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Design for Chute |
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We use a chute for many of the things we do here - one
broken bone in my hand when worming a 350 lb. herdsire convinced me!
We still worm the female llamas and all the alpacas by hand if we are using
a wormer given by mouth. However, if we're doing shearing or we're
giving injections we use the chute. During the summer we put a
temporary shelter over it to keep the sun off the animals and us while
shearing. Next year we may put a permanent roof over it so that we can
use it more often in winter.
We put a piece of indoor-outdoor carpet under the chute to help with fleece
collection when shearing - it works fine and can be replaced as needed.
This chute cost about $100 to make - we set the four side posts in post
cement. Most of the cost was in the bolts, quick releases, chains etc.
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SAFE USE OF THE CHUTE |
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Animals can - and will - do stupid things. No matter
how well you plan, they will come up with some other way of trying to get
away!
Here is how we use the chute SAFELY.
We pull the animal into the chute and get it far enough forward to fasten
the quick release fasteners to the cheek pieces of the halter. ONLY
THEN do we close the front posts on the chute.
When we let them out, we open the front posts first, then release the side
cheek fasteners. |
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**** TWO VERY IMPORTANT NOTES
ABOUT THE CHUTE **** |
* WE NEVER PUT AN ANIMAL IN IT WITHOUT STUFFING THE FRONT
BOTTOM OPENINGS WITH BLANKETS.
(purchased at the local thrift store for $3 each)
This is very important!! We couldn't figure out what we could put
across the bottom openings that would be soft enough to keep the animal from
hurting itself when it attempted to jump around and we DID NOT want an
animal to get a leg in the openings and break a leg! The blankets are
the perfect solution - soft yet they keep legs out of the way.
* WE NEVER PUT AN ANIMAL IN IT UNLESS WE HAVE ONE PERSON AT THE HEAD AND
ANOTHER SOMEWHERE BEHIND AT ALL TIMES.
You don't want to have an animal jump sideways and get past the side
barriers as they could break their neck.
We have more problems with the small animals than the bigger ones re:
sideways jumping.Here some photos of the chute - please note the
QUICK RELEASE fasteners. There is a
QUICK RELEASE fastener at the top of the chute, and on the chains that
fasten to the animal's halter from the front fence posts. Thus if
something goes wrong you can get the animal free very quickly.
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| Chute Front |
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Chute right side |
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| Chute back |
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Chute Left Side |
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Chute - Front detail |
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Chute - Inside Front Bottom
THESE ARE THE OPENINGS THAT WE STUFF WITH THREE
BLANKETS |
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Inside top of chute - nothing sharp for animal to hit |
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Outside Front - these bolts are covered by the blankets
that we stuff down the three openings. |
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Outside poles that can be lifted out - these are the poles
used in chain link fencing. |
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The two fence posts to the side of the chute each have an
adjustable chain with a quick release fastener. We fasten these quick
release fasteners to the side of the animal's halter. |
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Chute in operation with llama |
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Llama fastened to front posts by quick releases - we leave
the regular lead on as well in case we have to let the animal out quickly.
They have fastened the quick releases to the main halter piece but I prefer
to put the quick releases on the cheek fasteners of the halter. |
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Note blankets stuffed in front openings |
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