Summer Crias
This summer we were expecting three crias and now that they have arrived we are just relaxing and enjoying them. Elvis came first during the Memorial Day weekend. His mom, Lacey, one morning just looked a bit uncomfortable and gave me that look that "today is the day." He was actually 2 weeks early so I hadn't even begun to get impatient or worried yet, but we were still well prepared. It was a gorgeous day, but Lacey decided that the late afternoon would be best. So shortly after 6:00 in the evening she delivered a gorgeous jet black male. He could not wait to get on his feet and in spite of wobbling back and forth he was determined to get up. My husband jokingly said, "Look he shakes his hips like Elvis!" And the name stuck- Elvis.
Then we began looking for our other two girls to deliver the first week of June. Marty, my husband even took off to be on cria watch while I completed the last week of school (I am a teacher). The girls, Carina and Maria, decided to take it easy on Marty and wait a while. The second week of June I began my summer break and told the girls, "Okay now let's get this show on the road." However, they had other ideas. They liked that I was hanging out a lot and reading books in the barn while I waited so they decided the second week of June was not the week for them. About this time, my daughter, Gina decided to give them pep talks. She especially concentrated on Maria, because after all she had been bred first. We began the 3rd week of June without any new babies. Gina gave lots of pep talks to Maria and finally late Wednesday afternoon, Maria decided to have her cria. Maria hung out inside the barn stall that had a fan, but not the one with the porta cool air conditioner. It was cool and comfortable in there so she delivered a 17 pound dark fawn baby girl. This was Maria's second cria. Her first cria was named Music so we decided to keep with the theme and named this baby girl Melody.
The rest of the week we waited for Carina's baby to arrived, but Carina had other ideas. I was signed up for a 2.5 day course Tuesday through Thursday of the last week of June because I was certain all of our babies would be born by then - silly me for thinking the alpacas would deliver all on time. Monday I told Carina that this "should be the day" so I could be home- she disagreed. Then I thought Tuesday afternoon would be good because my class would be done by noon and both the other babies happened after noon, but Carina had other ideas. Wednesday was the first all day class and I kept my phone close while my son and daughter watched Carina, but she hung in there. So then I said okay only one more day of class, hopefully she will wait until Friday. Thursday morning I went out to check on everyone and took one look at Carina and decided she probably would not wait. My husband and daughter had to go to a morning dentist appointment so that left my teenage son, Brandon, home alone on cria watch - poor guy. About 9:10 he calls and says I think it is getting soon, but don't come home yet- luckily my class was about 7 minutes from home. At 10:00 he calls and does not sound quite so calm as he shouts "It coming! Its coming!" So I rush home and Brandon and Carina are out in the field, but the baby hasn't came yet. So I quickly change my clothes and rush out to the field. About 8 minutes later Carina's baby is born. He is a light fawn boy, who we name Leonardo. Aftern we get him toweled off and in a stall with mom and some of her friends, I rush back to class while my husband and daughter return to watch and make sure he is nursing and doing okay. I came home later that afternoon and he is completely dry, standing, and nursing. I breath a sigh of relief and admire how handsome he is.
Each evening the 3 cria begin to run and chase one another. They are so entertaining. We have rebred the mom's as well as 3 more females so next summer may prove to be even more eventful! We are very thankful that this year all three babies were healthy, vigorous, and gorgeous. The moms- Lacey, Maria, and Carina have been wonderful and each take good care of the babies. We will sell one of the two boys. Both are currently on the sales list, because I just can't decide, but the other will be taken off the sales list as soon as one sells.
Then we began looking for our other two girls to deliver the first week of June. Marty, my husband even took off to be on cria watch while I completed the last week of school (I am a teacher). The girls, Carina and Maria, decided to take it easy on Marty and wait a while. The second week of June I began my summer break and told the girls, "Okay now let's get this show on the road." However, they had other ideas. They liked that I was hanging out a lot and reading books in the barn while I waited so they decided the second week of June was not the week for them. About this time, my daughter, Gina decided to give them pep talks. She especially concentrated on Maria, because after all she had been bred first. We began the 3rd week of June without any new babies. Gina gave lots of pep talks to Maria and finally late Wednesday afternoon, Maria decided to have her cria. Maria hung out inside the barn stall that had a fan, but not the one with the porta cool air conditioner. It was cool and comfortable in there so she delivered a 17 pound dark fawn baby girl. This was Maria's second cria. Her first cria was named Music so we decided to keep with the theme and named this baby girl Melody.
The rest of the week we waited for Carina's baby to arrived, but Carina had other ideas. I was signed up for a 2.5 day course Tuesday through Thursday of the last week of June because I was certain all of our babies would be born by then - silly me for thinking the alpacas would deliver all on time. Monday I told Carina that this "should be the day" so I could be home- she disagreed. Then I thought Tuesday afternoon would be good because my class would be done by noon and both the other babies happened after noon, but Carina had other ideas. Wednesday was the first all day class and I kept my phone close while my son and daughter watched Carina, but she hung in there. So then I said okay only one more day of class, hopefully she will wait until Friday. Thursday morning I went out to check on everyone and took one look at Carina and decided she probably would not wait. My husband and daughter had to go to a morning dentist appointment so that left my teenage son, Brandon, home alone on cria watch - poor guy. About 9:10 he calls and says I think it is getting soon, but don't come home yet- luckily my class was about 7 minutes from home. At 10:00 he calls and does not sound quite so calm as he shouts "It coming! Its coming!" So I rush home and Brandon and Carina are out in the field, but the baby hasn't came yet. So I quickly change my clothes and rush out to the field. About 8 minutes later Carina's baby is born. He is a light fawn boy, who we name Leonardo. Aftern we get him toweled off and in a stall with mom and some of her friends, I rush back to class while my husband and daughter return to watch and make sure he is nursing and doing okay. I came home later that afternoon and he is completely dry, standing, and nursing. I breath a sigh of relief and admire how handsome he is.
Each evening the 3 cria begin to run and chase one another. They are so entertaining. We have rebred the mom's as well as 3 more females so next summer may prove to be even more eventful! We are very thankful that this year all three babies were healthy, vigorous, and gorgeous. The moms- Lacey, Maria, and Carina have been wonderful and each take good care of the babies. We will sell one of the two boys. Both are currently on the sales list, because I just can't decide, but the other will be taken off the sales list as soon as one sells.
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