much of the morning was spent tidying up after Sunday's revelleries.
Then I took on the task of giving the donks a good groom. They have ben in desperate need of this for a couple of weeks but I haven't had time and I knew that it was going to be a big job because they are all moulting.
Angus and Jack both love being groomed and just stood there in droopy-mouthed ecstacy while I combed piles of hair out of them. Lilly and Joey are both much less keen on being brushed and Lilly, who has the finest, longest, silkiest hair of them all was a bit of a pain. In total I got about a wheelbarrow full of hair out of the four of them. They must feel better for that.
Poor old Joey, second donk from the left in this pic stood there resignedly but not exactly enjoying the ordeal. I have only been thinking recetly how lucky we have been so far this year because the flies haven't been bothering the donks too much, but when grooming Joey I discovered that this isn't exactly true. He has got some nasty fly bites over the last couple of days and a couple of them are looking quite swollen abd a bit bloody. In the end I decided that the only thing for it was to give him a bit of a bath and ended up shampooing everything from his chest down with tea trea oil shampoo. He was not a happy chap, but his natural gentleness meant that the job was nowhere near as hair-raising for me as it would have been with any of the others.
His semi-bath was followed by a liberal application of 'purple spray' (well known to anybody with large animals) to all of his bitten areas, so now not onlyis he a shabby, scruffy, sorrowful looking character, he is also about a quarter purple. Where's the dignity in that?
A good animal owner you are Jan but that's the commitment with stock!! That purple spray is expensive too, we used to use it on cows teats & calfs navels etc! They must feel so light & well groomed ...what is the black one, your dog? I see a goat or sheep there too so perhaps a black one of them.
Sounds like what happens to me, a smallish job turns into a full blown mega ordeal. Still job done and at least you know their present situation with the fly problem. Blinking flies, we have to watch for strike in the tortoises! Love this shot
Gorgeous shot of the lovely donks.... sounds like you had a very busy time with all that grooming.... hope you get Joey Boy sorted out.... blooming flies are a real pest!! â¥
I'm glad you had such a wonderful visit with long lost relatives. Hostessing seems to suit you. :-)
Reading about the donk grooming, it sounds like you amassed enough fur to knit yourself another donk. LOL I feel the same way when I brush my cat.