New Alpacas

I travelled down to 100 Mile House to pick up 4 new alpacas. They are very nice fellows. We are having to keep them separate from the male llamas as well, just as a precaution to prevent any fighting. As these are all intact males, if I put them with the male llamas, the two herds will fight with each other for dominance. It can get very loud and I don't want to keep my neighbours up!

As these will be meat alpacas, they have been placed in our finishing pen. I am having second thoughts about one - he is a coal black colour - I'm going to name him Midnight. He has won a reprieve for a year because I want to be able to shear him - it's a great colour! For now he is going to stay with his herd.

I am really pleased with these boys - they have great temperaments and are in great condition. See for yourself! 

There is a white one, he is the largest right now, and then a mottled coloured one with the greatest eye colouring, a dark chocolate brown and then the black one. 

Picture of the four of them together exploring their new pen.

In the finishing pen we had our miniature horse, Benjamin, as the "babysitter" for the half dozen lambs that are in the pen. As soon as these new boys were in the pen, Benjamin got all snorty and started chasing them a bit. They then chased him in return. In disgust he rounded up his sheep and chased them into the barn and then he stood in the doorway and snorted at these interlopers. He finally allowed his sheep out but they had to stay by the barn while he ran up and down dividing the pen in half - alpacas in one half and sheep in the other. He finally let the sheep eat their dinner but kept a wary eye out on the alpacas. It was very cute, but not great behaviour on his part. We finally took Benjamin out and put him with the main herd of sheep and llamas so that the alpacas could eat.

We had planned on moving Benjamin closer to the big horses anyway, so this just happened a couple days early for him. And now, everyone is quiet, fed and resting comfortably! Yeah!

This is Midnight - the one we are keeping a little longer.
I think he's lovely!