Baymule
Herd Master
I love Obi!
SageHill Ranch Journal
- Thread starter SageHill
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #112
SageHill
Herd Master
Lambsitter ??
Missed posting yesterday - but yesterday was well, yesterday
It was cool enough to give herding lessons in the morning. I got all but mama sheep and the lambs out. One the way to one of the arenas I realize I had The Littles with. It was all muscle memory getting the sheep out and going. Once I realized I had all of them I figured I'd just sort out The Littles. HA 
they had other plans. Or rather they thought it best to be surrounded be the Bigs. Almost had them sorted out a few times and one would squirt passed. 
Switch to plan B. Sorted some Bigs into the big arena, took the now slightly reduced flock to the small arena. Once again ~almost got the sort I wanted a couple of times but gave up and said "The heck with it - you want to work - so be it" as my first student drove up.It was the first time The Littles were worked by a dog other than any of mine. The best thing - they worked wonderfully. 
. Phew!! Perhaps the work with Obi, Ree and the pups has gotten them to a semi-dog broke status.
I'm sure that taking them out to graze has helped A LOT in that regard.
I'm letting all of them out together in the field / pasture for the day and sorting mama sheep and the twins into their own stall for the nights. It's been working out great.
I've noticed the last few days when they are out in the pasture that the barbados ewe has been hanging around the twins - all good and sweet. a nuzzle here a nuzzle there. I don't have a history on the barb - but I'm guessing somewhere along the line she probably had her own lambs many years ago. The sort last night was not as easy (disclaimer I was also on the phone should've just hung up and called back) - the outlier -- the barb wanted to stay with mama and twins. Mama sheep doesn't seem to care if the barb is there or not. She definitely watches out for her lambs. I did get the barb sorted into the Big's stall and Mama sheep and twins into theirs. I guess I have to name the barb Auntie Barb.
.
We had a fog bank roll in this morning - love watching it. Sheep got out a little later than normal. All is well.
Auntie Barb
Fog Bank
Missed posting yesterday - but yesterday was well, yesterday
It was cool enough to give herding lessons in the morning. I got all but mama sheep and the lambs out. One the way to one of the arenas I realize I had The Littles with. It was all muscle memory getting the sheep out and going. Once I realized I had all of them I figured I'd just sort out The Littles. HA they had other plans. Or rather they thought it best to be surrounded be the Bigs. Almost had them sorted out a few times and one would squirt passed. Switch to plan B. Sorted some Bigs into the big arena, took the now slightly reduced flock to the small arena. Once again ~almost got the sort I wanted a couple of times but gave up and said "The heck with it - you want to work - so be it" as my first student drove up.It was the first time The Littles were worked by a dog other than any of mine. The best thing - they worked wonderfully. . Phew!! Perhaps the work with Obi, Ree and the pups has gotten them to a semi-dog broke status. I'm sure that taking them out to graze has helped A LOT in that regard.
I'm letting all of them out together in the field / pasture for the day and sorting mama sheep and the twins into their own stall for the nights. It's been working out great.
I've noticed the last few days when they are out in the pasture that the barbados ewe has been hanging around the twins - all good and sweet. a nuzzle here a nuzzle there. I don't have a history on the barb - but I'm guessing somewhere along the line she probably had her own lambs many years ago. The sort last night was not as easy (disclaimer I was also on the phone should've just hung up and called back) - the outlier -- the barb wanted to stay with mama and twins. Mama sheep doesn't seem to care if the barb is there or not. She definitely watches out for her lambs. I did get the barb sorted into the Big's stall and Mama sheep and twins into theirs. I guess I have to name the barb Auntie Barb.
.We had a fog bank roll in this morning - love watching it. Sheep got out a little later than normal. All is well.
Auntie Barb
Fog Bank
Baymule
Herd Master
Auntie Barb..... I love it!
- Thread starter
- #114
SageHill
Herd Master
Just put the sheep away. Last night I attributed the difficulty in sorting to being on the phone at the same time. WELLLLL - I was wrong. 
I wish I wasn't wrong. Auntie Barb is taking her self appointed job seriously. No way was she going to separated from the family trio if she had anything to do with it. All the sheep went into the big stall. argh, so much for easy. Took them out got the lambs put the lambs in their night stall. Got all but Mama Sheep and Auntie Barb in the big stall. Trying to sort Mama into the lamb stall Auntie Barb slipped in. Oh for love of Goodness. I closed both aisle way doors, got her into the aisle and shut the door. AH HA! Brain power. Got Mama in with the babies - yay - and then let you know who into the big stall via the aisle door. DONE 
. I better come up with a few more Plan B's for evening sorting. Obi helped as best he could never putting a foot wrong, There's only so much the boy can do!
Hmmmm maybe I should get a lasso.
