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As we pulled onto our 40 acres with our last trailer - we were so relieved to be here - finally. I said in a previous Blog that we left the animals in the hauler for the night (they were the last load) - because it was late, we were tired, and it was dark out - and we didn't want to release them into unfamiliar fields.
We slept in the truck right near the animal hauler the first night. So, after breakfast in town we let them all out - sheep ran out all in one big pile, the llamas were concerned and deliberate - the chickens ran around like the little crazies that they are - and the peacocks are contained in an old machine shed - and releasing them to the outdoors will take some time. We have had peacocks just walk off - and keep on walking - and I would not want that here - too much wildlife around.
The chicken coop and enclosure are temporary. We would feed them in there for a few days and then allow them to free range. They usually don't travel too far away from their food. But they are funny - each rooster has their little group (usually a few hens and possibly a 'lesser' rooster) and so these groups do travel in different directions - but usually within our sight. Or, in the past, we could call them, and they would come running using the old 'buck, buck, buck, come on chickens' call...in a high shrill voice. Annoying to all except the chickens. Not many of the hens are laying right now, but we put a few crates in there even for them to just sit in... And, my husband installed three branches across the coop for them to roost and figure out their positions.... top roost, bottom roost, or in the middle. There's quite a hierarchy in chicken coops.
The sheep and llamas are sniffing and investigating everything...loving all of the grass and weeds and of course their regular feed. There have been so many different wildlife traveling through this acreage for so many years the smells and scents must be overpowering. We will have to walk the fields where the llamas are because they can get a disease from white-tailed deer called Meningeal Worm. It does not affect the white-tailed deer but is deadly for the llamas - can cause paralysis and usually death. So, we looked for signs of white-tailed deer in their fields - poop - and also for plants that we know are toxic for sheep and llamas. Responsible owners of sheep and llamas should go out in the spring and look for the plants that are toxic to their stock. Usually, the animals are pretty savvy and only eat it if they are very food deprived. We ordered many large bales of hay - so we are good for the winter. We dropped a large round bale in their pen today - cut all of the baling twine and they all jumped into it. The little ones jump up onto the top and everybody sticks their sweet faces into the fresh hay. Quicker than we would wish, they knock it all down and they each carve out their own soft beds. With part of the original bale still left intact, they love to lay all around it, doze off and then wake up and start eating hay again. They are ruminant animals. 1/3 of their time grazing, 1/3 of their time chewing their cud and then 1/3 of their time just relaxing....tough life.
The peacocks are flying down to the floor of the machine shed but spend most of their time roosting in the rafters. We have to be careful when we open the big doors to the shed that they don't fly out. They are busy checking everything out every inch of the shed, eating and pooping (everywhere).
We're off to a good start with our sweet animals. We will probably make sure their living quarters will be upgraded before we even think of ours. We do have the Victorian home in town, where we are currently sleeping and showering - so, they will come first - before winter really hits. After all, we purchased them, contained them and now it is our full responsibility to give them their best lives...and we do....Welcome to your new home sweet animals and birds.
