I sure love them all. They are such good protectors for all the girls here.
Yesterday, I was sitting on my studio porch spinning and heard a sheep stampede. They they all came running through the gate into the yard. Then I heard the loudest strangest noise. Took me a minute to figure out it was the alpacas hollering or whatever it is they do. It sounds like a peacock. It's so loud. They stayed over there in the pasture, looking toward the barn. They even walked over closer. But they made the sheep leave. They are such good protectors.
I walked over there and never did see anything. But something gave them a scare. They all followed me. The alpacas kept looking at the barn. It could have been a stray cat. I never saw a dog. But I have been hearing lots of coyotes all around, really close, the past few weeks. Last night, across the road, they were really close and loud. Makes me nervous.
And this fella. Black Bart. He's the best rooster. He loves his girls. He finds some good things to eat and calls the girls. He will not eat til they do. He is usually crowing all morning.
This morning though, he was quiet. I heard a rooster far off to the North as I was feeding the sheep this morning. I had to go check to see if maybe he'd gotten out and left. But I do believe there's a new roo in the valley. And Black Bart was hanging low. He has still not crowed this morning.
He is the most handsome roo ever.
5 comments:
Coyotes are very scary. we have them here too. That is why Kristin has Asher, the Great Pyrenees; the best Livestock Guard Dog ever. I know they are quite expensive, but a Great Pyr will even take down a bear. I did not know alpacas were also Livestock Guards. Good for them!
I have tried a GP. I think I should have gotten a puppy. That dog was 3. And crazy. No idea what to do. He lasted about 4 hours here and had every animal either up a tree or scared to death.
But these alpacas are great. They have that really loud noise they make that scares the bad things away. So far, so good.
Last night, I kept them all over in the North lot. I am glad I did too. My dogs started barking about 11:30. I went outside and heard a loud yelp right over by the barn where the round hay bale is. They must be really hungry right now. But they are not getting my sheep.
Yes, I agree that Great Pyrs can be a handful. K got hers as a pup and handled him and trained him diligently until he understood that SHE is the boss of him and that the chickens ARE part of his herd and are to be protected and not eaten. Nonetheless, she still must have Vet to Pet come to the farm to do checkups and vaccinations because that dog weighs more than she and there is no getting him into the truck. So lucky you to have the alpacas!!
That's funny! I had to have a friend come to help me get that big ole dog back in the back of my Trooper to take him back. No way I could get him in and he wasn't jumping in either. I cried the whole 4 hours he was here, it was so awful.
I think I will just stick with my alpaca boys for now. And Bubba.
Sounds like a plan!!
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