Baymule’s Journal

[Baymule]

Yesterday I took apart the old hay enclosure I cobbled together with pallets and a hog panel. I used my little tractor to drag out all the old hay and cleaned it up.

After doing the lamb shuffle this morning, then feeding, water and hay, I dragged the pieces of the hay cradle that @Ridgetop and her husband brought to me, into the sheep lot.

I got it put together, it took me about an hour Then it was ready for hay! I got a roll of hay, it’s sat outside so the bottom was rotted. I set it down, backed up my son’s big tractor and used my little tractor to roll it over with the rotten side up.

I stabbed it again with the big tractor and went to the sheep night pen.
Can’t put a round bale in a cradle with the net wrap on it, so I started unwinding the wrap. Then the bale fell apart.

I was left with the core and layers of hay on the ground. I tried to set the core in the cradle, not having much luck. Son came driving up, he got on his tractor and managed to scrape it off into the cradle. Then we rolled up layers and put them in the cradle. I gave hay to the ewes and lambs in the jugs.

Our redesigned round bale. It’s kinda lumpy.

The ewes said it looked good to them and I guess that’s all that matters.

 

[SageHill]

Can’t put a round bale in a cradle with the net wrap on it

At least you weren't dealing with it in the dark, mud, and only stocking feet like @canesisters !
Nice work though - happy ewes is what it's all about. They look rather pleased with the new diner.

 

[rachels.haven]

You know, I've wondered before if you're supposed to somehow take off the netwrap over the cradle...but obviously the cradle will be in the way, so where do you stand? and the hay could fall all over you and someone should probably still be on the tractor...so...IDK. Better luck next time! The customers still look pleased.

 

[Baymule]

If there’s a way to screw something up, I’ll find it. If there’s not a way to screw something up, I’ll invent it.

 

[drstratton]

If there’s a way to screw something up, I’ll find it. If there’s not a way to screw something up, I’ll invent it.

Looks like it turned out fine, so I guess you could say you screwed up your screw up...

 

[Baymule]

My Kawasaki mule is down, back wheel bearings. I carry water in 2 barrels to the horse in the mule. Oops. So I took the truck through the sheep pen, through the field and filled the tub.

Then back, ewes crowded around the truck and I had to shoo them out of the night pen so I could open the gate and get the truck out. Tame sheep don’t shoo. They meander, think about it and come back. SHOO! I pushed them, the ewes stopped in the gate. The 3 lambs I turned out of the jugs yesterday were yelling for their moms, moms yelled back and went to look for their babies. Lambs got distracted by running circles around the hay cradle, moms were sure an eagle flew in and lamb-napped them. I finally got them all out, closed the gate, opened the gate at the driveway and drove the truck out.

 

[Ridgetop]

Before putting the new bale in the cradle, DH and DS1 rake up the spilled hay under the cradle and shove it into the cradle. Then DS1 hoists the round bale over the cradle, cuts the wrap on the bottom but desn't remove the wrap. He lowers the bale into the cradle and finishes removing the wrap off the top. Occasionally some of the bottom layers try to fall out but it usually works.

 

[Baymule]

I’m tired. I haven’t stopped for two months. Lambing is almost concluded, 2 more to go, in February. 40 lambs out of 25 ewes, 4 bottle babies. Two are orphans, their mom died. They are in a jug outside and I take bottles to them. They were 3 weeks old and are eating feed and hay. One I came home from church to find twins, but the mom only claimed one, the other was cold, limp and almost dead. I held her all afternoon wrapped in a towel and heating pad. I dribbled drops of colostrum in her mouth. By 9:00 that night, she was bouncing around like little lambs should. The other one was too big, had one leg bent back, only the tips of her tiny hoof and tip of her nose was showing. I had to work at it, but I got her pulled, the second lamb also had one leg back, but was much smaller and she came out easily. The first lamb was rejected. For weeks I’ve been on a 2 hour schedule, held prisoner by lambs. Now it’s a 4 hour schedule, at least I can go to town for groceries. LOL Took Buford to Houston 2 weeks ago. Short story is he’s gonna be a Daddy and I’ll get a puppy.

I had the 2 youngest granddaughters last week. We mostly stayed home, played with lambs, dogs, sheep and binge watched kid shows on TV. Last Thursday we went to the sheriff’s breakfast and met a couple of friends there, Took them on Sunday after church to meet their parents at my sisters in Conroe. I sure miss them!

Today I went to the food distribution to help out. I got in a conversation with one of the ladies in charge and she told me they needed another freezer. This is a small community and they are doing a wonderful service for the area. I told her I had an upright freezer that needed a door gasket and they could have it. We are planning on that for Friday.

