Well pooh...

[RemudaOne]

Dropped off the one ewe lamb that I am keeping at my friends house today to wean her. I just went and spent about 15 minutes out there looking at what's left of my flock. I don't like it..... There's almost no one left! I know, I know, I started out with ten ewes and a ram..... That's what's out there right now. Once I get the ewe lamb back, it'll make eleven ewes and the ram. It's been since December 22nd that there were so few sheep here .

Well, I know how to fix that. Two good dorper shows/sales coming up pretty quick

 

[BrownSheep]

You are so well behaved. We have yet to get rid of a ewe lamb....we just keep on getting rams.. Last January I had five sheep. As of today I have 33. By the end of the summer Ill have 26...and that's only if I prevent myself from buying any!

 

[TexasShepherdess]

Like potato chips they are! LOL

 

[bonbean01]

Yes...they are addicting for sure. Getting that empty nest feeling Kristi?

Once lambing begins that will all change...we'll all be on here at all hours of the night...excited, happy, worried, broken hearted, sleep deprived :/

We are limited here by the small number of acres we have which is a good thing since we're not getting any younger and at hoof trimming time a large herd in this heat would about kill me...yet...when I see someone selling, get that twinge...LOLOL!

This year we have been really fortunate in that the neighbours across the road have our excess and I can still go see them. Have one wether destined for freezer camp and will be counting on you Kristi when I turn into a sobbing fool

 

[RemudaOne]

Brown, I don't know about well-behaved . I sell the babies and then buy more expensive sheep, LOL! My hubby is very good about all of this but I may not volunteer the price info on my next purchases (I'm looking to buy some super nice ewes)......But if he asks I'll tell the truth, haha!

Bon, we've had the "letting them go" conversation, huh? It's not easy but like we agreed before, if we can't let them go we can't have them at all. I take comfort in knowing that I provided them with a very, very good life while they were with me and if I sell them privately, I make sure they go to a good place. This may not be very ethical but I can tell you that I have backed out on a sale when a better home came along. In this case, I don't care what the original buyer thinks. What I care about is my animals . I'm not a sheep cuddler.... I will give them scratches and such because I enjoy that and just so they are a little easier to handle and not so freaky that they think I am going to try to kill them if I touch them. But keeping that bit of distance, helps me tremendously.

Already in the planning stages of a couple of sheep buying road trips, LOL!

 

[bonbean01]

Yup...we had the letting go talk last fall after we took two ram lambs to freezer camp. I totally agree with you on giving them the best life possible and also if we can't let go, we can't keep them at all.

Guess my problem is that I do cuddle my sheep...big time...LOLOL...every one of them we got as young lambs and then had to replace our ram to avoid inbreeding and now we are at our limit for the pastures we have for them...so, no going to sales for me. Since we started out with all young lambs, they were all babies and I call them with a "come babies" which they all respond to and come running...even the older ones...makes visitors give me a strange look to be calling them all babies.

The only one I do not cuddle is the ram...he is a sweet guy, but learned the hard way why not to do that with our first ram. We were behind the learning curve in the beginning and some lessons are learned the hard way...really hard...slammed up onto a tree and in total shock!

We have one ewe...my favourite of course that is 3 years old now and yet to have her first lamb. Gave her the shots for five days from the vet...had her alone with the ram for over two months, and now we wait...her first possible due date if she is pregnant would be July 21st...if no lamb, then another hard decision to be made here. She's always had a small little udder since she was a year old and I think I'm seeing maybe a little more roundness in it???? Wishful thinking or maybe she really is pregnant. I'm already giving hubby all the reasons we should keep her even if she is barren, but we'll see.

More photos from you please...don't let your new camera get rusty now

 

[TexasShepherdess]

Already in the planning stages of a couple of sheep buying road trips, LOL!

And a "backyard herds" Member meet too!!!! Whats cooler then sheep sales and meeting internet friends in person!!??

 

[RemudaOne]

"More photos from you please...don't let your new camera get rusty now"

Yes ma'am, Ms. Bonbean


"And a "backyard herds" Member meet too!!!! Whats cooler then sheep sales and meeting internet friends in person!!??"

You betcha