Ideal to ordeal.

To say that we are learning as we go is an understatement and so discovering that the funny looked lumps on some of the girls legs are not completely innocent was terribly disturbing. I had a suspicion that it looked like it might have been scaley leg mite and after googling images of the same, my suspicion was confirmed. What to do? I cleaned out the coop again and sprinkled ag lime over the floor, nesting boxes and perches. Never having held a chook before, has hubby and I debating who is going to hold the chooks while the other applies the vaseline or oil necessary to smother the undesirable mites. Worming the girls is much easier. They love to drink water,  so you sneak the worming product into their water and voila, they are wormed.  I wish it was that easy to treat the mites..... And we have been socialising Pepe with the girls!!  Fortunately, we have been treating Pepe with a monthly wormer which includes knocking off mites and fleas so he should be o.k. Although we will keep the socialising to a distance until we have the girls problem under control. All that being said, it is a very normal part of poultry health and hygiene and not really an ordeal (apart from our concern about catching a chook and holding it for treatment), so we will just have to get on with it.
In the meantime, the alpacas have become more used to the girls being part of the familiar social scene.

Freddie check the girls out.

Carl looking at Urwin looking at Pepe looking at Margo

Pepe and the chooks

Quite pleased with myself having redressed the gender balance on the farm... Our 6 male pet alpacas, 6 chookie girls, hubby, me and Pepe, who had his pockets emptied before we bought him from "Pet Rescue". So just about even.

Pick Pepe up and it is like holding a wriggling brick. He is a 4 x 4 steam train and when he first set eyes on our girls we thought his quivering little body was ready to explode. How on earth are we going to acheive an idealised harmonious farm yard? One thing to his advantage is his profound sense of self-preservation and if he thinks that he is going to get into trouble, he learns very quickly. But, it has still taken multiple daily sessions of socialising him with the girls. We began by walking him on lead around and around the chook yard so that the girls could get used to him too. In less than two weeks he and the chookie girls compete side by side  for  little treats. We still wouldn't leave him unattended with the girls, but an harmonious future is looking like a possibility.