Feelin' a bit sheepish...

[Beekissed]

Am so pleased about how the young dogs are watching over the sheep, lying near by and up slope of them as they graze and lounge. I think they are going to make a good working pair of dogs.

I'm also pleased to see the tree/brush line along the current paddock has been trimmed so well that one can now see through there and into the paddock beyond. Everyone is doing their jobs well!

 

[thistlebloom]

Yay! Happy to hear you have a good pair of dogs working out.

 

[Beekissed]

Yay! Happy to hear you have a good pair of dogs working out.

Just heard Blue barking down there, so went to check it out....and it was deer. Usually he doesn't bark at deer, but I think he's feeling a little vulnerable down there in coyote territory tonight without Ben. What surprised me was Charlie, a little 3 mo. old pup, was doing exactly what she should have been...she was sitting back with the sheep, guarding them as they were bunched up at one end of the field, while Blue was out in front, barking at the perceived threat.

I don't know just HOW they instinctively know to do that, but I think it's amazing!

I went and reassured him, so now all is quiet. I'll be listening this night....I moved Ben back up by the coop, so we are spread a little thin right now on dog power. Blue is only 1 yr old and Charlie is 3 mo., so this is not a solid defense against the coyotes....and there's a single strand of wire between the flock and where we usually hear the coyotes the most.

 

[thistlebloom]

It really is amazing how they are hardwired to know their job. Sure sounds like they're on the right track. It would be ideal if they could get some more maturity and learn how to work together before there was a real threat.

 

[Beekissed]

Pics of the flock and dogs today...

This is a paddock they just left...if you'll note the tree line and how the brush has been trimmed all the way across at sheep height. And folks always tell people to get goats to clear brush!

In the pic below you can see in the right hand corner where the electric fence kept them from some of the brush at that wood line. It used to look just like that brush, all the way across that edge of the field. That brush consists of autumn olive, green briers, various tree sprouts and weeds.

First day on this new paddock...and the faithful guardians, having been up all night, are sleeping back by those hay bales.

Three lambs in the front will soon be 2 mo. old and the one on the far right is just over a week old. The two ram lambs directly behind the three ram lambs we produced are from another farm and are 4 mo. old.

Almost 4 mo. old ram lambs from another farm, wearing DIY ram aprons I made here from materials I had on hand.

 

[thistlebloom]

Your land is so pretty, especially with your flock on it. So happy to see it coming together for you Bee.

 

[Beekissed]

Your land is so pretty, especially with your flock on it. So happy to see it coming together for you Bee.

Did you see all those tree tops in the background?? Not as pretty as it used to be after all the logging, that's for sure! Can't WAIT to get those cleared up so we can grow pasture there, but also due to how ugly it all looks.

 

[thistlebloom]

Well, they're there, but I don't think they detract from the beauty. I'm sure they stand out to you because you are so used to how it used to look.

 

[Baymule]

What beautiful pasture and sheep. I am so happy for you Bee. This is what you have been wanting for a long time. On the coyote activity, can you put the Sheep in a night pen until the dogs get a little older?

 

[Beekissed]

What beautiful pasture and sheep. I am so happy for you Bee. This is what you have been wanting for a long time. On the coyote activity, can you put the Sheep in a night pen until the dogs get a little older?

Not with this kind of grazing system...they have to graze as a mob and move often. Unless I had herding dogs to bring them in and take them out to an ever moving paddock, we couldn't use this system.