New Baby reindeer to my herd

Pleased to hear that you survived Gandalf's "fun" with you without being hurt! I agree with Sanddollar about the angry 7yr old bull, I don't think it would be a risk worth taking.

 

Frodo's rutting paddock had just Twiglet and Lotte but I have added Tigga this afternoon as she is extremely well grown and she was standing by gate --- no "airlock" for his paddock and I was fretting as to how I could add her later - opportunity was there so I took it.


Gandalf has, Mischa, Elsa, Lexi - spotty noses/white blaze, and Katya - who has produced 2 white blazes. Baby Bruno has also broken into this paddock by "limboing" through post and rail fence to get to his mother..

Boris is babysitting Fergie & Herman and for now Ria and Belle too.
Ria and Belle I am giving a few weeks, they are old enough for the rut but I am giving them a few more weeks before I decide for sure if they will join either boy. With lack of grass, due to our draught, I would like more weight on the before I commit them to rutting paddocks... Time will tell.

 

Bless Boris and his baby sitting skills! Keeps him busy and not alone! Thank you Karen for the run down on which reindeer
is where and why! So were you able to get baby Bruno out of the rutting pen? never a dull moment for sure! Great pictures, again thank you for you time!

 

Sanddollar, not a chance that I can go into this paddock now. Last picture had baby Bruno eating from one of feeders. I don't think it will be possible to remove him now but he shouldn't be in danger - a large paddock and bulls tend to ignore babies... If I can I will but I doubt it.

 

Oh I do hope that baby Bruno will be OK.

 

I have had babies in with their mothers in rutting paddocks before. They are no challenge to the bulls and as long as they have enough area to get away from a shaken antler warning, then all will be fine. Bruno has acres to get away. Elsa may not accept Gandalf if she prefers to side with her calf rather than accepting Gandalf. We'll see. I'd prefer to get Bruno out to get Elsa's mind on next calf but if I can't I can't - Bruno will be fine, thankfully.
Edit
Frodo continues to be forever the gentleman during the early part of his Rut - how long this will last, we'll see. Gandalf, although a week behind on the stripping of his velvet, is being an absolute stinker.

Belle has either started to strip her velvet early or got it caught on something - not sure yet. No real issue as her antlers are now hard.

Mischa this afternoon was lame - I managed to sneak her out of Gandalf's paddock, while he was busy chasing another girl. Nothing obvious, so guessing she's twisted something running away from Gandalf!

Another Edit.... can someone post if you want more, as I have Storm/Freddy updates. I don't want to double post as I "bruise like a peach" even with virtual knuckle rapping xx

 

I Karen, double posting is never good! Love to see some Storm and Freddy updates! Thanks

 

Update on last year's babies - Freddy (Mischa's baby) and Storm (Elsa's baby).

Elaine (Ythanbank Reindeer) decided not to castrate them until the coming Spring - the first time, for her, dealing with hormones!

They have both now stripped their velvet. Storm first and Freddy yesterday (when I was updated), so "The Games" begin for her. Freddy stripped his velvet on Storm's antlers!

Let's hope they aren't bad boys! Elaine can't believe her cuddles buddy (Freddy) may change into a monster...
I have advised her to get alternate strategies in place for feeding over fence, just in case... Some yearlings in rut are absolutely fine.... My Gandalf is a nightmare!!!
Freddy yesterday

Storm yesterday - Elaine is more worried about him, as he's Elsa's son (she owned Elsa originally) and gave her to me as she couldn't cope with her aggression to her castrated boys (she is a Madam ).. But it's usually the cutie pie boys that become a problem during rut as they aren't worried about their owners.

 

Oh gosh, I hope Elaine doesn't have too much trouble with those boys. Let's just hope that Storm doesn't take after his mother too much! They have certainly both grown into magnificent young men.

 

They certainly have grown into beautiful reindeer! I know that Elaine will heed your advice about young males during rut!
Like Lilaclady said I too hope "Elsa's" temperament does not come out in Stormy! although she is a great mother!

 

My news is nowhere as exciting as a friend's but I'll start with mine....
I have managed to get Bruno out of the rutting paddock this morning. He was in no danger but weaning will be good for his mother... He isn't happy and honking a lot but Boris and the other calves should calm him down soon.

Meanwhile I got a very excited call from a friend this morning... I'll try to cut story short but you remember the bull I spoke about that became very aggressive to his girls during rut.. Vet was called and he prescribed a (human) oestrogen injection to lower testosterone but he overdosed. Bull lost all interest in his girls, dropped his antlers very early but started to regrow rapidly and then in February he stripped out his stumpy antlers (but owner thought they where early this years growth) was a very worrying picture of a reindeer's antlers bloody to the bone at that time of year... In hindsight his testosterone kicked back in before rut was over and this lovely lady was still cycling... So the result arrived this morning.... isn't she lovely.

Edit..
What I forgot to say is that Bruno came into baby paddock - all hooves blazing. He beat up his bigger brother Herman, then took on Fergie & even the yearling girls... He stopped short before he paddled Boris though! All will be quiet in Home Paddock in a couple of days.

 

Oh that baby girl is just breath taking! Great ending to a bad story!
Glad Bruno was retrieved! lol It will give his mom a change to re-coop from nursing and him a chance to be with the "big boys" lol
Boris will take good care of him!

 

What a gorgeous little baby girl. Am glad that you managed to get Bruno out of the rutting paddock and I am sure that with Boris's guidance, and companionship of the other calves, he will soon feel better about leaving his mum.

 

Gorgeous baby girl!!!!!
Poor Bruno....last to be weened from his Mum. He'll survive and hopefully thrive with his fellow mates. All mommies should only have to worry about creating next year's babies....not feeding their current one. LOL

 

Sweet photo makes me eager to see your new little ones! Very please you got Bruno out, even if he is unhappy now. One less worry for you.

 

What a wonderful gift from this Weird but funny happenstance. This little girl is one for the books.
I guess you were too busy to video Bruno, but I can just imagine his temper tantrum... After all, he is Elsa's Child!!

 

Well I got him out of one Rutting paddock.... but this morning he was nowhere to be seen in Boris/baby paddock but I found him.

How, just How did he do it!!

He didn't find his mother's paddock today but he found auntie Twiglet and daddy.
How he manage it I don't know, as I have roll bars under gate. He either pushed them aside or climbed in water trough and hopped over fence.
I should have called him Houdini.

He's back in with Boris again but it took me sometime. Where he'll be in the morning I don't know!

 

Maybe they created a reindeer ladder (like a human ladder) and he climbed over. Or, Boris hooked Bruno with his antlers and threw the little guy over.
You need a camera out there to catch their antics.
Your friend's new baby is just precious. How cute and what a story to carry of her existence.

 

Maybe the other calves had a bet that he couldn't make it back into a rutting paddock

 

Bruno has stayed with Boris and the nursery group today thankfully!
Meanwhile...
Mischa is the first of the girls to start stripping her velvet.... I have a theory (it's only my own) that the girls come into season for the first time about 4 days after stripping.
If she is caught on her first cycle her 224 days would once again be 29th April! Talk about grouping, her last two calves have been born on that date! (Thor & Freddy).
It would be so funny if her next one is the same date... time will tell.
(She's in the "spotty nosed" harem with Gandalf). This also means Gandalf will become even more of a pain once a girls comes in season... Oh joy!