Caring for the flock

This weekend has been busy separating lambs Saturday to be weaned 

in hopes of getting to our target weight so they can be sent to the sale.

Holding back a few that began to cough after having extreme fluctuating

temperatures and today.

Going out to the barn to find a ewe with bottle jaw.  Immediately upon finding 

this (she was fine yesterday!) I began treatment and examination of her and  

all the rest of the flock.

I always expect the parasite's to raise their ugly heads come July and into August.

This year it seems a little early though.

She is eating and doing well though and I am very optimistic that she will 

recover.  

For those who have sheep or are new to sheep I have attached a link for more information

to learn about parasites

in sheep.

Sheepies, sheep coats, wool & hay

 We are one week post the Great Lakes Fiber Show, so I am taking  it easy today.

This morning I scrubbed up my sheep coats which have been soaking in 

Soapy water for a couple of weeks.

...Sharing some photos today...

It was definitely a "must do" as there becomes a unique odor

when they have been sitting for awhile.  They have all scrubbed up 

nicely and will be dried and packed away until fall.

 I tried to sneak into the barn to snap a few photos of the girls and lambs,

but there is no sneaking up on them. Everyone was relaxing in the barn

on this day of rest, in between rain showers.

Above, photo shows a variety of my white woolies, some purebred shetland,

a cormo/shetland ewe and some of the lambs which are Border Cheviot/

shetland crosses.

 More woolies,  some need a little bit of a "touch up" on their wool.

Some of them were "in the rise" at the time of shearing, which 

makes it difficult for the shearer to shear the sheep.  They

need to cut either below or above the rise, so some of them look a bit shabby.

 We are well on our way to having our hay supply for the year.

We have 67 round bales of 1st cutting.

 All set up on skids, so there's minimal waste.

Between 2nd and 3rd cutting we should be set for all year.

Our hay supply maintains two shepherd's flocks.

Each flock will use about one bale a week.

 Of course while I was out snapping photo's I wanted to catch some of the 

boys that were chill'in in the pasture.

 But as they seen me, they kept coming....

 and coming.....

 and coming....

 until almost all of them were there to see what I was giving them.

Thirteen shetland rams in all, several available for sale.

(my border cheviot off to the right....not for sale!)

I have about 10 raw shetland fleeces available to sell.

Anyone interested email me these are all nice fleeces.

I took many fleeces to the Great Lakes Fiber Show to sell

and still have some really nice fleeces available.

I sent about 10 lbs of grey to Zeilingers to be made into top.

I should have this back in August if anyone is interest in grey top.

I will set up a tab for fleeces and post them as time permits,

but if you're interested in looking email me.

Thanks!