New Baby reindeer to my herd

Me too I can not hug him at the moment (too dangerous) but I waste many an hour with elbows propped on his fence line just watching him proudly display to Gandalf and Boris (and nearly wreck my fences!) and round up his girls with a silly grin on my face, just thinking I would never have dreamt this day would come...
So far he is playing it smart as I may need to castrate one of the boys next year if they become too dangerous... Was thinking it would be Frodo but he is behaving better than Gandalf!

 

The elbows propped on fence watching your Miracle Boy, sounds like a better use of time than this pixel farming. But, I would have never learned of and about your herd without my pixel farm.
Thank you Karen.

 

This is why I don't enter a rutting bull's paddock... Bulls need to expel their anger/exhibit their prowess - which is why I hack down branches and attach to gates for natural enrichment... gates can cope better than fences, (which Boris taunts at), or me.

Conundrum today.... Mischa had slipped head collar and got her front foot through nose band, hobbling, in Gandalf's rutting paddock. It took me an hour to safely secrete her out (luckily she is very tame) but he kept blocking her from gate.. She's absolutely fine although thirsty as she couldn't lift head high enough to drinker.... all fine now.

Baby Fergie has an injury on hock, caused by a hurried exit from feed store... that was easy to sort..
AND level 10 on new quest wants 40 Reindeer STABLES... they have to be joking! Do they realise how much these precious babies take to rear let alone steal our stables!

 

Oh, poor Mischa. Gandalf is enough for her to deal with, I am so glad you were able to get it sorted safely.
Please give Baby Fergie a hug for us, and good looking out for those busy 'stables'.

 

Found this current "reindeer migration" footage for you.. You just can't help but love them.

 

You are right Karen. I saw some still had velvet/dread locks and some were striped clean. I can only imagine, many entire males among all those females. They need a referee. Thanks for the video.

 

Thank you Karen for all of today's news! That video is just awesome and OMG look how far those beautiful reindeer swim!? Nature is truly amazing and thanks for sharing that with us!
As for the "quest" I really hope that is a typo and they just want 40 reindeer (bad enough) and not the pens! lol

 

Great instructive videos! The migration video is amazing; I have never pictured reindeer swimming. What lovely creatures!

 

They are very good swimmers, their feet being so large, they make great paddles and with their hair being hollow it gives them great buoyancy too. Swimming speed apparently 5mph.

 

Your herd will be asking for a swimming pool next year if we have another hot summer

 

They will need one they can swim laps in!

 

Volunteers required to start digging.

Gandalf has been busy today... This morning he was continually body blocking Elsa, pacing her for hours and Frodo getting stressed in neighbouring paddock (so guess she was in season). This afternoon his attention has gone to Lexi and showing his dominance... He hasn't eaten for days, bless him - he's too busy!

 

Gandalf does look like he has lost some of his pre-rut tummy.

 

We have a Birthday booking tomorrow and Boris needs an adult girl to accompany him.
Mischa, I believe, has already received Gandalf's "attention" so I thought she would be the best to withdraw from rutting paddock BUT it has taken me two days as they have a very long/large paddock and they aren't coming for pellets often.
Once safely removed from Gandalf, I had to move her past Frodo's paddock and into castrate Boris' paddock... Frodo went ditsy, climbing fence, grunting... I thought he was coming through or over fence. .. Photo isn't as scary as reality was!

Greeting the other girls, that she hasn't seen for weeks, was cute though.
Can't wait for the rut to be over and peace to return.


Edit, 12 months ago... Frodo... a photo you haven't seen... Okay when he's a pain and trying to rip down fences, I just look back at his photos from last year and can forgive him most things this year! When I say even his legs had no flesh on them, even hubby says reindeer don't have fat legs... but these were bones only!

 

I bet she was glad to get away from all that masculine stress! What a sweet greeting photo!

 

Mischa and Boris will make the perfect party pair. Frodo is magnificent. He even has fatter feet.

 

I hope that Boris and Mischa enjoy themselves at the party. I am sure that Mischa will enjoy having a rest from Gandalf

 

Boys are beyond at the moment (entire ones).

Gandalf is making it difficult at the moment as he prefers to offer forehead and antlers (close up) for photos at the moment but I did get a couple.
Inside story on rutting bulls ... they really stink at this time of year and older bull has, what looks like ear wax, in the vents under his eyes - hormonal scent issue. Young bull Gandalf attacks fence, antlers aimed at me, when I go to feed his paddock. Older bull Frodo, is all power, but he doesn't attack fence line (TG) but he does pace alongside grunting and letting me know I am not welcome anywhere near "his" girls..
Oh the joy of the rut! I want my boys back to being cuddly... I'm giving them another 4 weeks to be all male . then if they haven't got over it, then those antlers are coming off for peace and harmony to return...

 

Thanks for all your beautiful pictures. I find their antlers amazing! I think Frodo just wants a little attention from you! LOL.

 

Great pictures! Glad all is going well even if the boys are kind of wild at times...that is nothing new during the rut, but to see
Frodo climbing the fence like that would freak me out too!
I am sure Boris will also be happy to get off of baby sitting for awhile and like Lilaclady said Mischa will enjoy a change of pace too!