Mini Horses
Herd Master
I have no "wool factories" but admire what you do with yours! Is that yarn ready to use now? Pretty just to look at 
I do have colored eggs though...love colors.
I do have colored eggs though...love colors.
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Baymule
Herd Master
900 yards! Wow! That is some gorgeous yarn!
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SA Farm
Herd Master
Yep, ready to use now. I washed it as I went, so only had the last two skeins to wash and hang to dry over the weekend. Itās all done and ready to sit in a bin until I figure out what I want to make with it, sell it, or give it away lolI have no "wool factories" but admire what you do with yours! Is that yarn ready to use now? Pretty just to look at
I do have colored eggs though...love colors.
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SA Farm
Herd Master
Got a good start on Dingo today. Iāll try to get him the rest of the way done either tomorrow or Thursday (supposed to rain on Wednesday).
I had to get DH to come out and help me get him on the stand. Donāt know how I managed to do it last year! Heās huge! Way too heavy for me to lift at this point. Need to find a new way to work on him as his size also makes it a challenge to get him sheared in one sitting.
I may try flipping him onto his butt to trim his hooves as well, since that wasnāt going to happen either.
I have some mulling over to do so I can have a better set-up or plan for next time.
Of course, if DH would hold him and scratch his chest, heād just stand there for days, but DH has better things to do while Iām doing farm stuff. Or so he says
Wool for days!
Meanwhile, this big brute is chewing his cud while Iām shearing him lol
Thank goodness heās good tempered because he makes me feel small in comparison and Iām not exactly little or dainty!
I do think I want something a bit smaller-sized when Iām ready for a replacement ram. I was thinking Finn, but havenāt fully committed to any particular breed yet since Iām not planning to get one until next year. Dingoās only 4, but I want some wiggle room in case I need more time to find the right fit/temperament.
Less than a week to lambing
I had to get DH to come out and help me get him on the stand. Donāt know how I managed to do it last year! Heās huge! Way too heavy for me to lift at this point. Need to find a new way to work on him as his size also makes it a challenge to get him sheared in one sitting.
I may try flipping him onto his butt to trim his hooves as well, since that wasnāt going to happen either.
I have some mulling over to do so I can have a better set-up or plan for next time.
Of course, if DH would hold him and scratch his chest, heād just stand there for days, but DH has better things to do while Iām doing farm stuff. Or so he says
Wool for days!
Meanwhile, this big brute is chewing his cud while Iām shearing him lol
Thank goodness heās good tempered because he makes me feel small in comparison and Iām not exactly little or dainty!
I do think I want something a bit smaller-sized when Iām ready for a replacement ram. I was thinking Finn, but havenāt fully committed to any particular breed yet since Iām not planning to get one until next year. Dingoās only 4, but I want some wiggle room in case I need more time to find the right fit/temperament.
Less than a week to lambing
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Try getting some fish cleaning gloves - they have metal woven to the palms for safety. My son gave me a pair one year. They are flexible but the woven metal in supposed to keep you from slicing your hand when cleaning fish. Probably find some on line.
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SA Farm
Herd Master
I like that idea, thanks!
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SA Farm
Herd Master
Rained a bit yesterday and today, so Iāll have to tackle Dingo tomorrow. He was inside, so should be dry enough.
Got the brooder shed cleaned up today. One more thing off the list of stuff to ideally be done before lambing!
Before:
After:
Foxy is looking scary huge. Any thoughts on how low sheās carrying? Should I be concerned about ligaments giving out in the future?
She looks hollowed out, but isnāt quite there yet. Iām fairly certain thatās just the weight of lambs pulling her downā¦![:\](/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/side.png "side :\")
Sheās also doing that thing where sheās barely touching her hay, so sheās getting multiple small feedings of grain and alfalfa pellets throughout the day.
4 days until sheās due. I really hope I donāt need to pull lambs or get the vet out for her again this year.
Iām just looking for some input since Iām seriously considering retiring her to full pet status this year if yāall think thereās getting to be too much risk to her health to lamb her again next year.
Sheās 5 this year.
Got the brooder shed cleaned up today. One more thing off the list of stuff to ideally be done before lambing!
Before:
After:
Foxy is looking scary huge. Any thoughts on how low sheās carrying? Should I be concerned about ligaments giving out in the future?
She looks hollowed out, but isnāt quite there yet. Iām fairly certain thatās just the weight of lambs pulling her downā¦
Sheās also doing that thing where sheās barely touching her hay, so sheās getting multiple small feedings of grain and alfalfa pellets throughout the day.
4 days until sheās due. I really hope I donāt need to pull lambs or get the vet out for her again this year.
Iām just looking for some input since Iām seriously considering retiring her to full pet status this year if yāall think thereās getting to be too much risk to her health to lamb her again next year.
Sheās 5 this year.
