Though we said we’d try the cornish cross broilers, a little research proved that these are not the chickens for us. Any chicken that has to have it’s food intake monitored is not the right chick for a free-range, calf-pasture sharing bird. The side effects for not watching the feed ranged from the birds not being able to stand due to the weight of their breasts, to heart failure and a noted stupidity of the breed. So we’ll stick with our dual purpose layers and see how the year goes.
Cinnamon the cow has taken very well to her llama overloards. The llama ladies have shown a maternal side that had previously only been glimpsed when Mariah was indulgent towards alpaca cria. Now even tomboy pack llama Ursula is allowing the calf to try to suckle and none of the camelids spit at her. The horse is still routinely covered in spit, but he seems to ask for it. He’s indulgent in his own way, too. Yuri the Suri was spotted standing on his hind legs to eat from the horse’s feed dish, sharing breakfast.
Project for the weekend: Set up a chick area in the milk stall, maybe get the cupboards up in the feed area. Take time off if the weather is terrible. Get the fir trees trimmed back from stairs and garden areas if the weather is fine. Oh, and teach the darn horse some manners. He’s too smart for his own good.
The alpacas have found a friend in Brody. The horse is large enough to keep the evil llama overloards from asserting their dominance over the alpacas. Brody is so large, in fact, that he barely notices the alpacas taking food from his bowl or hay from his feeder.
We had another day with snow, but also sunshine. Fortunately, our power came back online this morning. Not everyone is so lucky. We keep the snow off our mailbox, but it’s been a few weeks since we’ve had waste disposal service. It’s a good practice not to rely on the garbage me, anyway.
Nala has come to live with us. She’s about three years old and of the heavy wool llama variety. She will make a great companion for a horse or camelid in any field.
With one half of the workers gone, not much happens at llama Grove. Even the llamas are bored.
