The vet Geoff came this morning to do a health certificate on a female alpaca we have sold. He brought along a new lady vet Alex who has just joined the practice and they both marvelled at the amazing construction of the alpaca eye. We were talking about all the extra problems this wet summer has brought to livestock farmers in this area and he said we should cover the whole herd against fluke as the sheep boys are having problems. Happily we have a full bottle of Fasinex in the cupboard which is effective against immature fluke, teenage fluke, grownup fluke…and Andrew is doing all the animals on the farm today apart from the younger cria.
Yesterday two of the chicks in the incubator emerged from their shells and this morning there were another four. At least four more eggs have holes in them where the chicks are starting to break through. We are very thrilled to see these bundles of fluff. They are remarkably unpleasant to each other, one moment cuddled up, the next giving each other a good pecking. So far we have one golden chick, a grey and four blacks. Just goes to show that the cock bird is firing.
I went to Exeter for another ‘banishing the grey’ session with the wonderful Adele and Amy at Toni & Guy. They are wacky girls and good fun so I am now a very vibrant plum colour with streaks. I attempted to buy some clothes and tried on quite a few things but nothing was quite right so I abandoned my mission. I don’t much like shopping unless it is for food, preferably in a big market or a really good farm shop.
Jen –
For the first time in seven years we had a record of Fluke in our worm egg count. Not a worrying level but the whole herd were dosed with Fasinex, including cria. It has not stopped raining here all summer and includes, two weeks ago, the worst flooding since a recorded flood height of 1831. Weather’s only fit for snails (and slugs). J