The time had come for pet lamb TimTam to leave the confines of the Pet Pen in the backyard here at Struan Farm and move into the paddock with Alfie, Trixie, and Daisy. She's now down to three bottles a day as are they. The last time we tried this Alfie kept butting TimTam and it wasn't pleasant for any of us. I put TimTam back into the Pet Pen for her own emotional well being. Since then Alfie, Trixie and Daisy have had their own experience with an attempted integration into the larger pet mob; they've been exposed to how other lambs can treat outsiders. I was hoping this would make them more empathetic. Trixie also spent a few days in the Pet Pen getting to know TimTam and educating her on proper lamb protocol.
So I was optimistic as I carried her over to the front paddock at midday bottle time. John helped me feed the other three as we settled her in. Guess what: it went well!
Everyone is behaving and reasonably friendly, even Alfie. He wouldn't look at TimTam to start, completely ignored her. (Much better than head butts!) She hasn't exactly been accepted into the trio, but that's okay. For her part TimTam is revelling in the wide open space of the paddock, running and hopping around.
One recent bottle time found me tracking her down at the pond when she wasn't at the front gate with the other three. I kept calling for her and none other than Rosie, Queen Bee of the former pet lambs, led her up to me along the farm track. I had to laugh that Rosie was helping me out, I'd raised her well!
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