Margali's Griffin Wood Ranch

[farmerjan]

You don't have to look... just feel. There is a set or there isn't. Really, feeling is the safest way to tell.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

If you can catch "it" peeing you can tell. Boys pee from the belly - girls pee from the back end.

 

[Baymule]

I bet he would fetch a good price at auction!

 

[Ridgetop]

Winter rye probably won’t do much growing until early spring. Bare spots are not surprising this time of year. The soil may be not so great there too. Putting the hay on it would increase humus and help the soil. Good idea.

But most hay has grass seed in it. So that is a good gift! Check it. You could even throw seed down and cover with hay.

Took the suggestion right off my keyboard!
In heavy snow areas I read that you want to sow pasture seed before the first snowfall so the seed sits until snowmelt. Then it sprouts. I would definitely sow now and cover with the sheep bedding or hay. If you don't get any snow this year, then the hay/bedding will protect it from birds, sheep and ground creatures.

 

[Ridgetop]

Congratulations! Pretty lamb!

Just turn him upside down and check. Tiny fuzzy sac - boy, no penis and sac - girl. I turn ours over to check when I put iodine on the cord.

No worries on pasterns. Pasterns are sometimes turned under if baby/babies are squashed in minimal space. Since this was a large lamb in a first timer, probably caused by the position of the fetus inside. Had quite a few with goats (Nubians often kidded 4) and a couple with lambs. Will either straighten if turned under, or will strengthen and straighten in a week or so.

You won't be able to keep those kids out of the lamb pen now! Good time to teach them how to rake and shovel poop. That stuff is good for garden soil too. Just empty the wheelbarrow in rows where you plan to lant your garden. Come spring you can till it in. You will get tons of worms with that good sheep manure and hay leavings.

 

[Mini Horses]

Lift tail...one hole or two???? Suspense is killing us!!!

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

Lift tail...one hole or two???? Suspense is killing us!!!

Seriously! We wanna know!!

 

[Ridgetop]

Nice large lamb - gorgeous coloring - gotta be a ram. The prettiest ones always are. Mama is a nice easy lamber and good mama though so that makes it so much easier when she lambs again.

And like Bay says - good price at the auction! (As long as you don't succumb to temptation and keep him.) It helps to visualize your lambs like this:

RAMS $$$$ EWES

 

[Mini Horses]

RAMS $$$$ EWES

Which is why I could unload some does! Too much love. The $$ ones are
gone!!!

So true about visual analysis...it's a boy!

 

[Margali]

He's a big boy, 11.35lbs at 24hrs. I iodined the cord but I was in a bit of a rush. This evening confirmed he is a boy and my scale was reading kgs in the morning.