We were really pleased that these two half brothers reunited so well. I thought they would because there were no Jennies on the property. It's a different story when romance fills the air.
Step two was making it safe for the Jennies to come back. We had a trip to the vet scheduled for the 15th.
Step two was making it safe for the Jennies to come back. We had a trip to the vet scheduled for the 15th.
Sally suggested that I feed them in the trailer to get them used to it. We already feed the round bales of hay from an almost identical trailer so that's round one. Almost all of the feeding is from the side, not through a tailgate.
Our farrier said that horses or donkeys had to be trained to use a tailgate. I tried to make the back the first choice but Feathers, our mini was the only one to get on it.
Our farrier said that horses or donkeys had to be trained to use a tailgate. I tried to make the back the first choice but Feathers, our mini was the only one to get on it.
He is being pretty brave here but notice the other ones are mostly going through the side.
Feathers is persistent but the littlest one of the bunch. Fun to watch. The only one with papers and a big price tag. I have yet to see an advantage to that.
Feathers is persistent but the littlest one of the bunch. Fun to watch. The only one with papers and a big price tag. I have yet to see an advantage to that.
Before I had dropped the tailgate I had lowered the tongue, put this wheel in place, and jacked the tongue back up till things were rock solid. When that's done you can run up and down the back of the trailer without tipping it up.
Personality stands out when you feed animals. These two are the best eaters. Cruz gets aggressive and Hershey the llama uses his advantages.
He doesn't have to chew right away.
He is a ruminant and sucks his food down very quickly. He brings it back up and eats it at his convenience. Another advantage is a long neck.
Llamas are very different animals and it's hilarious to watch him run. He runs any time he is in the back pasture if I call dinner. They have grass, hay, and 2-3 times a day I let them share the hen scratch with the birds. I also give them hen scratch when I want them somewhere. You always have to watch for him getting out the gate. He's hard to get back.
He is a ruminant and sucks his food down very quickly. He brings it back up and eats it at his convenience. Another advantage is a long neck.
Llamas are very different animals and it's hilarious to watch him run. He runs any time he is in the back pasture if I call dinner. They have grass, hay, and 2-3 times a day I let them share the hen scratch with the birds. I also give them hen scratch when I want them somewhere. You always have to watch for him getting out the gate. He's hard to get back.
The happy go lucky personality is Elvis/Sugar. He just gets what is convenient and then goes on to bigger and better things. For the past year he has been on another property. Lots to eat but little in the way of hay or treats.
When he came home the herd took to eating the green stuff in the back pasture a lot better.
When he came home the herd took to eating the green stuff in the back pasture a lot better.
To get where we wanted to be I took the tailgate off and hung two roofing panels on the side. Then cruz, or cruz and hershey, fed from the back.
I would love to say that everything worked just fine but it didn't. This was cruz we were loading. Not happy go lucky (but stubborn) Elvis. I was planning to load him about 5pm but it started to rain. I got the trailer out of this pasture where it could get stuck and got started much earlier when we had a break in the weather. I am happy to have a 4wd.
I would love to say that everything worked just fine but it didn't. This was cruz we were loading. Not happy go lucky (but stubborn) Elvis. I was planning to load him about 5pm but it started to rain. I got the trailer out of this pasture where it could get stuck and got started much earlier when we had a break in the weather. I am happy to have a 4wd.
He was bigger, stronger, and angry. He suspected me of doing something right away so I called Kelly to help. Kelly is good with animals but has the further advantage of not being the one who ties them up, worms them, grabs them for the farrier or anything else.
If you want to see what we did just go here to see Sugar http://www.grangerlandrfd.com/the-homecoming.html. Then imagine bigger, stronger, wetter, angrier etc. I have no pictures but you can see him here in front of the house in a wet trailer.
If you want to see what we did just go here to see Sugar http://www.grangerlandrfd.com/the-homecoming.html. Then imagine bigger, stronger, wetter, angrier etc. I have no pictures but you can see him here in front of the house in a wet trailer.
Bob the head of ranch security becomes Bob the obnoxious barker when something is different. I moved cruz out of his line of sight. That got Bob quiet but not Cruz.
At least once an hour Cruz woke me with a plaintive bray. It was a long night but that made it easy to get up early. By the time I got him back he was a lot easier to load
At least once an hour Cruz woke me with a plaintive bray. It was a long night but that made it easy to get up early. By the time I got him back he was a lot easier to load
About 2pm I picked up our newest gelding from the vet. He had not eaten since the previous 10pm. The hay in the trailer made him want to load and getting him home was easy. We have a shelter but not stalls.The vet wanted him to be in a stall overnight so he stayed in the trailer.
One of the lessons I leaned was to park him in the back pasture. Here you see him being subjected to scrutiny by concerned family and acquaintances. I do not know if he brayed but probably not. His buddies could be right by him.
One of the lessons I leaned was to park him in the back pasture. Here you see him being subjected to scrutiny by concerned family and acquaintances. I do not know if he brayed but probably not. His buddies could be right by him.
The herd reunited. The vet says he is safe to put with Jennies in 7-10 days. I expect to drag his mom and sister home around the 25th. Looking forward to it. They are sweet gentle animals and much more pets than livestock.
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