We did a lot of research on guard animals... dogs like Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds are popular around here. Donkeys are another common protector of livestock. We wanted something that ate the same thing as the sheep if possible. So we settled on a LLAMA!
Our search for a suitable llama led us to a nearby town where a lady had four she wanted to sell together. So they now live at Unicorner Farm! Here is a photo of them while they were still in the trailer this evening.
We have them penned next door to the sheep so they can get used to each other. We are thrilled with the quality of the four. We hope they will take their jobs as coyote patrols seriously.
We did have a llama before, named Chipper, he lived with our miniature horses. Unfortuately, he had a heat stroke the year after we moved to the new farm. Llamas are llovely animals, very calm and they walk so gently. They make a neat humming noise and are very curious.
Now we need names for our four new acquisitions. Any suggestions?
The older female on the left is white with tan on her face, a 2 year old female black and white, the mama llama is dark brown and the yearling male is solid white.
4 comments:
They look very nice. They didn't come with names?
Make sure you get the halters removed as soon as practical. Halters can't be left on llamas for very long.
The yearling male is probably old enough to impregnate the females. He will need to be separated until old enough to geld.
Inie, Meenie, Miney, and Moe :)
They shear different than sheep also and you can see the fiber.
We asked the previous owner if they had names and she said no, just llama.. That is how she would call them too, she just hollered LLAMA, LLAMA and they came.
The two older females apparently have had the halters on for a LONG time. We haltered the young ones (first time) before we let them out of the trailer. But we will remove them very soon. I agree they shouldn't be left on them.
Hi there, followed you "home" from your comment on my Boulderneigh blog. Thanks for commenting! A good friend of mine raises minis here in Oregon; I sent her your blog link. I think I'll have to add you to the 150 or so that I follow....
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