Simply Sheep

Lazy Gardener · Nov 25, 2019

Don't you just hate that!

flowerbug · Nov 25, 2019

wyoDreamer said:
Wouldn't yo know it, now that I actually said something on here about that old hay lined up along the field edge - some one took it away. It is all gone as of this weekend. lol

aliens!? (sorry...

)

flowerbug · Dec 20, 2019

DL i read first as Daughter In Law... lol

YourRabbitGirl · Apr 15, 2020

Beekissed said:
Got sheep again, so thought I'd start a thread for sheep...we don't have many on here and none that are new.

I got a few Katahdin ewes, one 7 yrs and the other 3 yrs. Will be getting a ram lamb from Farmfresh, which a good friend will be transporting for me. He will arrive mid August and I can't wait to have some of her stock here in WV!

Still working on the sheep shelters and pens, as well as fencing for paddocks. This weekend we transported some HUGE free pallets from a sheet metal place, to use for some of the paddock fencing.

Here's a pic of a few of those....they are all 10-12 ft. long and 4-5 ft wide with 4x4 or 3x3 bones and 1/2 to 1 in. "skin" boards. Read HEAVY and bulky. Had to rent two trailers from Uhaul to transport them and made 3 trips with two trailers, so got 6 lg stacks of pallets plus a tiny stack I had tried to haul in my 4x8 utility trailer...prayed all the way home with those in a toad strangler rain.

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...and the sheep, Shine and Rose. Shine is the dominant sheep and quite wild and bossy. Rose is slowly getting more tame and will even let me brush her now while she's eating.
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These were bargain basement sheep, so not as large as I would have liked nor with the greatest of conformation, but they are the sheep God brought to me and so I thank Him for them! They are starting to grow on me, as sheep tend to do...lots of intelligence and a truckload of personality wrapped up on sheepskin.

Will be building on their sheep shed today and also outfitting a couple of stanchions, as I intend to milk these ewes. They won't yield much, but that's all I need to make a little cheese.

Right now I have a temporary hoop shelter and also am utilizing a spare chicken pen for two different shelters and pens that are divided by a pallet fence. It ain't pretty but it will do until my son and I can do a pole sheep barn next spring of a more permanent nature.

Sheep!! My most favorite of all livestock....I praise God for His provision for and of the sheep.

The fence seems strong and sturdy... It's better if it has some metal parts. and I hope you'll secure it with a good quality waterproof paint.

Beekissed · May 4, 2020

baymule said:
Temps here are hitting in the high 80’s. Yesterday we were outside slaughtering chickens and it was hot. We always set up under two big oak trees for their shade. God provided a cooling breeze all day, I never broke a sweat. Surrounded by the beauty God created, we were serenaded by His song birds while we worked. We thanked God for the big beautiful meat chickens that will feed 3 families.

It sounds like a blessed time, Bay! I love days like that, when you bask in the blessings of God and are cooled by a breeze while you do so. I spend most days around here like that, just thanking God as I chore along, for the beauty of the spring, for the gift of land and the joy of working as unto the Lord.

I love it that you are putting up winter's meat already! You've got a jumpstart on us all.

Had a broody hatch yesterday, not as large as the last one but a good half doz. chicks, so I'm grateful for each one. Will set two other broodies onto nests this morning.

tortoise · May 4, 2020

Don't "gentle" your rams. Makes them dangerous. The more afraid they are of you, the safer you are.

Beekissed · May 16, 2020

baymule said:
That is wonderful Bee. A ewe lamb to add to the flock, ram lambs for sale and meat. Are you going to wether the ram lambs?

It would simplify things but may bring down the price of any we wish to sell. I think we'll make that decision when we wean in July...at that time we may have to separate the flock and run the rams in opposite paddocks from the ewes.

Beekissed · May 16, 2020

A few pics of the sheep and dogs on paddock rotation into a new paddock....we are open grazing this paddock in the interest of just getting them used to this new field that is out of sight from the house. When next we do this one, it will be sectioned off into several smaller paddocks so we can greater impact the soils as we graze it.