mysunwolf - four acres and some sheep

[mysunwolf]

...and the sheep have sold They went to people who are new at sheep who really wanted some dairy sheep, so I flooded them with info (oops) and told them to please call me or their knowledgeable neighbors for help if needed! I had to hire help this winter, but I had finally gotten the hoof problems eradicated, everyone doing good on famacha, and all the ewes nice and conditioned but not TOO conditioned, so hopefully this group will do very well for their new farmers.

I now just have 5 ewes, 1 of which is destined for butcher soon. The other 4 will be here to stay and keep my LGD Puff company, since my sweet/wild guardian puppy Lilly has found a home guarding cattle and her new people.

Why is it that plans always go a completely different direction than planned? I am going to try and not purchase a single breeding animal in 2017--let's see if I can follow through with that plan. I think I need to review the meaning of "downsize" a few more times.

 

[animalmom]

Good luck with your plan and downsizing. I honestly wish you well with that, but you do realize you are surrounded by very capable, persistent enablers who are shameless. OK I am shameless most of the BYHers are nice. I mean, I mean just how much room can one more little itty bitty lamb take up and if you get her mom at the same time you won't have to feed the lamb and if you get a handsome ram at the same time you will always have nice little itty bitty lambs that you don't have to feed because you have the mom..... See, shameless!

 

[mysunwolf]

Too true, all the BYHers are the worst influences!

 

[Latestarter]

Glad you were successful in finding a buyer. I'm sure you are feeling relieved at present. The remorse will strike later when you look out at the mostly empty pasture and wonder why it looks that way. Then will come the urges to fill it back up. Hope you're feeling better.

 

[Kaye]

You know, when the ones you still have start to need new friends. Or maybe a nice little goat would look good on pasture. Ohhhhh, and when you decide to go with a totally new animal!!
Oh, good luck with the downsizing!! lol

 

[Bruce]

Good luck with your plan and downsizing. I honestly wish you well with that, but you do realize you are surrounded by very capable, persistent enablers who are shameless. OK I am shameless most of the BYHers are nice. I mean, I mean just how much room can one more little itty bitty lamb take up and if you get her mom at the same time you won't have to feed the lamb and if you get a handsome ram at the same time you will always have nice little itty bitty lambs that you don't have to feed because you have the mom..... See, shameless!

Especially you and @Baymule

 

[Baymule]

Nothing cuter than baby lambs....... except maybe MORE of them! LOL

 

[mysunwolf]

Sorry for the poor quality photos, I have been using the camera on my phone and it's terrible! But it gets the job done.

WARNING, this photo is creepy and kinda graphic.

We butchered a whole bunch of pigs last fall at home and at our friend's place. Since we were so worn out, we only salvaged one head and the rest went to the dogs. I picked the skulls out of the field this spring and started them soaking to rot off any excess flesh. When I filled the buckets with water, bubbles started to come up from the bullet holes! Could not resist getting a photo.

As far as my pregnant sheep, there are still no lambs!! I was contacted by the people we sold the sheep to and they informed me that one of the ewes had given birth. This was the ewe that was supposed to be my first sheep to lamb, and she was due February 4th. She lambed on February 20th, so I'm assuming the calculations are at least one heat cycle off (I lost my mind last summer and went overboard with the Valbazen at the wrong time).

Anyhow, they are just hanging around the drylot area (a little muddy today, we had a lot of rain recently) waiting to drop lambs.

Ginger is HUGE again this year, we are hoping for another round of triplets.

And then this happened

As soon as we get any actual developments with udders or lambs I will be sure to post photos.

 

[Bruce]

View looks good from up there!

 

[mysunwolf]

View looks good from up there!

We decided he needed a woolen perch, nothing else would do

By the way... we have the first lamb!!!

Charcoal decided to just have one gorgeous ewe lamb, so she is already producing way too much milk. Which makes her udder tight and uncomfortable and for some reason she only wants the baby to nurse from one side! We are watching her for mastitis but so far she looks to be doing okay. I milked out some colostrum and it was THICK and yellow, I will milk out some more today. She is also not doing a good job cleaning the baby, so we are cleaning the baby for her. A little confused and seems to still be in pain from the birth, so she will be in her own private barn for a few days.