chickencam Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 So cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Aren't they just adorable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Very cute, lovely soft eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 They are sooooooo cute.......... We thought they might like some milk after they'd settled in and made up some for them but they were very wary, so we left them until later. My son and his g/f came over and so we took an assortment of feed items with us.............bottles, feed bucket with teats and a feed bucket......and two litres of milk each. We closed them in with some sheep hurdles as the area they are in was too big and if they wanted to run rings round us like the sheep do, they would They were fine but the bottles weren't giving the milk fast enough so we used the feeder bucket with teats instead. They are so strong Even 6'2" son was nearly pulled over The feeder bucket does have a bracket to go in so in the morning we will pop it in there. Jazz has introduced herself - she was very good and didn't bark at them. We will be moving the sheep down into the same area on Sunday so they will be sharing the big barn at nights - separated by big straw bales and hurdles. They can get used to each other over the next few weeks and then will all be together and moved around the paddocks together. Our worming programme is to move animals every three weeks - having cows and sheep together is even better for worm control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Wow! I've just found your thread Lesley- it's great to read. The farm that I got my chikens from breeds minature donkeys - they were lovely wee fellas(but rascals apparently) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 They look lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 The calves are so cute They look much calmer than the others Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Soo cute! Do they have names yet? (You need to update your sig Lesley ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 They are gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Congratulations Lesley they are wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 More photos...... sorry, Photobucket is still playing up - I've tried to resize these Their last bottle feed - they are now onto bucket feeding..... More milk please...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I am so , my ideal cow is a Dexter...if only we did the lottery or the farmer behind us would sell us some of his field ! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 they look so cute Lesley :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 What gorgeous babies, Carl looks very pleased Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 my ideal cow is a Dexter...if only we did the lottery or the farmer behind us would sell us some of his field ! Sha x We've had Dexters......mad as hatters You can find quieter ones, ours had never been handled, had horns and were very scary in the end We would have liked Dexters this time but you can't buy Dexters at just a few weeks old.....the only way to have very young calves and hand rear them is to take the surplus from dairy farmers.......and Dexters aren't sold in this way. Much as we like having tiny calves, part of us feels sad that they are taken away from their Mums so early - as I now eat dairy products again then it's something I have to accept When I was vegetarian I changed to soya or rice milk as I didn't want to feel guilty at not eating meat but being part of the cause of calves being removed from their mothers at a few days old. At least we know that these two little ones will have a happy life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Oh sheer torture! Why Lesley, why?!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 Oh sheer torture! Why Lesley, why?!!!! erm.............because I just love making up two gallons of baby calf milk a day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 But so very rewarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 Still making gallons of milk........must go in precisely one minute to take the next lot....... Think Father Ted.......... but 'milk' rather than 'drink!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 If I weren't at work, I'd pop over to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 A roller-coaster few days - and good and bad news One of the pregnant Ewes ahd a slight prolapse on Thursday - we went off to the farmers' merchants and bought a special harness to hold it all in but by the time we got back she was OK and so we just spent all day keeping an eye on her. She was fine until Saturday morning - Carl went to feed them before we went off to meet Clare at the Farmers' Market and the ewe had prolapsed badly - we called the Vet. He called out quite quickly and said he thought the lambs were dead - probably due to Toxoplasmosis, and gave her a shot of antibiotics and Oxytocin to get things moving. We had to check every hour or so to keep an eye on her progress. There was never going to be a happy ending but we wanted to save the ewe. A quick dash into town to see Clare....and the Market.......kept watching all day........ We rarely go out these days but had a Birthday get-together at a restaurant in town to go to......and I was supposed to be making the cake.... I made the cake - and it decided to multiply in the oven and overflowed the tin.....burnt all over the bottom of the oven I rescued the middle of it and it looked OK. We had one last check on the ewe and she was still not progressing so we decided to dash to the restaurant and do an 'eat and run'.....at least we had something to eat! We checked all through the night but by 8am we decided we'd have to call the Vet back. She was here within the hour and delivered the two dead lambs. A very nasty and smelly business and so sad . Two beautiful spotted lambs, one boy, one girl . The ewe has had shots of everything going and fingers crossed that she makes it through. All the sheep farmers will tell you that sheep have one main aim in life, and that is to die We were supposed to be on the Kill It, Pluck it..... course today - we had to cancel We were really looking forward to it and it's such a lovely day for travelling....we had new hens to collect from Alison as well..... The good news is that.......in the midst of that yesterday we also made a mad dash to collect new little piggies....... Meet Daisy, Hyacinth, Rose and Violet!!!! (groan......I know... but I made the mistake of calling one of them Daisy - the rest just followed then!) Photo to follow.....Photobucket appears to be playing up! - again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 That was sad, but I'm looking forward to the new additions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Very sorry to hear about the lambs. Shame that you had to miss the course too. I wonder if Alison will squeeze you in to the Sheffield one in a fortnight, given the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Oh no, sorry to hear about your lambies Hopefully the rest will be straightforward! Have all your piggies got 'homes'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Sorry to hear about the lambs, nature can be so cruel sometimes fingers crossed for the ewe. Lovely news about the piglets though Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