Baymule
Herd Master
My 10 year old ewe Ewenique, just had twins ewes. She was hanging low and I worried about a ruptured pre-pubic tendon. It didnāt help my feelings that she went 3 weeks past her recorded due date, which meant she didnāt take on her first rendezvous. I wondered if Iād have to help her, watched her closely, but she did just fine all on her own, as usual. Iām pleased with her productive longevity and have daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters and one great great granddaughter from her.
Foxy is only 5, she is in her prime of life and should be ok. Life expectancy is 10-12 years for sheep. She is nowhere near retirement age unless there is a problem and you think she canāt handle another pregnancy. I understand your concern, watch her closely, but age wise, she should be ok.
Foxy is only 5, she is in her prime of life and should be ok. Life expectancy is 10-12 years for sheep. She is nowhere near retirement age unless there is a problem and you think she canāt handle another pregnancy. I understand your concern, watch her closely, but age wise, she should be ok.
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SA Farm
Herd Master
Thanks, Bay. I have a lot to mull over regarding her situation and longevity. Definitely will be keeping a close watch on her, see how she lambs out and go from there.
Dingo is done as of this afternoon and Iām still exhausted! It was his first time being tied while sheared and to say he wasnāt all that cooperative is an understatement. Definitely didnāt do a pretty job, but managed to finish him up and trim his hooves while I was at it.
Heās equally as unimpressed with me as I am with him at the moment lol
But heās finished until next year. Well, Iāll probably do his feet again in the fall before breeding, but thatās a problem for future me
My last real job to do before lambing is set up my lockdown incubator. I use 2 - a forced air hovabator with an automatic turner to incubate and a still air farm innovator for hatching.
Coy is due on Saturday - same day as lockdown. Last year she lambed the day after her due date
Dingo is done as of this afternoon and Iām still exhausted! It was his first time being tied while sheared and to say he wasnāt all that cooperative is an understatement. Definitely didnāt do a pretty job, but managed to finish him up and trim his hooves while I was at it.
Heās equally as unimpressed with me as I am with him at the moment lol
But heās finished until next year. Well, Iāll probably do his feet again in the fall before breeding, but thatās a problem for future me
My last real job to do before lambing is set up my lockdown incubator. I use 2 - a forced air hovabator with an automatic turner to incubate and a still air farm innovator for hatching.
Coy is due on Saturday - same day as lockdown. Last year she lambed the day after her due date
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SA Farm
Herd Master
Itās been a long day and itās not even 10 oāclock in the morning!
So. First, all 14 out of 14 chicks have hatched. Theyāre drying out a bit more before moving to the brooder shed this afternoon. Another 16 have been set.
Dobby lambed a beautiful single ewe lamb.
And had it all fed and dried off - not a single bit of fluid leftover by the time Foxy had triplets
Also all ewe lambs! I did have to help her with the last one as it was breach - coming out tail first.
For those that want to see what that looks like:
I went in, managed to push it back inside, found the legs and got them out one at a time. As soon as she contracted again, I pulled and baby was out! First time doing that, so that was actually kind of cool.
Thank God I was there in time and watch plenty of lambing videos! As it was the lamb scared me that she wasnāt going to get going since she really struggled with taking those first few breaths.
But sheās up and nursing and all is well - and with a beautiful sunrise to boot
Coy still hasnāt lambed. Iām wondering if Dingo caught her at the end of her cycle and it was just that tiny bit too late? Sheās fat and sassy, has a bag, but itās not as filled out as it should be if she was imminent
Might be another week to two weeks for her, in that case. Not a problem since sheād actually be lambing closer to when Doll is due.
As always, Iāll keep an eye on her. Iām going to be out there checking on Foxyās triplets all the time anyway
So. First, all 14 out of 14 chicks have hatched. Theyāre drying out a bit more before moving to the brooder shed this afternoon. Another 16 have been set.
Dobby lambed a beautiful single ewe lamb.
And had it all fed and dried off - not a single bit of fluid leftover by the time Foxy had triplets
Also all ewe lambs! I did have to help her with the last one as it was breach - coming out tail first.
For those that want to see what that looks like:
I went in, managed to push it back inside, found the legs and got them out one at a time. As soon as she contracted again, I pulled and baby was out! First time doing that, so that was actually kind of cool.
Thank God I was there in time and watch plenty of lambing videos! As it was the lamb scared me that she wasnāt going to get going since she really struggled with taking those first few breaths.
But sheās up and nursing and all is well - and with a beautiful sunrise to boot
Coy still hasnāt lambed. Iām wondering if Dingo caught her at the end of her cycle and it was just that tiny bit too late? Sheās fat and sassy, has a bag, but itās not as filled out as it should be if she was imminent
Might be another week to two weeks for her, in that case. Not a problem since sheād actually be lambing closer to when Doll is due.
As always, Iāll keep an eye on her. Iām going to be out there checking on Foxyās triplets all the time anyway
