lambs, we've got all of our breeding groups set up. Lambs should start arriving the beginning of February. We have 4 different breeding groups with 26 or 27 ewes being bred.
Queen Mum
N.E.R.D.
Are those cute or what? Too cute for words!
bonbean01
Herd Master
awwww...so adorable..almost look fake with their excess cuteness!
Queen Mum
N.E.R.D.
They look like their little faces are sewn on. You almost want to prop them up on a bed. Or hug them or something. I bet the poo isn't fake though.bonbean01 said:
BrownSheep
Lost in the flock
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I love those tight little curls newborns have! Even when they're still stained that yellow color. I WANT BABIES!
Bridgemoof
Overrun with beasties
Oh my, sooo cute! Lucky you. We LOVE laambies!
I am so sorry about your llamas, though. Hugs to you.
I am so sorry about your llamas, though. Hugs to you.
- Thread starter
- #340
purplequeenvt
Herd Master
The new lambs are doing well. They got their tails docked yesterday (later than I usually like to do it) and they carried on like only bottle lambs do. Silly little things are going to be spoiled rotten. They only spent their 1st night here on the porch. Lyd moved them out to the barn the next day.
Alfonso (Cleopatra isn't very photogenic)
Celia Mae (aka Spazoid)
Eden. Aren't her amber eyes pretty??
And now.....even more babies!
My Sumatra hen ran off to set on some eggs and they hatched yesterday. She has 6 of these little fluff balls....
And finally, this is what happens when you cross an Old English Game Bantam hen to a Frizzle (double copy of the frizzle gene, too) Cochin rooster.
I'm hoping they are just going through their awkward stage. :/
Alfonso (Cleopatra isn't very photogenic)
Celia Mae (aka Spazoid)
Eden. Aren't her amber eyes pretty??
And now.....even more babies!
My Sumatra hen ran off to set on some eggs and they hatched yesterday. She has 6 of these little fluff balls....
And finally, this is what happens when you cross an Old English Game Bantam hen to a Frizzle (double copy of the frizzle gene, too) Cochin rooster.
I'm hoping they are just going through their awkward stage. :/
