Removing the marking harness

With the wet weather, I have released Burgess from his marking harness.  I worry that sores might form under the snug straps. Attending to his ewes seems to have left Burgess a bit haggard. With most , if not all the ewes bred, Burgess should be able to attend to eating and regaining his fine physique

Because the field is a sodden mess I have kept the sheep in the barnyard which is higher than the field.  They spend most of the day in the open stall and eat from the manger in the stall and the raised hay feeder in the yard. I am hoping to avoid hoof issues, especially with Maude who had foot scald last year.

The Belties get fresh hay twice a day from the round bale feeder.Since their caloric needs are not as great as in the biting cold of winter and the wet weather would degrade the quality of the hay, I bring them their breakfast and dinner.  They are not polite diners, moo-ing loudly at the field gate morning and night.

Introducing the boys

Last Saturday we moved Wallace the bull and Burgess the ram in with their ladies.

Wallace, calf of Penny,was born last year on Lilac Hill Farm. Because he was sold to a nearby farm, I still see him regularly.With the help of a farmer with a trailer, we moved Wallace into the barn field while Blair, this year's calf Harper and Lily the heifer who is not being bred were in the fenced goat yard.  The goat yard has the loading chute and the gate that opens to the driveway. Murphy was in the barnyard, close enough to keep the Belties calm, but not near enough to nip if he felt his girls were  threatened. Lily loaded effortlessly, striding up into the trailer to be transported to Wallace's farm. Harper, due to her young age should be safe from breeding, but to be sure, Wallace will only stay on the farm until the beginning of December. The timing of all this moving is tricky. I want Harper to nurse through the winter and I need Wallace in with Blair long enough to assure breeding.

Burgess joined the ewes on Saturday as well. When his pasture buddy died, I decided to move up the breeding dates. I did not want Burgess to live alone in the bachelor field since he is a herd animal and needs to company of other sheep. Thanks to his calm disposition we were able to fit hi for his breeding harness. The harness has a block of crayon on the front so that when he breeds a ewe we can note the date. This should help date our lambing for next February/March.

Unexplainable companion wether's death

Two days ago I found Burgess' companion in the bachelor field, dead in the shelter. He had no external injuries and since we did not perform a necropsy, I do not know if there were internal injuries or defects. Vinnie was a twin born here this May. His sister had physical abnormalities and died within 2 weeks of birth. Although his conformation was poor, I felt he had adjusted well to living in the bachelor pen.

Without a buddy in the field, I will move Burgess into the pasture with the ewes earlier than planned. My sheep texts recommend that sheep do not live without companions since they have a strong herd identity.

Burgess

Two month old Burgess is one of a triplet, raised as a twin. His torso is long and his leg is substantial. He is a rather delicate grazer, pulling dried clover flowers one by one with purposeful determination that will surely get the pasture grazed completely.

Ram 0257

Taking this sheep farm to the next level

With my goal of 20 breeding ewes I need to build our flock  I need ewes with good conformation and strong constitutions.A high quality ram is the next step.  Tomorrow I will be picking up my first flock sire; he is coming from a nearby farm with beautiful Katahdins.

This fenced pasture is across the road from the farm proper where the boys will not have visual contact with the girls. I will bring the ram and his companion wether to the girls late this fall.

The woven wire fence eliminates the need to electrify which would be difficult to manage, having to cross the road with an electric service or managing a battery energizer.  I can run a hose in mild weather to the buckets and the hay can be carted over and through the 12'gate.  To preserve the quality of the hay a portable feeder with a roof and 2 walls is planned.

With the expenses of the fence and the breeding quality ram we have upped our committment to this farming endeavor.  It is exciting and unnerving at the same time.

Beautiful morning

Chores were a pleasure this morning -- sun is up, light breeze blowing,and pastures are lush. While I was bottle feeding Vanna the February lambs and their ewe, Queen Mab, ambled up to sniff the process. The Saxonies also came up to investigate, most likely wondering when their water and grain would be refilled. Under the last setting goose I can hear the chirps of goslings. Hopefully she has a few to add to the gaggle.

The four steadfast Buckeyes remain on their nests. If they successfully hatch chicks I hope to use the best chicks as replacement hens, to sell if I can find buyers for this heritage breed and to butcher for tender fryers.

Bottle feeding lamb with palsy

Vanna, the ewe lamb with the palsy is not gaining as much weight as her brother Vinnie. Her plaintive cries no longer bring her mother to her side. Her faltering gait reduces the time she spends near her mother Maude. With the goal of increasing her strength, I started bottle feeding her this morning.

Sheep flock in the back field

This weekend we were able to vaccinate and ear tag the lambs. Only one ewe was wormed since her gums were light in color. Vinnie our ram lamb was banded. Banding is a method of castration where we put a small rubber band at the base of the scrotum to cut off the blood supply. Based on Vinnie's playful antics after the procedure, I am pretty sure we were more distressed than he was. The oldest lambs and ewes also had their hooves trimmed.

Since the flock behaves as a unit, moving through the field together and waiting for the slower lambs, I moved them to a new pasture behind the boat barn. Using the Subaru I pulled the shelter to the field, hammered in fiberglass posts and strung two lines of polywire. The flock was easy to herd through a temporary corridor to the lush field. The sheep share this field with old, wrapped round bales, waiting to be moved to a new composting area at the edge of the woods.

The flock decreases and increases

On Wednesday morning Marilla ate too quickly and had a blockage of grain in her throat.  In spite of our best efforts she died. It happened so quickly. She had become an attentive mother so I was worried for her lambs. They refused bottles and started to eat more hay. Their cries were pitiful.

On Friday afternoon Maude finally had twins. The ram lamb was larger and stood pretty quickly and nursed. The ewe lamb was not able to stand up. Once in the lambing jug I made sure she nursed so she had the benefits of colostrum. Although I feed the sheep minerals with selenium I could not be sure that the lambs were not deficient so I gave them some selenium and vitamin E gel. It was hard to leave that frail lamb but I thought her best chance of survival was in the care of her mother. Maude was unwavering in her care, nickering, nudging and licking the lamb. On Saturday morning the ewe lamb was able to stand for short periods and nurse. Vanna is still weak and unsteady. She often falls but can keep up with the rest of the flock, especially since her mother is vigilant in keeping track of her. Both Vanna and her brother Vinnie have overbites which exclude them from being part of the breeding flock. Vinnie was wethered today and will keep our future ram company in the bachelor pen.

When Maude, Vinnie and Vanna were reintorduced to the flock there was much commotion.  The orphan lambs doggedly tried to steal milk and Maude just as adamntly kicked them away. Now all 5 sheep graze together. Maude attends to her lambs and allows the orphans to nurse.

Rain, snow and wind

Maude has not lambed yet. Since I do not want to risk an outdoor birth all the sheep are in the barn. The ducklings in the outside pen have been moved inside the garage to protect them from the wind. Blair has had udder change so I am keeping the Belties in the secure field below the house.

Beef & Sheep on pasture

The Belites are in the blooming, apple orchard. The sound of the ripping grass is the only sound above the bees. Almost one year old Lily is in the foreground, her mother, Blair in the middle and Penny in the back. They are contained by one strand of electric fence. Hopefully calves will arrive in the next few weeks.

The sheep are in the large field, enclosed with 5 strands of hi-tensile wire. Queen Mab's ewe lambs were born on 2/15. Marilla's ewe lambs were born on 3/5. The sheep are eating the multiflora rose, probably in search of whatever minerals the deeper roots of the shrub mine.

Maude is still awaiting her lambs. Veronica, Marilla's lamb, poses in front.

Violet, 2 months old, loves to have her chin scratched.