I came home, fed lambs their bottles and went to Lufkin. I bought potty pads for the house lambs, to go in the dog crate. I got 6 gallons of milk for the lambs. Back home, fed lambs. Fed dogs, sheep and closed the sheep up in the night pens.

Expecting bad weather, supposed to be sleet and ice Saturday. My new neighbors from Switzerland offered a stall in their barn for my horse Max. I don’t have shelter for him and was worried about him out in freezing rain. I haven’t ridden him yet, so I walked him over there. He was very interested in everything, spooked at a pickup truck, Chase pulled over and turned off the engine. Max slowly closed the distance between us and the monster, very cautious but not stupid with fear. I put him in a stall in the barn and he was happy. I provided pine shavings, coastal Bermuda hay and alfalfa and feed.

I’ve washed 4 loads of clothes, they are on the sofa. I turned on the dishwasher Sunday night, I’ve been using clean dishes out of it. I bought a cheapo shelf unit to try to organize all the crap in the kitchen floor, that came out of the utility room, I haven’t put it together yet.

Tomorrow I feed lambs and sheep. Feed lambs. Go to Lufkin and pick up 2 grocery orders for my SIL and take to her. Go home. Feed lambs

 

[drstratton]

I’m tired. I haven’t stopped for two months. Lambing is almost concluded, 2 more to go, in February. 40 lambs out of 25 ewes, 4 bottle babies. Two are orphans, their mom died. They are in a jug outside and I take bottles to them. They were 3 weeks old and are eating feed and hay. One I came home from church to find twins, but the mom only claimed one, the other was cold, limp and almost dead. I held her all afternoon wrapped in a towel and heating pad. I dribbled drops of colostrum in her mouth. By 9:00 that night, she was bouncing around like little lambs should. The other one was too big, had one leg bent back, only the tips of her tiny hoof and tip of her nose was showing. I had to work at it, but I got her pulled, the second lamb also had one leg back, but was much smaller and she came out easily. The first lamb was rejected. For weeks I’ve been on a 2 hour schedule, held prisoner by lambs. Now it’s a 4 hour schedule, at least I can go to town for groceries. LOL Took Buford to Houston 2 weeks ago. Short story is he’s gonna be a Daddy and I’ll get a puppy.

I had the 2 youngest granddaughters last week. We mostly stayed home, played with lambs, dogs, sheep and binge watched kid shows on TV. Last Thursday we went to the sheriff’s breakfast and met a couple of friends there, Took them on Sunday after church to meet their parents at my sisters in Conroe. I sure miss them!

Today I went to the food distribution to help out. I got in a conversation with one of the ladies in charge and she told me they needed another freezer. This is a small community and they are doing a wonderful service for the area. I told her I had an upright freezer that needed a door gasket and they could have it. We are planning on that for Friday.

I came home, fed lambs their bottles and went to Lufkin. I bought potty pads for the house lambs, to go in the dog crate. I got 6 gallons of milk for the lambs. Back home, fed lambs. Fed dogs, sheep and closed the sheep up in the night pens.

Expecting bad weather, supposed to be sleet and ice Saturday. My new neighbors from Switzerland offered a stall in their barn for my horse Max. I don’t have shelter for him and was worried about him out in freezing rain. I haven’t ridden him yet, so I walked him over there. He was very interested in everything, spooked at a pickup truck, Chase pulled over and turned off the engine. Max slowly closed the distance between us and the monster, very cautious but not stupid with fear. I put him in a stall in the barn and he was happy. I provided pine shavings, coastal Bermuda hay and alfalfa and feed.

I’ve washed 4 loads of clothes, they are on the sofa. I turned on the dishwasher Sunday night, I’ve been using clean dishes out of it. I bought a cheapo shelf unit to try to organize all the crap in the kitchen floor, that came out of the utility room, I haven’t put it together yet.

Tomorrow I feed lambs and sheep. Feed lambs. Go to Lufkin and pick up 2 grocery orders for my SIL and take to her. Go home. Feed lambs

You've had a lot on your plate too. I hope you don't get too run down. Get some good rest tonight.

 

[Baymule]

You've had a lot on your plate too. I hope you don't get too run down. Get some good rest tonight.

I went to sleep to the rattle of lamb hooves on the plastic tray of the dog crate. They had pushed the potty pads up in the corners and that thing makes a lot of racket. I was out like a light switch.

Neighbor Sarah sent me a picture of Max, contented in his stall. It's 60 degrees and raining. I am so blessed with good neighbors.