Baymule’s Journal

[Mike CHS]

I have thought about it but have no idea why some are so tame. Most of our flock is like that but like you, the lambs are a little slower. All of the lambs we kept last lambing are as tame as Ringo and of those we kept this time, most are coming for petting anytime I'm with them.

 

[Baymule]

The little pond is full too.

The overflow.

I took this picture of a tall crane at the little pond yesterday evening. It was a long shot for my phone!

 

[Ridgetop]

This is probably a stupid question.. but I've never had any dealings with sheep other than years ago at a petting zoo...
They have SUCH long, dense coats/wool - when it rains for days and days, does it just run off because of the oils or does it soak down a bit? I keep thinking about my grooming days when people would bring in Old English Sheepdogs with a year's worth of matting and we'd find maggots from their skin NEVER actually drying out!!!!
Of course - sheep are DESIGNED to keep that wool so they wouldn't get nasty and extreme like that. But I was just wondering about how they handle THIS much rain.a

Wool breeds have enough lanolin that in winter the rain does not get through their wool to the skin. Some wool breeds grow extremely long fleece which ends up parting in the middle along the spine. Those one or two breeds are at risk of getting pneumonia during the winter (rarely) since the icy rain can get onto the skin and run along under the wool. This is rare since very few sheep grow wool that long.

Normal wood breeds have no problem staying out in rain and snow. However there have been rare occasions when a spring blizzard will blow in after shearing. This happened in the late 1800's in Utah when about 80% of the sheep flocks on pasture froze to death with their lambs. It also has happened that storms will hit and sheep that have not been shorn before lambing will stay out in extreme temperatures. The ewes, having plenty of lanolin rich wool, won't feel the icy temperature and seek shelter so the lambs freeze to death.

Hair sheep have a lot less lanolin in their wool, and a lot less wool. Then they shed it out in the spring. While Katahdins shed completely, some some Dorpers retain a mohawk strip along their backbones. This is acceptable for Dorpers since in South African sheep can get severe sunburn on their spines.

FYI: In my grandmothers' and great grandmothers' times there were no rubber pants for babies' diapers. And no disposables either. Instead you would knit various size diaper covers on very fine needles with wool. Then those would be boiled to shrink the wool. Once that was done the wool diaper covers were essentially waterproof! My grandmother told me that years ago. She also went to visit her mother- and aunties-in-law on their farm in Iowa. My uncles were still in diapers and since they only did a boiled wash once a week, she was appalled that they just took the wet diapers, laid them over the bushes to dry out, then put them back on the babies until washday arrived when they boiled them up. She was a city girl and accustomed to having a laundress available as needed. Amazing what people can do when necessary.

 

[Blue Sky]

Wool breeds have enough lanolin that in winter the rain does not get through their wool to the skin. Some wool breeds grow extremely long fleece which ends up parting in the middle along the spine. Those one or two breeds are at risk of getting pneumonia during the winter (rarely) since the icy rain can get onto the skin and run along under the wool. This is rare since very few sheep grow wool that long.

Normal wood breeds have no problem staying out in rain and snow. However there have been rare occasions when a spring blizzard will blow in after shearing. This happened in the late 1800's in Utah when about 80% of the sheep flocks on pasture froze to death with their lambs. It also has happened that storms will hit and sheep that have not been shorn before lambing will stay out in extreme temperatures. The ewes, having plenty of lanolin rich wool, won't feel the icy temperature and seek shelter so the lambs freeze to death.

Hair sheep have a lot less lanolin in their wool, and a lot less wool. Then they shed it out in the spring. While Katahdins shed completely, some some Dorpers retain a mohawk strip along their backbones. This is acceptable for Dorpers since in South African sheep can get severe sunburn on their spines.

FYI: In my grandmothers' and great grandmothers' times there were no rubber pants for babies' diapers. And no disposables either. Instead you would knit various size diaper covers on very fine needles with wool. Then those would be boiled to shrink the wool. Once that was done the wool diaper covers were essentially waterproof! My grandmother told me that years ago. She also went to visit her mother- and aunties-in-law on their farm in Iowa. My uncles were still in diapers and since they only did a boiled wash once a week, she was appalled that they just took the wet diapers, laid them over the bushes to dry out, then put them back on the babies until washday arrived when they boiled them up. She was a city girl and accustomed to having a laundress available as needed. Amazing what people can do when necessary.

