There’s Joe, Lulu, Dutch, Diego, Honey, Licorice and Truffles – and last, but not least, Olaf and Alfie. The huacaya alpacas are one of the many breeds of animals on the Hughes farm on Meadowbrook Road, just outside Bridgeport. They are also the newest. This is, in fact, their first year in town.

 

“We bought them kind of as pasture eaters,” Amber Hughes said. “With 25 acres, the more mouths, the better. Then we realized the amount of money you can make with them.”

 

Alfie and Olaf weren’t included in the alpaca purchase. They were both born on the farm. Olaf has a bit of a fairy tale story.

 

“He was born this past winter out in the snow and his mom kind of left him there,” Hughes said. “I went out and got him, wrapped him in my sweatshirt, took him in the barn and blew him dry. The kids said we had to name him Olaf since he is white and he was in the snow.”

 

Such behavior by the hembra – a female alpaca – in caring for her baby - or cria - isn’t so unusual.

 

“They’re kind of ditzy,” Hughes said. “They aren’t the big protectors like you would think. That’s why the donkeys are in with them. They’re kind of defenseless.”

 

When the next two alpacas arrive – one gray and one black – the Hughes will have an even dozen. They require quite a bit of care.

 

“Their teeth have to be filed and their hooves clipped. And, of course, you shear them. They are a lot of work,” Hughes said.

 

Alpacas also contract parasites. In fact, Lulu came to the family with one and the neurological damage which resulted. She walks a little bow legged, but besides that, she is just fine.

 

The Hughes family – which also includes husband Derek, 15-year-old Ashton, 11-year-old Treyton and identical twins Brooke and Brinley – have learned a lot about the newest addition to the farm.

 

“They are the cleanest animal,” Hughes said. “They poop in community piles. It’s all together, so my husband just comes out with the tractor and scoops it up and gets rid of it. Then they start a new pile.”

 

As was the intention, the alpacas graze the open fields, keeping grass in check. They primarily self-feed during the summer months and are supplemented with goat feed, eating just about two pounds daily between them. During the winter, they eat much more feed.

 

Recently, the alpacas were sheared for the first time on the Hughes farm.

 

“People came from California to shear them. This shearing company travels the entire U.S. from farm to farm, starting in April and ending in late-September or early-October,” Hughes said. “When they got here, we found out we couldn’t sell the alpaca fiber because they had been lying in the creek and were wet. I didn’t think anything of it, but now I know. Next year, we’ll sell the fiber, but I’ll take the necessary precautions, keeping them in the barn for 48 hours before they come to shear, keeping them dry and brushing out any dirt.”

 

Depending upon the length and crimp of the fiber, different distributors are interested in it and it can be used to make sweaters, scarves, socks and lots of other objects. Because alpaca fiber is non-allergenic, it is ideal for making stuffed toys and other children’s items.

 

The alpacas have garnered some attention. Recently, a photographer approached the family, asking to do mini photo sessions with the animals. It was a big hit with all spots filling up, Hughes said.

 

Most of the Hughes’ animals have or will be profitable in some way. The chickens and ducks lay eggs. Baby goats and lambs are sold.

 

“We have five or six baby goats from this year, but we could potentially have 75 babies a year. We register the boers, the brand which kids take to 4-H, so that’s a hot commodity,” Hughes said. “And we have lamanchas, which are milk goats, and I’d like to try to make goat soap next year.”

 

The goat herd is the Hughes’ biggest

.

“We have 49 goats total, 35 doe and seven bucks,” Hughes said. “I’ve been weighing my options to see which one I want to be the herd sire and we’ll probably sell the others.”

 

There’s also a couple of wethers – or castrated males – which are on the farm purely for pets. Then, there’s Helen – who is 100 percent blind, but doesn’t skip a beat.

 

Hughes told the story of how she joined the family.

 

“When people find out you have animals, you get a lot of offers to take in animals – especially when they know I bottle feed,” she said. “I got a call from Morgantown one day, asking if I would be interested in taking a little goat, just six hours old. The mom wouldn’t feed or take care of her. So, I drove to get her and found out she wasn’t acting normal like my other babies. It turned out she was blind. But she doesn’t know there’s anything wrong with her. She gets around just fine, using one ear as kind of a radar.”

 

In addition to the alpacas, donkeys, goats, sheep, chicken and ducks, the Hughes have cows, horses, turkeys and one pig, Gilbert.

His story is also an interesting one. A family had purchased him from Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in Kingwood.

 

“They thought he was a miniature pig,” Hughes said.

 

Well, that certainly was not the case. He is one large pig, who likes to have his belly rubbed.

 

Hughes admits she has a heart for the animals who are misfits and that nobody else wants.

 

As one might imagine, the family is quite busy feeding and taking care of its entourage of animals, each which has been named with care. The chicken coop features nesting boxes indicating the name of each hen.

 

The kids help care for the farm animals.

 

“The girls gather the eggs out of the chicken coop, help fill water, feed Helen and help with the alpacas,” Hughes said.

 

The little ones also love cuddling the twin calves, which also joined the family due to an unusual circumstance.

 

“The owner had taken the mother to market because she was acting weird,” Hughes said. “When he came home, he found the calves in her stall. They had gone 12 hours without being fed. They are lucky to be alive.”

 

In addition to the massive amount of animal feed – including mega amounts of goat feed – the family also purchases vaccinations and other medication for the livestock.

 

“I self-treat all my animals,” Hughes said. “I’ve done so much research. When you have this many animals, you can’t afford to call the veterinarian all the time. I give my own shots, do my own hoof trimming and everything else. We’ve saved animals from pneumonia and even polio. We’ve had mites and have bought animals with lice and had to treat them all.”

 

The Hughes family moved to Bridgeport in August of 2013 and have utilized the Meadowbrook Road farm for three years. Being so close to town, it’s the best of both worlds.

 

“We have 25 acres and we’re literally two miles from the mall. The kids are in the Bridgeport school district,” Hughes said. “It couldn’t have been more perfect for us.”