Not only do we have the lovely highland calf (still to be named) arriving later this month we have already been out and about on our travels finding some other friends to come and join us. A couple of weeks ago we headed off to Cheshire and on our travels collected up Ramie the Soay Ram and his lady friend. We also fulfilled a long held notion of Ian’s that Craighead needed Peacocks. We came home with a pair of blue traditional peacocks and a pair of glorious white ones. It was a bit like Noah’s Ark and we were glad to get back to Craighead!
We have also stocked up on the hens and they are doing well and growing and will be laying by the time we reopen at the end of March.
If you are wondering what animals you can see if you come and visit this year here is the list – feeding time is taking longer than ever at the moment and we can’t wait for the spring.
We of course have the lovely Beagg our mature white highland cow and she will be joined by her little friend at the end of the month. We have a Welsh Pony – Splash who is now ready to have a lot more done with her. We have the two alpacas Rebellion and Snow Patrol, three different varieties of sheep in small numbers, Swiss Valais Blacknose (Gareth & Homer), Shropshire (Bramble, Bambie, Bell) and Soay (Ramie and his girls). We have a troop of 7 Pygmy goats (Dilan, Daisy, Dora, Hannah, Hope, PJ and Tinkerbell). We have a variety of poultry, hens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, turkey and now peacocks. We have 4 Rhea, two mature white ones and two much younger grey ones. There are always losses with animals and last year we sadly lost Grumpy Drawers – the large white male Rhea who appeared to hate Ian and would chase him at any opportunity.
We have four cats (Kitty, Hetty, Marmaduke and Marmalade) and will be hoping to find a couple of kittens this year that need a good home. Ian also has a notion to get some fantail doves so I can see they may be arriving soon! We also have family dogs here some of the time, we are the home for either Ru the Schnauzer, Jura the Cocker Spaniel or Ronnie the Cockerpoo as and when they need a home!!!!
So we do hope you will come along soon and visit and meet the animals. While you are here you are welcome to wander around them all and enjoy the garden too.