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Human nature is to value that which we paid more for. In other words, when we have to work hard to acquire something, we value it more than if it were just handed to us with no effort on our part required. Adoption fees are one way of trying to ensure that the animal will be well taken care of...

Definitely not! If they do not have the resources to care for a horse, they have no business taking it in. Most rescues are non-profit - their only income is from fundraisers and adoption fees. Even if a horse is "given" to them, by the time it is adopted the rescue almost always has some...

You've been given good advice so far. Keep in mind that buying/selling real estate is EXPENSIVE. By the time you pay the realty fees as a seller, plus all the other expenses that are included in closing PLUS pay the expenses as a buyer - home inspections, well water inspections, termite (if...

Congrats on the new lambs! I don't have a jug but I did cordon off an area - about 16x8' - and the new ewe and her lamb stayed there for the first 3-4 days and then I let them out to rejoin the flock. That worked for me. I did try after 2 days to let her out but the ram was way too interested...

Yeah, I am thinking maybe twins too :) I just use "All Stock" for the sheep and goats together, since I run them together. I do also have a bag of Noble Goat but since I don't want the sheep to have that, I only give it to my goats when I can get them separated from the sheep which doesn't...

Speaking from very little experience here (as the disclaimer), I was in the same situation with ewes who are not that handleable. I found that while they were eating grain I was able to lift their tails to check their vulva but that was the best I could do. My ewes bags looked about like your...

Glad to hear all went well. I think go ahead and post - this is, after all, a place to learn. If you post a disclaimer that they are graphic in the subject line and again in the post before posting the pics, people who don't want to see them don't need to open the thread.

My ram has never shown the slightest hint of aggression and I am in with him all the time. Sometimes he looks at me with his big, kind eyes and it seems like he's trying to figure something out. Other times he'll come up and sniff whatever I am holding. He's not handleable so if I were to...

Oh wow. My first lamb is already 3 ½ weeks old!

Alsea that brings up a question, or maybe Parsnip already knows the answer…..how long after giving birth is a ewe able to get pregnant again. Or does it have to do with how long they are nursing?

I think you said today is the day….hope it all goes well - update us when you get a chance.

Well, I would call it beginner's luck LOL. I looked at the udder and vulva on one ewe one morning two weeks ago and her udder looked huge and her vulva swollen, so I came in and texted DH that we "might have a lamb soon". That was around 9am and when I did evening chores at 4:30pm, the ewe...

I keep my ram in with the flock all the time. It makes it guesswork as to when lambs will arrive but so far that's the only downside I've found. And by keeping an eye on the ewes (vulva, udder etc) I've so far guessed it to within 12 hours of delivery so that's not too bad. :)

How fun! So what are your plans for him? Use him as a breeder this year and then butcher by the sound of it? Is that more cost effective for you than using him as a breeder and then selling when you don't need him any more? It sounds like there are plenty of potential buyers….

Thank you for sharing. I'm where you were last year - I have 3 ewes and so far 2 have lambed singles with no fuss. The third is larger than the first two ever were and isn't even showing any signs she is close so I'm worried she will be the exception and that she'll wait until we're out of...

Yay - look forward to hearing about the visit!

Oh, I just had a thought. You could look into a Burdizzo instead. It doesn't appeal to me after researching several methods of castration but I think it would still be an option at this age.

I just checked my bander that I also got from TSC so it is probably similar, and it says calves should be done between 2 days and 6 weeks of age so I'm not surprised it won't fit at 5 months. A friend of mine tried to do a 5-month lamb last year and he was already way too big.

I feel pretty confident in using the bander (practiced quite a bit before attempting the first castration), and the actual process of banding went smoothly until I realized the testicles aren't descended. I think it will be fine once they are - the disappointment in the subject line is only...

I checked again this morning. This time I left him standing and felt for them. I can "just" feel them up against the abdomen but was not able to pull them down into the sack at all - and I tried. I can even get my fingers up around one but when I gently tug on it to try to encourage it to...