Category: Sheep
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Lambing, Again
We finally have our first lambs of the second batch: a set of triplet ram lambs. We put them all in a wire panel jug for a few hours, just to be sure Mom could count to three. She did seem to lose track of one when we first moved her, but she seems to… Continue reading
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Surprise Lamb and Bull! Plus Woolly Lawnmowers
Today started out rather interesting. We’d planned to make a trip out to Grand Junction to do the in-between batches for lamb shopping, but we had to change our plans. First, we had a surprise late lamb. It was nine pounds, nine ounces, and is doing fine. Mom had him up, dry, and nursed when… Continue reading
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Lamb on a Rock
Here’s a photo of one of the new lambs resting on a rock in the pasture. Continue reading
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Winnie and the Lambs
Winnie has decided she’s the official lambing pasture guard dog, along with Kimball. She seems to take up a station near the youngest lambs, staying there until newer ones are born. She’s being very alert and watchful and doing a great job. Continue reading
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Mother’s Day Special!
The ewes are finally lambing! This Mother’s Day, we had three ewes lamb, resulting in five lambs. We got four ewe lambs and one ram lamb. All are doing well, although I had to assist two of the ewes. One had twins whose legs were back, and the other was a first-timer and didn’t dilate.… Continue reading
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One Less Coyote and Grazing Ewes
We were finally able to get a clear, safe shot on the coyote that’s been hanging around. We generally try to leave the coyotes alone. As long as they respect the fences and the dogs and don’t bother us or the sheep, we don’t bother them. The last time we had to kill one was… Continue reading
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Rebuilding the Sheep Sweep: Ewes on Pasture
We’ve had some problems with our sheep sweep over the years. The sheep have worn a path down the middle, and the panels have sunk into the ground. This year, we decided to put some gravel down over weed block, then use an old mine belt to make a more durable surface. We also finally… Continue reading
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Shearing Is Done!
Our shearing is finally done for 2011. We had lots of sticky fleeces and hard-shearing sheep. I’m not entirely sure of the issue yet. Some of it is probably the weather, since ours was not the only hard-shearing flock in our area this year. Some of it was also due to coats. I ran out… Continue reading
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Black Sheep Power and Light
Here’s one of our new solar arrays. It doesn’t just collect power – it also provides shade for the sheep. Continue reading
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March Wool Work
I needed some white wool for blending with our black for new rovings, so I went over to one of the big range flock operations during shearing to purchase some. The big flocks hire large crews to do the job. This crew had 13 shearing stations set up. The sheep go up the inside, get… Continue reading