My Adventures With Farm Animals And Their Pranks: What I’ve Learned Along The Way
Website design By BotEap.comThe alpaca ‘lifestyle’ advertised on TV intrigued me, so I began my research. As a lifelong animal lover, the thought of owning some of these wonderful creatures was too tempting to pass up. I bought ten acres, 6 alpacas, a fair amount of fences and gates, and here I am! The business end hasn’t worked out so well, but I don’t regret receiving them at all. (They’re a good tax shelter, and their grain is beautiful.) There’s a sense of peace I get seeing them outside.
Website design By BotEap.comMy herd consists of 3 boys and 3 girls that are kept in separate areas. Guys always want to get to girls (surprise!) and they have succeeded on one occasion. That was funny after the fact, as they made noises I’ve never heard before and wouldn’t even know how to describe. Each one has its distinct personality. Like the dogs, there seems to be an alpha male (Gianni Versace) and a female (Miranda). I did not name them, by the way, because they were already registered. Versace and Miranda try to monopolize the feeders and the hose. The other girls are Titania and Lola. The other two males are Gus and Truman. For the most part, girls like to run around and roll around in the grass. Guys tend to be a bit more woodsy. The first time they were ‘fighting’, it scared the hell out of me, but they eventually calmed down. These outbursts happen more often when the weather changes and they don’t actually hurt each other. It is quite a sight when they stand up on their hind legs, as they are only five feet tall. (Most of the people who have come think they would be taller.)
Website design By BotEap.comOwning and keeping alpacas is quite simple. I keep the boys in one pasture and the girls in another. Each area has a shelter to protect them from rain, wind, hail and sun as needed. Their diet consists of hay, grass, and alpaca chews made by Purina. I also give alfalfa and sweet feed for horses. Once every 6-8 weeks they are dewormed with Ivermec, and their toes are trimmed (they have 2 per foot) 3-4 times a year, as needed. Shearing occurs once a year before the heat and humidity of the summer months arrives. It may seem surprising to some that alpacas tolerate cold better than humidity and heat. They are from South America, but from the mountainous regions where it is cooler. During the summer months, I keep tent-type fans outside and they just lie down (the term for kneeling alpacas) in front of them. They also love getting their tummy and legs soaked and mine will fight to be first on the hose!
Website design By BotEap.comDuring my research, both online and speaking with alpaca owners, one of my main concerns was protecting my ‘pacas. from predators. There are coyotes and dogs, including the stray mountain lion and bobcat, in this area. Some people recommended that I get a donkey to help keep these trespassers at bay and possibly let her run with the alpacas. Therefore, I have a donkey.
Website design By BotEap.comShe is a miniature Sicilian and she was about 1 year old when I got her. This turned out to be more of a burden than she was worth to her (although she loved her dearly and found her a great home). She would occasionally make her own honkydonk noise when the coyotes were near her, but she couldn’t let her run with the alpacas for fear that she would ‘playfully’ kick her bellies, which is hers. she point of her vulnerable of her. (Keeping a separate pen for her and wondering if she was lonely because of a fellow donkey were other factors in my decision to find her a better home.) day of the year When alpacas see something they don’t recognize or aren’t quite sure about, they let out a high-pitched whinny to alert other members of the herd. Well, they were LOUD that day and to my amazement, there was a rather large adult pig standing 10 feet from the gate of the girls’ enclosure! The donkey could care less. (The pig’s owner quickly arrived on the scene to bring his ham home, thank goodness.) It turns out that alpacas are better ‘guardian animals’ than the donkey.
Website design By BotEap.comChickens get along better with Alpacas than with my dogs. Although I have always had dogs, chickens are a new experience for this farmer. Once again a neighbor suggested that he get chickens to help with the ticks and fleas that were making me and my dogs miserable. Therefore, I have chickens. This year is the third year that I have chickens and I already have the ‘new kids’ in a spare room. So far, I have 4 Black Sex Links, 3 New Hampshire Reds, and 4 Barred Plymouth Rocks. The 25 chickens in the last 2 years have really eliminated the tick problem, and they also prevent alpacas and dogs from getting fleas. I was worried about the cold winters, but chickens are smarter than I thought. They lie on the woolly backs of alpacas who don’t seem to mind (although the chicken poop in their fiber is a pain). While some say chickens are messy, I don’t think it’s a problem. They are excellent layers, and selling eggs is a good way to get some gas money! Blue and green eggs are “clean” according to my family, who are not used to anything other than the store-bought variety. The downside of keeping chickens and dogs is when the chickens get into the dog’s fenced area. Guess who wins?
Website design By BotEap.comThe dogs, of course, win the war. I have always had and always will have dogs. Before my dogs (2 King Charles Cavaliers, a rescue Mastiff/Great Dane mix, and 2 rescue Chihuahua mixes) go outside, the “chick check” is done. If there are chickens (which I thought were flightless birds, but I was wrong) are in the dog area, the dogs stay inside!
Website design By BotEap.comDutchess, my big rescue girl, is the biggest offender when it comes to chickens, but it’s pretty funny watching her react when one of the alpacas charges her way. They definitely put her in her place. Some alpaca owners recommend that you get dogs (mainly Great Pyrenees or Anatolian Shepherds) to protect the herd, but that doesn’t work for me. Versace thinks of dogs as a food group (not that it hurts them, but she doesn’t like dogs).
Website design By BotEap.comFor the most part, my critters coexist peacefully and are a huge relief to me as they all seem to do something to make me smile every day. I’ve found that while advice from others is always welcome, I need to determine what works for me and the animals I decide to keep. Whats Next? More variety and more critters are definitely in my future, as long as they follow my two rules. Rule number one is to never own an animal that can hurt or kill me, while rule number two is never to own an animal that must be killed or harmed to make a profit. I love life on the farm!