BAYMULE FINALLY HAS SHEEP!! BABIES!

[norseofcourse]

thanks @norseofcourse for the information. I appreciate it so much. Do you leave the wool on the skins, i would suppose that you do for a luxurious pelt. With the hair sheep, I guess I would just have the leather.

Yes, I leave the wool on. You may still be able to process it with the wool/hair on - from what I've read, Dorpers shed their wool in warm weather, so if you process when it's colder out, you may get a nice pelt. According to Wikipedia, "The Dorper skin is the most sought-after sheepskin in the world[citation needed]" - (it's not quite clear whether that's with the wool on or off) and of course everything on the internet is true!

 

[Roving Jacobs]

Congrats on the new sheep!

Processing hides isn't too hard. I flesh mine with a power washer if needed before salting them stretched out on plywood. Like norseofcourse I had trouble with pooling fluids using pallets with slats. The pelts I get from the processor are already salted and ready to ship out, it's just hides I get back from private buyers that need prep work. I love the hair on look, even from non-wool breeds or goats, and it's definitely worth the effort to have hides done.

 

[Baymule]

Congrats on the new sheep!

Processing hides isn't too hard. I flesh mine with a power washer if needed before salting them stretched out on plywood. Like norseofcourse I had trouble with pooling fluids using pallets with slats. The pelts I get from the processor are already salted and ready to ship out, it's just hides I get back from private buyers that need prep work. I love the hair on look, even from non-wool breeds or goats, and it's definitely worth the effort to have hides done.

Where do you send your hides to be tanned?

 

[Southern by choice]

So how did Paris do?

 

[bonbean01]

Baymule, the biggest part of owning sheep is to enjoy their sweet personalities! Our first came from a large farm like yours did and were a bit wild. Put them in the paddock...sat out there with them, talking to them and crunching on carrots loudly, crackers...and they are curious little critters...eventually one came to check it out and decided it was tasty, then the other did too (we started with only 2). Then we changed it that to get the treat, they were pet first...then the treat. So totally worth it!!! Love and enjoy our babies!!!!

As for pelts...no advice here...when wether freezer lambs go to the processor, I am already crying (yes, I'm a wimp...the downside of taming your sheep) and have given him "the look" and now I am no longer asked. You are a stronger person than I am!

Good luck with your sheep...they are wonderful animals!!!!

 

[Baymule]

It rained almost all day, finally cleared out late, right before dark. I walked Paris around in sheep pasture. The sheep were comfortable with her, I thought she was comfortable with them. WRONG! I took the lash off, Paris went to the sheep, everything looked ok, then the sheep trotted off. Paris chased them. They ran. Paris ran. I ran. Paris bulldozed them. She rolled a sheep. I bulldozed Paris. I rolled Paris.

I let Paris know that I was unhappy with her. She really doesn't know what she is supposed to do, this is going to take some work. But I've done this with her before and I'll do it again. I am concerned with the coyotes, I sure don't want them to get my sheep! So.....do I let the coyotes get the sheep or do I let Paris get the sheep?

Since it was almost dark, we moved her doghouse in the sheep pasture and chained her to a post. I hate to chain her, but at least she can bark her warning if the coyotes get too near. A little protection is better than none at all. I have been out to check on her and I'll go out again before we go to sleep. She was in her doghouse, warm and snug.

Tomorrow we will build an enclosure with cow panels and put Paris in it. In the evenings, we will take Paris out and put her in another pen. We will feed the sheep in the enclosure and close them up for the night and let Paris back in the pasture. They will be safe and Paris can protect "her" pasture. In time, she will come to claim the sheep as "hers" too. I just hope it doesn't take 2 years like it did with the chickens!!

Security comes first, shelter will come next. Ya'll cross your fingers!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Dang it! I'm betting she will come around!

 

[goatgurl]

paris isn't sure that its ok for a sheep to be in her pasture. keep working with her, pretty soon she will accept them as hers.
i was thinking about your post about maybe not able to use the hair sheep/wool/hair and that made me go out and look at mine. they all look different but also all look warm and snuggly. 1st is lama who has medium hair with a undercoat. 2nd is cookie who has a fuzzy short nap and 3rd is Raymond who has thick luxurious hair. i think i could bury my toes in any of them. just thinkin'

 

[Baymule]

Today I got a small enclosure made for the sheep. I was worried about them at night, they stayed up close to the road. There is a ranch across the road from us with cattle and we can hear the coyotes howling at night. So tonight they are closed up, closer to the house and not on an outside fence. Paris is still on a chain, on the outside of the small enclosure, but still in the pasture. I thought I would turn her loose in the pasture, but on my 10:30 check last night, (in the dark, I didn't take a flashlight) when i got to the gate, I stepped off in a hole that was knee deep to me. Paris had tried to dig out, but the chain kept her from escaping. She really does not like change, and this is a big change. Did I mention that she is a bit physco?

This morning, i had to fill the hole, ever notice that you NEVER find all that dirt? Does it vaporize? Do Aliens suck it up into the stratosphere? I laid a sheet of plywood under the gate and half of another sheet, it's a 12' gate. I put her in the old chicken coop while i worked on the enclosure and put her back in the pasture after I fed the sheep and closed them up for the night. I'll go check on her later tonight. She is chained to a post that is part of the enclosure fence, so she is right up against the sheep. I have petted her and told her the sheep are hers to take care of, all day. We walked around the pasture again, she peed and marked it as her territory several times. Maybe she'll be nice and share it with the sheep.

Wow @goatgurl, those are some deep looking "hair" wooly sheep! Have you ever saved any of their pelts?

 

[Southern by choice]

ever notice that you NEVER find all that dirt? Does it vaporize? Do Aliens suck it up into the stratosphere?

Maybe it is the Aliens... hadn't thought of that. We are always rather perplexed by this phenomenon too!

We had to bury a chicken (um yes children make you do that )
Dig a hole realllll deep... chicken goes in.... dirt goes in.... only fills the hole halfway.
What the heck?

Getting Paris to be right up by the sheep with fencing between is a great way for them to acclimate to each other. She may try to control or micromanage but I bet she comes around. The wonderful thing is you will work with her... you know how it is Bay- so many people are just flat out lazy.

I love Paris!

How is Trip doing with the sheep?