Yesterday the snow had stopped falling and with the hayracks loaded up in the field shelters it was time to let the alpacas out to stretch their legs.
I’d remembered my camera for a change and was stood waiting as the weanling boys emerged from the barn.
They as you can see didn’t look too impressed. Eventually the need to get out over took their trepidation of the snow. All the alpacas on reaching their paddocks spent a few minutes pronking and rolling in the snow and then retired to the field shelter to attend to the serious business of eating.
This is where they spent the rest of the day; I don’t think they were very impressed with the snow at all.
Neither I have to say were the horses. The two boys Henry and Charlie stood in the corner of their paddock come early afternoon, staring at our cabin. When that didn’t get me to come out, they started calling.
This was ok until Alfie and Daisy, my two dogs, moved from in front of the log fire to stand at the front door barking in response. I gave up; a German Sheppard and a Border Collie make enough noise between them to get any one moving. The horses were soon tucked up back in their stables.
Blasted animals I’m sure they run this farm not me :0))
Today the snow is falling yet again, a constant light flurry. The alpacas are definitely not impressed with the white stuff as they needed pushing out this morning and who can blame them.
After mucking out the barn, I relented; they looked so miserable stood in their paddocks. On opening their gates they were off and back in the barn as fast as their little legs would carry them. Obviously the service at hotel Honeyfield is just too good as that’s where they want to be.
Mind it could have something to do with the haylage that I’d just loaded their hayracks with :0))
The hay this year has been of such poor quality, due to the horrendous weather we had all last summer, I’ve been finding the alpacas were wasting so much sorting through it to try and find the softer pieces.
Worrying about them not getting enough and losing condition I moved them over to haylage a couple of days ago and after their initial “ that’s different I’m not touching that”, they have discovered that haylage is just yummy. Nothing is wasted and more importantly I know all my herd are getting all the fibre they need.
A bonus is the gorgeous smell of sweet haylage as you enter the barn and complete silence they are all too busy eating to waste time bickering with each other. Just rows of bums, side by side at the hay racks :0))
JAN