2021, Waiting on lambs!

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So, we'll be getting haying equipment and post hole drill and fork lift n such.
Which means my plans for a lean-to on the short barn wall will happen. If that goes well, I'll continue to add one each on the long sides of the barn.

The alternative is to have metal carports installed and I slowly enclose them.

I need to figure out which I prefer!

I also need to level the gravel and order the metal hay building!

 

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Looks like it would be cheaper to go with the metal carports installed. Then I finish them off with time.

No lambs today.

Shrunk hay feeder again to get them to eat more of it before I put in the new bale.

I'm trying to think of how to build long, narrow hay feeders that have the "keyhole" type of design blocking the sheep from making a mess.
The hay baler will be a mini one, so it'll make 40-70# rounds, similar to small square bales, just round!
I want to continue feeding similarly to how I am now, but have the bales laying in the center of a long feeder all in a row. Sheep will line up on either side, stick heads n necks in and eat. All dropped hay will stay in the feeder, dry, clean, where they can still eat it. I'll start drawing up plans, going to see if anyone already makes a feeder I could adjust to fit my needs or if I'll have to build them myself.
I'll probably put wheels on one end, that way, I can cart them around as needed. No roof on them, as they'll be for shelter use.

 

[Kusanar]

Looks like it would be cheaper to go with the metal carports installed. Then I finish them off with time.

No lambs today.

Shrunk hay feeder again to get them to eat more of it before I put in the new bale.

I'm trying to think of how to build long, narrow hay feeders that have the "keyhole" type of design blocking the sheep from making a mess.
The hay baler will be a mini one, so it'll make 40-70# rounds, similar to small square bales, just round!
I want to continue feeding similarly to how I am now, but have the bales laying in the center of a long feeder all in a row. Sheep will line up on either side, stick heads n necks in and eat. All dropped hay will stay in the feeder, dry, clean, where they can still eat it. I'll start drawing up plans, going to see if anyone already makes a feeder I could adjust to fit my needs or if I'll have to build them myself.
I'll probably put wheels on one end, that way, I can cart them around as needed. No roof on them, as they'll be for shelter use.

An idea I don't know if you could use or not. Have you thought of using hay nets? You could make a trough out of hay net material and make it high enough on the sides that the sheep can't reach over (most of yours are short so shouldn't need to be TOO high) and the hay will gravity feed down to the bottom where they can get to it. Just toss more on top when it starts getting low.

 

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An idea I don't know if you could use or not. Have you thought of using hay nets? You could make a trough out of hay net material and make it high enough on the sides that the sheep can't reach over (most of yours are short so shouldn't need to be TOO high) and the hay will gravity feed down to the bottom where they can get to it. Just toss more on top when it starts getting low.

I've only once been able to find perfect enough hay to feed like that. There's always stems or worse in most hay, which will stop my sheep from eating out of any feeder until I come by to remove the offensive bits "blocking" the good hay behind...

A net hung in a feeder might work if I can ensure no yearlings could squeeze in and get a leg hung up.
Nets out in the open do not work for sheep. I've had one get tangled in a net when it was low on hay and sagged to the ground. I was sure it would loose its foot, but it got dang lucky.

I drew this really ugly picture of what I think would work-

Walls would need to be tall enough to keep sheep from jumping in(mostly the giant Corriedale & her daughter...), but low enough that I can drop in bales easily.

Thinking more about it, if these are in sheltered areas, I could use that inside, sloped area to feed hard feed as well!
It might help them eat the dropped hay, too!

 

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I don't think anyone will lamb this week. Based on udders felt and such.

They broke a feeder the other day...

So, I got some things to start fixing it and bracing them better. Then the drills battery died...

Decided to try feeding pellets again. But this time, I layered the big alfalfa pellets along the bottom and the smaller mix pellet on top.
I also tried to get them to come to the gate w/o getting them too excited. Then opened the gate to let one at a time through.
Seems to of helped, as no one choked today!

Charging the battery, will finish beefing up the feeders soon.

 

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Got them all braced with the little supports! Will add another long, wide board to the other side of the legs tomorrow.
My finger was a casualty, though...

 

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Ewenique- you going to refill these again or what??
Also, can see more of the bracing. Hopefully, they won't break them again...

6 of the lambing jug panels still needed a board on bottom to keep lambs in. So, that got done. And a couple needed fixing up, since the person I bought them from didn't predrill holes, lots of areas split and screws came out of the second board they were supposed to be attached to.
Been debating adding another board to the middle space...Some lambs get too excited and manage to get out.

Close-up of the little braces that were also added.
I had bought metal L plates, but they didn't line up well enough to use. Need to return them soon...

Also...
DO NOT buy these...
Three of these broke. Two in under 12 holes, the other on the 2nd hole!!
100% trash!

 

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No lambs yet.

 

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Took some time, but I got three cameras going!
They still cannot be used behind walls, silo, tree and other thick, signal blocking objects, but ah well. Hoping to get either an external wifi thingy or a booster to help with that.

 

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Day 6 of lambing season, no lambs yet.


Split a few sheep that I'd like to fatten up, but Periwinkle eats only how much she wants. Ugh. If she has triplets again, she needs to EAT!

Kibito, Clefairy & her mom Periwinkle, Apostle & Patchie