The Final Cria of the the season arrives!

Yes, the final cria of the season decided to read it's pretty little head! It was a cold (potentially wet) fall day so we decided to keep Cinnomon...the mom... inside should she decide to deliver when we weren't home...well she did! We had Grandma checking in on Cinnomon during the day and when she arrived there early afternoon there was the cria and placenta. The cria wasn't moving much so Grandma almost had a heart attack! Lately I have been in shock a bit myself with the cold temperatures setting in. Well it seems as though she was a bit chilled...shocked at the weather and apparently a little thirsty! (I couldn't resist posting a picture of her with her tongue out!) She just couldn't keep her tongue in and was licking and sucking like crazy! We quickly dried her, weighed her (15.5 lbs) took her temp (99.4) and put her coat on...and of course a little neck warmer as well. (I knew those designer Izod leg warmers from 25 years ago would come in handy some day!) It's hard to believe it is almost turtle neck season...well this little one is starting it out...she's lovin' her turtle neck and so is her friend and neighbor Ranata who helped G'ma with the birthing chores:-) She is quite a little character and we all laughed a bit as she was "dressed" for the weather! We'll keep you updated on her latest fashions...I am hoping it is just beautiful alpaca fiber in the near future!

Cria Update...

Over the past few weeks we have had two additional crias... August 4th we happened upon a new female black cria...three weeks early according to my records but when you go 350 days whats a few weeks early? She is adorable and what conformation! Still un-named...

We just went on vacation to Orlando Florida and left with one of our females OVER due...approximately 370 days gestation. Well wouldn't you know it she went and had the cria on the eve of our return...fortunately we left the animals in the care of our new tenants/vet students! It was uneventful and the mom had the cria as usual...on her own and quickly.

We put out requests for name suggestions and have yet to firmly decide on names...at this point it looks as if the boy will be "Orlando" and the female "Noir" which is french for black. She gave such a fight while being bled though that many wanted to name her bronco...

It was a fun day all around and we have enjoyed our season thus far of crias!

Talk about an audience!

Okay this one I had to post. We had our annual Cornell Lab at the farm the past two days (they arrive in car loads and go through 4 shifts of students, the professor and their assistants as well) we merely provide the alpacas and a few llamas! The incoming vet students always look forward to the alpaca farm lab...well this day was no exception. We did the usual...ivomec, nails, some toe swabs, blood draws, blood cards...and a spit off/breeding. Marcus was not bothered by the audience. If you are an alpaca and you have an opportunity to breed...you do it! Well he did and were there ever were laughs at the "orgling"! This is what you call "receptive"! :-)

Jay wins naming rights! Cria number two... of birthing season 2010 is born on Angel Tree Farm!

It was an exciting evening on the farm...unfortunately you just don't know when an alpaca birth will occur! Tonight was farmer Jay's (Engels) night. While down by the barn doing chores all the animals in the stall came in...all but Joy. Something was up. He went to the pasture to check on her and he noticed a head and ONE leg coming from Joy's posterior! He was the picture of calm from what I was told. As if HE had taken the classes on birthing alpacas in abnormal positions...he went and had to put his hand inside and help her to get her crias other leg out. He gently pushed the cria back in enough for the cria to present normally...with both legs AND a head! No Name yet...Jay earned the naming rights to this one!

Fortunately... SHE was a healthy 14 lb little cria.

***Stay tuned to the blog... a technologically savy teen was on the farm and caught part of it on video...we will try to upload it for you in the next day or two! Otherwise feel free to do a drive by and watch for the "It's a Girl" sign!

Welcome Frankie!

Here... Ashley is holding our latest bundle of joy!

Yes we were surprised...but not too surprised to see we had an early arrival last night around dinner time. We went to the barn to start chores and lo and behold we found a cria! Yes we had a nice little white MALE cria in the pasture as well as a placenta. We believe the little guy was around for a few hours by the time we found him on the cold spring evening.

We will keep you posted as we await new arrivals but we have a lul now until July I believe... hope you enjoy our cria. We will get our blue "it's a boy" sign up!

The clock is ticking....

The clock is ticking down to the first birth on the farm this spring birthing season. Kenya...who ALWAYS goes early is due May 15th. She is acting very pregnant to we are on cria watch already. Watch for the sign...will it be a pink alpaca sign or a blue one??? Stay tuned!

This would be Kenya's first pink sign...she has had three crias and they have all been the color of she or the father. We thought we'd take a chance and breed her to our medium silver grey Marcus this year. Can't wait to see what we get! (Kenya pictured with her '08 cria)

Spring on the Farm!

Spring has started to appear on the farm! This was first apparent when the peacock began to grow his feathers for mating season. (Little does he know his mate is captive...and the size of the tail just doesn't matter!) In a matter of a week or so the feathers have come into full plumage. One male has started to use his feathers the other has not. There are a few guinea hens in their pen so maybe he is confused!

The rabbits have been returned to their outside cages and seem very happy to be out of the stuffy barn.

The chickens are happily free-ranging on the farm again and are back in breeding mode themselves. We have chicks in the basement that are anxiously awaiting their turn to venture out on the farm.

On a sad note our beloved "Abby" (llama) the queen of the farm came down with P-tenius about 3 weeks ago and has been struggling to overcome it. She is a strong, stubborn animal and is not going down without a fight. She can no longer get up on her own (so we help her up a few times a day...and are getting very strong ourselves!) She is able to talk around for a bit before going down again. We have tried all the remedies in the book and have seen the worst it is going to get we hope!

We continue to grow fiber and babies until shearing day and birthing begins. It has been a long hard winter but now as the sun begins to shine and the mud is in full bloom we begin to realize the fruits of our labors.