Marty McGee Bennett
08-07-2005, 07:55 PM
Hi Marty
I have your Camelid Companion and utilize your techniques successfully. I do use the catch pen and can accomplish shots, oral wormer, toenails, etc. without much problem. All of my alpacas walk on lead very easily.
We have recently built a narrow walk through chute that contains our scale. It is off of our catch pen that is in the barn. They enter the catch pen through a large gate, then there is a 2 1/2 ft. gate that leads directly to the scale chute. I attached two pictures.
All of my alpacas will walk through the chute and get weighed except the one that has the biggest weight issue. She is a nursing dam that has a hard time maintaining her weight. She walks very well on a lead, she allows her face to be treated several times a week without resistance, I do not even need to steady her head when I treat her face. She will absolutely not walk through the chute. She kushes immediately if I try to coax her through with the lead. We have tried putting everyone in the pen and only opening the chute gate. everyone else will exit through the chute, including her cria, but she will not, even when she is the only one left in the pen. I have tried with lead, without lead, coaxing with food, herding, and leaving her alone for about 10 minutes. We left the barn and went to the house, with everyone else out munching hay, and she wouldn't leave. She just stood by the big gate. I have even tried to lead her through from the opposite direction with a lead and with herding tape. She just kushes at the entrance of the chute. I guess I will stop stressing her for now becuse she is now hesitant with the catch pen too, but I would really like to weigh her. We put alot of work into building the chute and thought it was going to be great for our program, and it is for the other girls.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Or will I just never be able to weigh her with this setup?
Thank you very mcuh for any help that you can offer.
this is a great set up and take heart it works for everyone except this girl. So don't throw the baby out with the bath water. I have two suggestions. 1. use the long lead to encourage her to come forward you could add to this a panel from the outside edge of the scale diagonally to the wall. Hook the panel to the outside edge of the scale, walk her up to the scale, swing the panel toward the wall and tie it so that she is in a little tiny triangular space right near the scale. The handler using the long lead is all the way in the small pen and just waits. no pulling, the only purpose of the lead is to keep her from turning around. If she comes all the way through without stopping fine you can work up to having her stop for weighing. 2. work with her on other obstacles away from this and get her confidence up with obstacles in general. Feel free to call and we can talk if this doesn't sound clear. I would be happy to help. good luck. Are you using one of my halters? If so make sure you are leading with the lead rope hooked to the side ring and not the ring underneath. This will make a huge difference. Also make sure to pay very close attention to halter fit.
I have your Camelid Companion and utilize your techniques successfully. I do use the catch pen and can accomplish shots, oral wormer, toenails, etc. without much problem. All of my alpacas walk on lead very easily.
We have recently built a narrow walk through chute that contains our scale. It is off of our catch pen that is in the barn. They enter the catch pen through a large gate, then there is a 2 1/2 ft. gate that leads directly to the scale chute. I attached two pictures.
All of my alpacas will walk through the chute and get weighed except the one that has the biggest weight issue. She is a nursing dam that has a hard time maintaining her weight. She walks very well on a lead, she allows her face to be treated several times a week without resistance, I do not even need to steady her head when I treat her face. She will absolutely not walk through the chute. She kushes immediately if I try to coax her through with the lead. We have tried putting everyone in the pen and only opening the chute gate. everyone else will exit through the chute, including her cria, but she will not, even when she is the only one left in the pen. I have tried with lead, without lead, coaxing with food, herding, and leaving her alone for about 10 minutes. We left the barn and went to the house, with everyone else out munching hay, and she wouldn't leave. She just stood by the big gate. I have even tried to lead her through from the opposite direction with a lead and with herding tape. She just kushes at the entrance of the chute. I guess I will stop stressing her for now becuse she is now hesitant with the catch pen too, but I would really like to weigh her. We put alot of work into building the chute and thought it was going to be great for our program, and it is for the other girls.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Or will I just never be able to weigh her with this setup?
Thank you very mcuh for any help that you can offer.
this is a great set up and take heart it works for everyone except this girl. So don't throw the baby out with the bath water. I have two suggestions. 1. use the long lead to encourage her to come forward you could add to this a panel from the outside edge of the scale diagonally to the wall. Hook the panel to the outside edge of the scale, walk her up to the scale, swing the panel toward the wall and tie it so that she is in a little tiny triangular space right near the scale. The handler using the long lead is all the way in the small pen and just waits. no pulling, the only purpose of the lead is to keep her from turning around. If she comes all the way through without stopping fine you can work up to having her stop for weighing. 2. work with her on other obstacles away from this and get her confidence up with obstacles in general. Feel free to call and we can talk if this doesn't sound clear. I would be happy to help. good luck. Are you using one of my halters? If so make sure you are leading with the lead rope hooked to the side ring and not the ring underneath. This will make a huge difference. Also make sure to pay very close attention to halter fit.