Defeat of the Queen

Because of the bad weather our mating schedule has been disrupted and it was only today that we were back to normal. We introduced Emilia to Chale and he was less than gallant in telling her what he wanted. She tried her previous behaviour and gave him a very hard time but I guess her heart wasn't in it quite as much as before. She finally stuck her head under the fence which allowed him to do the business.

The first time she lay down she suddenly realised that Chale was going to take advantage and jumped up unexpectedly. Somehow she went between my legs and got up too soon, throwing me against the gate. It would have been hilarious but unfortunately she slammed my elbow against the sharp upright on the gate using her whole body weight (she is a big girl) and I nearly fainted with the pain. I was unable to do anything except lean against the fence for quite a while and as soon as I could I went indoors and made sweet tea for me and normal stuff for Mike. I took some ibrufen and put an ice pack on the damaged limb. After about half an hour I began to feel better and decided that I would live without a visit to A & E. I am amazed at how little discomfort is left. I probably won't even have a respectable bruise to boast of.

On a more mundane note - the hens have decided to lay five eggs in the barn and one on the bank outside - result. One of the eggs was tiny - literally about three quarters of an inch high - more like a Robins egg size. We are thinking that maybe one has just not been laying for a while and this is her starting to produce again. All that time wasted looking for the missing eggs!!!

As I am writing this I can look out of the office window and see the hills bathed in sunshine and all our alpacas looking really relaxed and happy. Poor things have been soaked for days.

We have a few who are a bit thin and one or two who have yet to birth so we have put them in a separate paddock which is nice and lush and given them extra hay and feed to fatten them up. Some of them lose weight when they are feeding their cria and judging by the weight of the cria when we have had to catch them or lift them up, they are being very well fed - no wonder Mums are suffering.