Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Help Me with My Morning Chores

I thought it might be fun for you to help me with my morning chores. The first thing we do is throw my obnoxious horse, Ivan, a tiny bit of hay or he will continue banging on his stall door with his hoof.
Separate Sonata and Jr (above ▲) and give Jr his two tubes of gruel before it cools off. Toss a pad of hay into their feeder. Can you tell that it's still dark out? And look how he's growing. His coat is quite small for him.
Now go back to the horses and give each horse a drink because they will be shut out for the day and then give them a scoop of grain. Don't forget to slip some Bute (horsey aspirn) into Abbey and Kellys' pails. Water the alpacas while you have the hose out.

While the horses are munching, go back to the alpacas and fill the pans for the babies ► When you hang the feeders on the gate, call them, and they will come right over. The big girls can't get into this pen so the little ones can eat in peace. So now you can fill 5 more pans with alpaca pellets and feed the big girls.

Open their door and throw some hay out in the nice clean snow for them. Leave a little inside also.
Turn all four horses out with a couple pads of hay. Leave Cord's door open so that he can come inside if he likes.


Over to the 4 boys' pen and spread 5 pans of pellets on their gates. Leave a couple feet between each pan so they don't get to fighting and spitting at each other. When they spit, their bottom lip hangs open and they can't eat for a while. I read somewhere that the spit is quite acidic and that's why they do that. Don't know though. Open their door and put some hay outside for them. They didn't clean up all their hay from last night so don't give them as much.



I hope that you remembered to speak individually to each 4 legged and called them by name. I believe that like kids, they each need the special attention.
Now before you go in, think back, does each critter have food? water? are all the doors secure? This only took us an hour. If Josh weren't coming to clean, we would be out here for two more.
Walking in we pass by the horses who give us a look of thanks (or so I like to think).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jr. definitely has larger rump than the last time you posted a picture!

Unknown said...

I think I need a cup of tea and a sit down only from having read your list of morning chores, Maple! lol Whew! I need a break! ;) Was interesting to come along with you to 'help' you with your morn chores. :)

Cat said...

Hi, Maple - thanks for coming by our retreat, albeit only via cyberspace! Maybe you can come next year!

Laughingrat said...

I really enjoyed getting to see/hear about that. It probably took a lot of thought to put together, since dragging a camera along while you're doing all that can only make things harder!

Anonymous said...

Morning Maple,

GREAT idea to do the camera walk-a-long with some of the morning duties! The animals and I are SOOO lucky to have you! Did a big smile-gulp, when I read how you leave Cord's door open for him during the day....I think you are right about him needing to get to water more regularly than the others....You're the best Maple, and I'm SO glad Josh is there for the remainder of the chores. I'm also just tickled to see Jr.'s jacket getting smaller on him with each new posted picture!! He may just make it!!

Love,

Beth

Cary ~ My Wool Mitten at Serenity Farms said...

That was fun, Maple! I had to laugh...Ivan's "Aunt Sam" is my door-banger around here ;D Hope to see you soon...

Map