Saturday, February 2, 2019

Slow start to a new year

Today (and tomorrow) we get a reprieve from the bolstering frigid cold we have had that lasted a little over two days. This morning it was 18 degrees, still and balmy....it feels like a heat wave.

The girls pictured above are enjoying this change.

Although my water hydrant is the barn froze (for the first time) I've had to carry some water to the sheep to get everyone by.  A heat lamp and make shift cardboard tent are working to thaw the hydrant.  Sometimes you don't  realize (or appreciate) the conveniences that we have which makes life easier.

 Above, on the right two youngsters, ewes both are a nice addition to my flock. I haven't peeked under the grey ewes coat lately, but I'm sure her fleece will be quite pleasing to a spinner, the other is a very fine moorit.

It is hard to believe that we will be shearing in approximately 5 weeks.  Not long after that lambing will begin.


 Above, two ram lambs that were kept for potential future use. Both fine wool, one is scurred the other polled.   The black was born in March.  The katmoget was a late lamb, born the end of July.
The size difference is notable at this time.
Hopefully into March, after shearing we can introduce these guys into the group of breeding rams.  I think this will be a save time to do this knowing (hoping) that the breeding season on the ewes is over.  This tends to be a calmer time for the rams.

We had several late lambs born in 2018, this was sometimes extra work to care for them, making sure that they had access to a creep feed with out the older lambs taking over, but it was sure worth it as I recently sent them to sale. I wish I had ten more to send!

  
 

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