Hair sheep that no longer grow fleece or do so erratically are “goats” and have no fleecy protection from wet and cold. I learned that the hard way two years ago. Also rams with big horns may be at risk because horns that shed heat in the summer can be trouble in zero degree weather.

 

[Baymule]

After a couple of weeks of practically non stop rain, there’s been 3 beautiful sunny days. I’ve been outside almost all day. Yesterday I had Buford on a leash, mingling with the ewes, along with Sentry and Sheba. I found a clump of grass to sit on, and Buford stretched out and went to sleep. Sentry and Sheba were napping too, ewes were ruminating, lamb’s laying next to their moms. Idyllic day.

I thought about you, @SageHill and how the days out on pasture with your sheep and dog, nurtures your soul.

Number One, registered ewe, along with her ewe lamb—my one and only registerable lamb, were not far from me. I’ve been wondering what to name that lamb. I kinda run out of names for white sheep. The lamb started playing on her momma. She jumped, bounced, crawled and had fun. I caught this picture of the lamb leaping off her momma. It looked like she was flying!

I have a name. Y’all meet Aerial.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I have a name. Y’all meet Aerial.

Perfect!

 

[SageHill]

It does! Going out with them and just standing and watching I learn SO MUCH, but it is so peaceful. It is a God's moment in time. ♥️
I am blest to be able to do it. I'm glad you had a chance to sit and be part of the peace. ♥️ and before I got to where you had a name for the ewe lamb I was thinking the name will come to you at the right time, then I thought of "Bounce". But Aerial is much more sweet and feminine 😍

 

[Baymule]

I’ve had several full busy weeks. When I got back from Disney vacation, my horse Reina, had an infection in her eye. A green cloud in her eye, swollen all around. Vet said to put eye drops in her eye 3-4 times a day, but 6 would be better. Then a different eye drop before dark. She was in danger of losing her eye. That scared me to death.

So every 2 hours, Reina got eye drops. It stormed. It rained, it got cold. It rained some more. Noah’s Ark floated by. But I was outside giving her those eye drops. I was supposed to take her back on a Monday, a week later for a check up, but couldn’t get to the trailer for all the mud. A friend with 4 wheel drive pulled it out for me. So it was Saturday for her check up. Vet was all smiles, she really thought Reina was going to lose her eye. Her eye was all healed up, no infection, no cloud in her eye and she can see. It was worth every cold, wet, soggy, muddy day.

Now I’m sick. Of course. The crud I had for weeks at Christmas is back. Or maybe it watched the weather and never left, it hung around knowing I will get wet and cold. Perfect for bad germs to invade.

Called doctor. I could get an appointment in March. So I asked for a drive by parking lot back door appointment or just Call something in. I got an appointment for today, 11:00 this morning, yep! Back parking lot, don’t come in, call us when you get there.

Nurse came out on a Hazmat suit to check me for Covid and flu. Or maybe she ran out of boogers and needed to pick somebody else’s nose. I dunno.

PA came out, standing 10 feet from car window. “You don’t have Covid or the flu’
REALLY? I ALREADY KNEW THAT! They sent prescriptions to drug store, same stuff as last time.

Went to TSC for horse feed. Went to Walmart for stuff. Went to drugstore, got prescriptions. Home now. It was hot this morning, it’s cold now. Threatening rain is on the horizon. Oh YAY! More rain and mud! It’s too early to feed animals. Buuuuttt….. maybe I should, so I can maybe not get drenched with cold rain. Yeah.

PA said go home and get some rest. I laughed at him and told him I’m a farmer. Play in the rain and mud is what I do.

Sigh…. Gonna change clothes and skeedaddle outside.

 

[Margali]

Maybe get some of the fishing waders that go up to your chest and a raincoat? Stay as dry and warm as you can.

 

[canesisters]

Maybe get some of the fishing waders that go up to your chest and a raincoat? Stay as dry and warm as you can.

SERIOUSLY!!!! During hurricanes & snow/sleet storms I drag out hubby's old hazmat gear. It's HUGE and HEAVY but it's warm & waterproof.
It's one thing to make a quick trip out in sideways rain to toss feed & run back. But a whole 'nother thing to spend an hour or there...
Try to stay warm @Baymule