MEET THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN
The farm
Welcome to the Xalet de Prades farm!
Here we are all friends and we love being together.
Our family is made up of different animals and very different personalities! This makes it a very special and fun place :)
Do you want to know us?
We introduce ourselves!
The Creole Ducks
We are a species of duck native to America. We were born and have always lived in Prades, but we have family living from Mexico to the central zone of Argentina and Uruguay.
We look very different from the most common ducks and that makes us very special. To begin with, the area around our eyes is covered by a reddish fleshy tissue that is free of feathers, very typical of our family. The redder and bulkier it is, the more handsome we look!
Our plumage is not common either, although it seems black and white, if you look closely, you will see that some feathers reflect bluish and greenish tones. This property is called iridescent plumage.
If you want to give us something to eat, the richest and healthiest for us is corn, oats, grape seeds and lettuce. But what we like the most is when we find some clueless earthworm….
We love them!
The cats
At first there were no cats and, suddenly, a kitten with long, tricolor fur arrived which we called Mimi. We didn't know where it came from, but it's here to stay. Since that day she has not separated from us at any time, and that was 15 years ago. We all love her very much!
It seems that Mimi spread the word that there was a cat paradise in Prades and, little by little, more and more cats began to arrive. These cats formed a large family and now they, along with their children and grandchildren, are the ones who play and run around the farm.
This family of cats is very extensive, a total of 14 members and, as in all families, there are personalities of all types.
There are some daring and curious, others playful, some fearful and others very affectionate.
They also have different customs and each one has their favorite place to take long naps. We challenge you to find them all!
But wait, to make it a little easier for you..., you have to know that most of them love the quality of the cuisine of the Restaurant del Xalet, so, if you go to the door of the restaurant, you will be able to see a few at 9:00 p.m. to see what is on the menu for that night!!
These cats have a somewhat delicate stomach so you better not feed them to prevent eating problems.
Do not worry, they always have feed available that guarantees the healthiest nutrition.
The rabbit
They call me Godfather, and I am 5 years old. As you can see, soy very very great. Also, rabbit breeds this big usually have floppy ears, but in my case I have them up so I look even bigger!
But don't be intimidated by my size, I'm very good-natured.
I'm also curious and I like people to cuddle me, although you'll have to do it delicately because I'm a bit skittish, I've only been here a short time and I'm not entirely used to it.
I used to live in a house, but I started to grow so much that the cage was too small for me. Luckily, they were able to welcome me at el Xalet de Prades and now I am very happy, I have much more space to run and, in addition, very nice neighbors.
My diet consists of plant-based foods: fodder, cereals, vegetables and fruits.
I always have a full plate of food, but if you bring me some fresh vegetables, I will be very grateful!
The hens
We are a very special group of chickens. In our chicken coop we are the brown hens, calmer and more curious with the guests who come to see us, and we are also the white ones, more moved and nervous.
We also live with a duck, which has become our friend because it did not get along with the other ducks. We have welcomed her and she is already part of the corral. Our day to day is great, in the morning the cleaning and catering service comes, so the chicken coop is always clean and with fresh food.
In the afternoon we usually have asnack extra food from the Restaurant. So we contribute to aeconomy circular to avoid food waste.
Now, the best part of the day comes when there are vivistas fromfamilies who come to meet us.
Also during the day we lay eggs that we give to the restaurant to cook since no chicks will come out of them because there are no roosters in our coop.
Our eggs are very varied since each one of us lays them of a different color and size.
yesyou opened tell us how you can tell which chicken each egg is from? We give you some clue...
The size of the egg is related to the age of the hen and the color will depend on a spot on our cheeks... Guess what!
The sheep
I'm Ruperta and I'm 3 years old, although they seem few, I'm already fully grown. I like to meet the visitors of the Xalet, although instinctively I am prepared to flee from predators, so I get scared very quickly by loud noises and sudden movements.
I like to go for a walk for a little while to graze through all the green areas of the complex. Then I go back to my stable and eat straw and think while I wait for the visitors.
Many times they bring me some food, and I like that they give it to me in very small pieces, since sheep have very small mouths with only one row of teeth at the bottom.
For dessert we really like thecarob beans because they are very sweet.
They are given to me by my caregivers, who are concerned with meeting the needs and cleaning the home of all themembers defarm.
They also take care of my wool in winter to keep me warm until summer comes, then they shear me to keep me cool and comfortable.
Sheep, like most of ruminant herbivores, we always see everything, so even if we have our backs turned, if you come from behind we will see you!
If you don't know what "ruminant"; means, come visit thefarm for us to explain it to you!
The ponies
We are the kings of the farm for most of the children because we always give them rides. Children really like to ride on our backs and so do we, because it helps us keep fit by exercising and thus being healthier.
