New Baby reindeer to my herd

I hope all goes well for you on Saturday and that it doesn't rain. Looking forward to seeing pictures of the new baby boy.

 

New baby boys -eek!!! I know I shouldn't have financially, but I did... I purchased a second one too. It was such a long journey for my new baby boy to travel alone and any new reindeer introduced to a herd is ostracized for weeks. So my excuse is that "Furlough" (I think his new name will be Bilbo) has a buddy to settle in with. They are both very nervous babies, but they have each other and a they are sticking together like glue. Both are healthy boys but when I saw them I thought they are not as big as homebred Jasper but wasn't sure until I got them home.. Try to post second photo along side Jasper, I swear he has 15 kg on them!!

Homebred Jasper on the right!

 

Congrats on your new boys. I think it was a very wise decision for all the reasons you used to convince yourself to buy them!
Good luck with them and I hope the herd treats them like the little ones they are!

 

Your new boys are so handsome!!!! Great idea to bring them over together. The one with the white on the face reminds me a bit of Hector up in Heaven.

 

Handsome boys! I especially like the one with the darker markings! Bilbo sounds like a great name; what is the other guy's name?
You really had a great idea about getting the second boy for company. They will soon discover they have come to a great and happy home.

 

Congratulations on your two new boys, they are both gorgeous. Tell Boris to look after them and to make sure they are welcomed into your herd.

 

Furlough (now Bilbo) is the one I went to buy (white facial markings)- I expressed an interest on the day he was born but owner was thinking to retain him but let me know last week that I could have him. Brown calf wasn't named but I have called him Merlin. TBH I don't need him for breeding programme but owner had a lot for sale and I needed company for Bilbo for journey and settling in.. Boris is ignoring them, Hazel and Jasper are pummelling them. I am not sure where Merlin will eventually be. Jasper is booked, along with Hazel but it may make sense for me to retain Hazel and let Merlin go with Jasper???
Oh boy I will miss my big baby boy Jasper, such a character but he has to go but I would love to retain Hazel due to her lack of genetic connections, so maybe Merlin will go with Jasper??? Who knows - hate parting with any.

 

Interesting idea about sending Merlin instead of Hazel, since he is not needed for breeding. You have a good point about the lack of genetic connections, keeping her may be wise for the bloodlines down the road. Hope Bilbo settles in quickly and peacefully with the others.

 

I am once again distracted, but this time due to the "Rut". Frodo I am a little worried about (but only slightly) as he isn't in the slightest bit angry but he hasn't piled on weight that I would expect for the rut.. So, I am questioning why but he is still "safe".

Gandalf, my second bull is beyond dangerous now that he is in rut, and even worse than last year. He is charging the fence line at full tilt as soon as I am 50 yards away. His fences are 6' during his rut but he is still scaring the bejesus out of me as he charges. The posts move and the wire twists... My cuddles bunny wants to kill me.!
Can't take a pic of charge of fence as I am running for cover in case fence comes down. This is just a gentle attack on fence.

 

Thinking it is a really good idea this is the last breeding year for him!

 

Good call on not taking a pic of him at full charge! Much better for you to be safe.

How do you feed him if you can't get close to his paddock during the rut? Does he forage instead?

 

I agree with Willow, I think it is probably a good thing that this will be his last breeding season, he looks very dangerous. I hope all is OK with Frodo. Stay safe.

 

Rivak. Now that I have sorted, (well almost) It's feeding his girls that is important, as bulls in rut tend not to eat at all during the their elevated hormones, they can think of nothing apart fighting and... BUT the girls need food as they haven't piled on the weight that the boys have, Hormones are to blame. Part of their paddocks is a large "Jack & Jill" field shelter, with one gate into a safe paddock and that gate always closed but on his/girls side open, At feed times I have to get him to attack fence further up, while I rush to untie rope and push gate closed, with a pole through fence, on his side. I can them safely access this shelter and fill the troughs with food for the girls (troughs I tether to floor with trampoline pegs) Some days he has even ripped those through up though. I am then within the feed area and have to wait for him to move away in order to unlatch his access, skip quickly out of feed area into "safe" paddock and pull his gate open and secure tightly. It takes tactics.

I know it looks scary and painful, but it's just part of a natural reindeer year.
The girls are stripping their velvet. The rutting boys, stripped a few weeks ago. The calves will follow shortly and then the castrates.
It isn't painful to them at all.
When their antlers have stopped growing for the year, they no longer need the velvet (which supplies blood to the growing antlers), so they start thrashing their heads about to get rid of that unwanted velvet.
We are lucky that all my paddocks are surrounded by a shelter belt of bushes and trees that makes it easier for them but I also cut tree boughs to place at ground level for any who can't reach the higher branches.
Pic is Luna and Ria (in Frodo's rutting paddock) who have come in to feed.

 

Luna and Ria are so pretty even despite their shedding their velvet. I know you are very careful(thanks for your detailed explanation)...but still I worry for you at this time of year.

 

I agree Brookeham, it is really scary this time of year with the boys in rut! Luna and Ria are such pretty girls! Good luck Karen
and keep safe!

 

Thankfully Gandalf is now out of rut as his hormones have dropped and so too his antlers. He no longer wants to kill me and now wants cuddles instead.
Just as a funny, a friend was struggling with her male in rut. He was charging fence but nowhere near Gandalf's intensity. I said I come over to assist. We got him trussed up for treatment, I went in with him (as well secured) an injected.. Came back to "safe" side of fence to release and he gouged my arm! Spent Friday in A&E! So cross with myself as that boy was a pussycat in comparison and he got me!!!
My today's post. Gandalf is certainly feeling rather light headed today.

 

OMG Karen I hope you are ok! That is very dangerous work when those big boys are in rut! Wow those are some very impressive
antlers! Gandalf looks like he is sulking in the picture, but I am sure his head feels much, much lighter! Thanks for the post and the pictures! Take care!

 

How much do those antlers weigh? They are so impressive.

 

OMG those antlers are huge! I bet Gandalf does feel very light headed now, and probably a bit annoyed that they have gone and he is no longer so manly! Hope your arm soon heals.

 

I knew they were enormous, but to see them like this is astonishing! So glad you won't have to risk it with Gandalf in rut again!