I wish I wasn't wrong. Auntie Barb is taking her self appointed job seriously. No way was she going to separated from the family trio if she had anything to do with it. All the sheep went into the big stall. argh, so much for easy. Took them out got the lambs put the lambs in their night stall. Got all but Mama Sheep and Auntie Barb in the big stall. Trying to sort Mama into the lamb stall Auntie Barb slipped in. Oh for love of Goodness. I closed both aisle way doors, got her into the aisle and shut the door. AH HA! Brain power. Got Mama in with the babies - yay - and then let you know who into the big stall via the aisle door. DONE . I better come up with a few more Plan B's for evening sorting. Obi helped as best he could never putting a foot wrong, There's only so much the boy can do! Hmmmm maybe I should get a lasso.
Baymule
Herd Master
Yeah, lasso Aunti Barb for a wild ride!
- Thread starter
- #116
SageHill
Herd Master
It looks like ~perhaps fall weather is here. Cool breezes, clods, and OMG some wet stuff from the sky.
One of those 'going to do it projects' can now be checked off the list. Cleaning and reorganized the tack room. It wasn't bad, though there were some VERY DUSTY things, spiders and a mouse that needed to be ousted. And and old photoshoot prop (a HUGE square box - that ALL the dogs [4 at once] fit in. Ditched the box as well. Hosed off shelves, dusted off trunks, swept and blew the room out. It's SO much better now. I got plastic containers about the size of shoeboxes to organize the loose stuff and keep it dust free. The meds and the first aid kit and such are all in boxes like that now. When and if needed things will not carry a level of dust and dirt similar to an archeological dig!
The sheep are all doing well. The lambs are growing fast. Still super cute of course. I did get the sheep panels yesterday and have set up a pen in the corral that I will be using for a creep feeder putting spacers in one corner just so the lambs can have their own "diner".
.
On to the continuing saga of Auntie Barb. After putting them all away last night in their respective stalls she carried on baaa baaa baa for the lambs. The lambs were with Mama sheep and were happily nursing, munching hay, etc. Auntie Barb finally settled down after awhile. So you all know that she is self appointed Auntie. NOW she wants to be a wet nurse.
. What the heck?!?!? She lets the lambs nurse. Seriously. Propeller tails and all. Especially the ram lamb. OR --- dramatic music playing in the background 
- is she setting herself up as ....
<cough> A "cougar" <cough cough - joking here> .
Have a great one everyone, I'm headed for another cup of coffee and going to reread my Storey book.
..........................................
_____________________________________
That's not Mama Sheep - that's Auntie Barb!
One of those 'going to do it projects' can now be checked off the list. Cleaning and reorganized the tack room. It wasn't bad, though there were some VERY DUSTY things, spiders and a mouse that needed to be ousted. And and old photoshoot prop (a HUGE square box - that ALL the dogs [4 at once] fit in. Ditched the box as well. Hosed off shelves, dusted off trunks, swept and blew the room out. It's SO much better now. I got plastic containers about the size of shoeboxes to organize the loose stuff and keep it dust free. The meds and the first aid kit and such are all in boxes like that now. When and if needed things will not carry a level of dust and dirt similar to an archeological dig!
The sheep are all doing well. The lambs are growing fast. Still super cute of course. I did get the sheep panels yesterday and have set up a pen in the corral that I will be using for a creep feeder putting spacers in one corner just so the lambs can have their own "diner"
..
On to the continuing saga of Auntie Barb. After putting them all away last night in their respective stalls she carried on baaa baaa baa for the lambs. The lambs were with Mama sheep and were happily nursing, munching hay, etc. Auntie Barb finally settled down after awhile. So you all know that she is self appointed Auntie. NOW she wants to be a wet nurse.
. What the heck?!?!? She lets the lambs nurse. Seriously. Propeller tails and all. Especially the ram lamb. OR --- dramatic music playing in the background - is she setting herself up as ....<cough> A "cougar" <cough cough - joking here> .
Have a great one everyone, I'm headed for another cup of coffee and going to reread my Storey book.
..........................................
_____________________________________
That's not Mama Sheep - that's Auntie Barb!
Baymule
Herd Master
She will let down milk for them. You’ll never get them weaned!
- Thread starter
- #118
SageHill
Herd Master
Oh gawd!!! Just my luck!
Should I separate Auntie Barb from them and keep her in the barn during the day? I was kind of thinking that this afternoon as I was doing barn chores.
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Is auntie bred??? She sure wants to be a mommy! Cute and sorrowfully sad at same time. 
Baymule
Herd Master
If you don’t care that she is going to be momma……. She will get attached to them and will be hard for her to give them up. Best to separate mom and lambs now. Just my 2 cents worth.
We found a tiny kitten in the woods one time. Maybe 3 weeks old. We had a female mini Weiner dog, one year old. She took the kitten, the kitten nursed on the dog, dog brought down milk. Finally the cat was bigger than the dog, so we “weaned” the cat.
We found a tiny kitten in the woods one time. Maybe 3 weeks old. We had a female mini Weiner dog, one year old. She took the kitten, the kitten nursed on the dog, dog brought down milk. Finally the cat was bigger than the dog, so we “weaned” the cat.
