Lesley Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share Posted April 16, 2009 Yes Clare, we may make it..........or maybe not! After the sheep rodeo up and over the straw bale we spread all the straw out and moved what was spare to the big barn. This is what the set-up looks like....... We made two pens at the far end and have hurdles a third of the way in to make the front end a shelter for the others. The calves are growing..... Sorry about the size - Photobucket again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Lovely pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Aaahhh, now I understand what you've done Lovely photos of all the smallsters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 It all looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 The lambs are gorgeous! I live next to a farm that has sheep which are all lambing at the moment. The higest numbered lambs we have seen is 113 so there are definately over 200 lambs as there seem to be a lot of twins, not many triplets though. I love this time of year!! Emma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Lovely pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 The sun is shining so we've let the ewe and lambs out into the sectioned off paddock. Not a large area really as we want to keep all the pregnant ewes accessible - the lambs seemed confused and went to all the other ewes for milk - they were soon butted away That's a problem with ewes expecting at different times They are all happily enjoying the sunshine now. We've let the other ewe out as well - we were going by the first time she had a blue bottom but it looks like the ram didn't quite manage it then and so we'll go by the second time when the blue mark was more apparent - no doubt she will surprise us now by producing a lamb at bedtime tonight . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 That was brave Lesley; letting her out after all the trouble you had catching her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 That was brave Lesley; letting her out after all the trouble you had catching her. Jazz should be trained as a sheep dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Naaahhh, Lesley's got Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Naaahhh, Lesley's got Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 'tis true!! We play One Man and His Dog.........Carl is the dog - he operates to my hand signals as I can't run and have to be careful to look after my knee. Jazz would be hopeless - we used her a couple of times by tying her long lead to a fence and sitting her in a gap but she took to barking at the wrong moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Lovely pics Lesley Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 'tis true!! We play One Man and His Dog.........Carl is the dog - he operates to my hand signals as I can't run and have to be careful to look after my knee. Jazz would be hopeless - we used her a couple of times by tying her long lead to a fence and sitting her in a gap but she took to barking at the wrong moment Ruby would just chase them all over the place she has collie in her but not as you'd notice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 We have another lamb! - 4 days early.....I'm beginning to wonder if I can count The Kerry Hill was acting oddly this morning - but I had to go out. I left Carl keeping watch and just before I got home she produced one BIG lamb - we kept a watchful eye on her all afternoon but there hasn't been another, we were convinced that she was having twins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Congratulations Do you name the lambs? or should I say do the children name them? we kept a watchful eye on her all afternoon but there hasn't been another, we were convinced that she was having twins. You could always get Carl to venture in and see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 We've had a careful look and she's settled down with her lamb so we don't think there's another one to come. We named the original 6 Shetlands - but we haven't named the Kerry Hills or the Herdwick. We might name them all ...... Lauren and Jake wom't be here until Wednesday - I'll ask them about names.....but Jake did name one of the hens 'Ploppy' .....and I have a very good idea what he would name the calves.....they have a 'wind' problem each time they slurp their milk down in seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Now why did I know that Jake would give it a lavatorial name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 Lauren and Jake both! - they sit on the straw bales laughing their heads off about the poor calves windypops problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Gripe water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 ...by the gallon? I took this photo on Sunday to show the difference between the Shetlands and the Kerry Hills.... The Kerry Hill then had her lamb yesterday - just one large girl instead of the twins we thought she was carrying...... ....she is twice the size of the twins from the Herdwick and they are now a week old. The Herdwick is in between the size of the Kerry Hill and the Shetland. Shetlands are easier to handle - once you've caught them but when you turn them over and sit them on their bottoms to trim feet etc. most sheep are stuck and will stay - the Shetlands just walk away The Herdwick can jump sheep hurdles if cornered . The wilder type sheep like the Shetlands, Herdwicks and particularly the Soays don't have a herd instinct.....they scatter when cornered which is one of their survival tactics. Lowland type sheep are much easier to handle so we're hoping that the Suffolk in these may help - although, they are being taught by their mothers so it may take a few generations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Ooo, a spotty lamb. Baggsy cuddling that monster when I see them tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 We're keeping them in the sectioned off paddock at the moment so you will be able to cuddle them! - they are easy to catch as long as you don't cause all the mothers to stampede We've ringed the girl's tail and given all three their nice green earrings this morning! The boys were seen to last Thursday - they've stopped the John Wayne walk now though We were going to let them out into the paddock but Jazz was barking all night again and the whole place reeks of fox again As soon as the others have had their lambs we will let them out and the barn is the field shelter for that paddock - and hope that there is safety in numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 You are just so going to have to get a couple of alpacas! Love the Kerry's - such a huge lamb indeed - it looks about 3 months older compared to the teeny lambies there are around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Funny you should say about the foxes - our park reeks of it this morning too. I'll keep Ruby well away from them then! Carl can play with the dogs in one of the paddocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