We normally eat straw during the day and a little wheat at night. But, like our companions the sheep, we also like carob beans, and fruits and vegetables. These give us the necessary energy to be able to walk long ways and see the surroundings of Prades. In fact, if you can't find us at the farm, it's because we're out for a walk and some fresh air with our horse friends.
We also like to be brushed, combed and cut our bangs to have a nice mane. Even, from time to time, some children make us braids to be even more handsome.
Although we are both ponies, we are quite different. On one side is me, Daco, who, although it may not seem so because of my size, I am the oldest on the entire farm.
I am very calm and obedient and that is why they usually let me walk freely throughout the Xalet.
Then there is Flor, much more energetic and playful, as soon as we can we start playing with each other or with the children who come to see us.
Be careful because, if you get lost, he will bite you to play, his intention is not to hurt you, but he can scare you unintentionally!
The donkey
I am part of a very particular breed of donkey since, unfortunately, we are in danger of extinction... I am a Catalan donkey, "Ruc Català" in my language.
We are a robust and very resistant breed, and that is why before tractors existed, we were very important to humans since without our help they could not comfortably till the land.
When agricultural machinery began to be used, we were increasingly being forgotten, until we were only 500 members of our species.
Fortunately, in recent years we have become an emblem for Catalonia and a symbol of the importance of environmentalism.
Thanks to this, little by little we are recovering. Now humans have realized that although tractors can do the work we used to do, donkeys make excellent companion animals, very calm, obedient, faithful and noble!
When I'm happy or excited I make a very special sound that can be heard from far away! The sound is called a squeak and it sounds like this: i-haaaaaaa!, i-haaaaaaa!
Horses
We are Antares and Duquito and, despite our age difference, we both have very good characters, we are very calm and good.
In addition, we are an inseparable pack since we met. We really like grazing, that's why our keepers take us every day to the meadows around the Xalet.
We are big eaters and spend most of the day eating. We weigh more or less 400 kilos, and therefore we need a lot of food to stay strong.
We also love rolling in the mud on a daily basis, it's a natural way to protect ourselves from bugs and get rid of dead skin. In this way we get a perfect complexion and a coat free of insects!
A much debated topic for our care is whether we should wear horseshoes or not... Well, you'll see... there is no single clear answer.
What do you prefer, always go barefoot or always with shoes? It depends on the situation, right? Or would you go to sleep with your shoes on? Well, in our case it is something similar, when you come to the guided tour we will tell you .
Antares
I am the oldest, I am 24 years old and I am brown. They consider me very intelligent since I immediately understand everything the rider wants me to do with hardly any gesture.Almost as if he read her mind!
I got to Prades to retire in a quiet and cozy place. If you look closely, you will see that I have a little white beard due to my years. You will also see that my back is a little more arched than normal. It is not an injury or the fault of age, it is a small birth deformity in some horses.
But don't worry! It's no problem and no pain.
To take care of my health, I go out with my rider for a walk so I can exercise. In this way, my bones, muscles and joints stay healthy so that I can live many more years.
Duquito
I am the white horse, and I am only 7 years old. Although I am still young, I am considered very smart and with a great capacity for learning. I always have a lot of energy and I need to go out for a walk very often.
I am of Spanish Breed and that is why I am very resistant and fast. When I am mounted I am very happy and I love to gallop. I am very fast!
I came here because my former owners couldn't take care of me and at Xalet they could give me a good home. In my old house I couldn't go out of the stable very often and that caused me a lot of stress... Because of this, I developed a behavioral disorder and, like other horses, I got into the habit of biting wood to relax, but I he swallowed too much air. Because of this bad habit, my belly always feels full, but it's not from food, so I eat less than usual and that's why I'm a little thin. Although it is a difficult habit to break, little by little, thanks to the better quality of life and being able to go out to graze every day, I am improving and now I chew less wood.
My caregivers believe that in a few months I will be fully recovered.
The little goats
Goats have been one of the first animals to be domesticated by man, since 10,000 years ago!
Today you can find us all over the world.
Our sound is like that of sheep, but a little higher pitched. It's called bleating (beee).
We need a lot of space to be able to move freely and graze, so at Xalet we are doing very well.
They always tell us that we have a very curious character. We like to climb and climb high places like trees and rocks. We are very skilled at climbing! In addition to being curious, we are also intelligent and have an excellent memory (even long-term).
We are very sociable, which is why we get along so well with our companion, the sheep.
In general, we are large milk producers, we produce more than sheep or cows, but they don't milk us here since we haven't been mothers.
Are you coming to visit us?
Now you know us!
Check the visiting hours at reception to get to know us better.
You can participate in the visit to the farm,
go to the egg collection and ride a pony!
