Ridgetop
Herd Master
We have one - they can still kick hard when squeezed and rolled over on their side! One ewe sent me flying about 6'!
Margali's Griffin Wood Ranch
- Thread starter Margali
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Ridgetop
Herd Master
These squeeze and tilt tables are great BUT be warned! The sheep hate being tilted! They will struggle and kick like mad. Also scream! They also don't want to calmly walk into the scary thing. You will need to try it out several times to get the hang of using it. They can also be heavy to turn with the sheep in them. Lambs are too small, and it won't hold them. We need 2 people to use ours - one to tilt the sheep and the other to do the work on the sheep. The tilt table should lock into place once tilted. I am considering making a blindfold for the sheep once in the squeeze to see if it will calm them like it does horses.
Wes Patton (Glennland Farms) has one that is about 40 years old and isn't manufactured anymore. It turns the sheep totally upside down and the sheep stops struggling once it is upside down! Wonderful! Everyone in our seminar wanted to order one, but the company is out of business now.
Open squeeze facing slide gate from chute. Open end has a head gate that attaches where it is currently open in picture.
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Sheep inside squeeze with head caught in head gate. As you can see there is not enough room under side of gate to trim hooves so we had to flip her. Any more room under side of tilt and the sheep's legs slide out in a dangerous fashion.
DH flips sheep onto side for me to work on her hooves which were overgrown. (Do not do this on sheep more than about 2 1/2 months into pregnancy.) Plenty of room now to work - just don't look away and be quick on your feet. Apparently, sheep don't like being on their sides in this thing. They kick and flail around! Ready to trim hooves. Easy Peasy! Hooves are easy to reach and trim.
BUT!
They kick like devils on their sides so you have to be spry. I was almost finished with this ewe, having avoided her kicking hooves when I turned away for a second to answer a question from DS1 who was sorting sheep on the other side of the fence and
KAPOW! BOOM! SPLAT!
She got me right on the side of my hip and sent me 6' onto the ground! Luckily, I didn't land on my hoof trimmers since as soon as something like that happens I immediately toss them aside to avoid impaling myself.
My beloved family took photos before assisting me to my feet and checking for a broken hip! 4-H record book training from childhood. I was bruised and sore on both hips - one side from the kick the other from the landing - but was able to finish trimming that ewe and several more before hobbling inside and demanding a full body cast!
There is another piece of equipment I am saving for which is similar to the squeeze but instead of tilting is constructed to give you room to work on the sheep at a comfortable height for trimming hooves, AI, and other medical and grooming needs.
Have fun playing with your new toy. Just don't be surprised to hear screams as the children climb in and have their siblings tilt them side to side!
Wes Patton (Glennland Farms) has one that is about 40 years old and isn't manufactured anymore. It turns the sheep totally upside down and the sheep stops struggling once it is upside down! Wonderful! Everyone in our seminar wanted to order one, but the company is out of business now.
Open squeeze facing slide gate from chute. Open end has a head gate that attaches where it is currently open in picture.
.
Sheep inside squeeze with head caught in head gate. As you can see there is not enough room under side of gate to trim hooves so we had to flip her. Any more room under side of tilt and the sheep's legs slide out in a dangerous fashion.
DH flips sheep onto side for me to work on her hooves which were overgrown. (Do not do this on sheep more than about 2 1/2 months into pregnancy.) Plenty of room now to work - just don't look away and be quick on your feet. Apparently, sheep don't like being on their sides in this thing. They kick and flail around! Ready to trim hooves. Easy Peasy! Hooves are easy to reach and trim.
BUT!
They kick like devils on their sides so you have to be spry. I was almost finished with this ewe, having avoided her kicking hooves when I turned away for a second to answer a question from DS1 who was sorting sheep on the other side of the fence and
KAPOW! BOOM! SPLAT!
She got me right on the side of my hip and sent me 6' onto the ground! Luckily, I didn't land on my hoof trimmers since as soon as something like that happens I immediately toss them aside to avoid impaling myself.
My beloved family took photos before assisting me to my feet and checking for a broken hip! 4-H record book training from childhood. I was bruised and sore on both hips - one side from the kick the other from the landing - but was able to finish trimming that ewe and several more before hobbling inside and demanding a full body cast!There is another piece of equipment I am saving for which is similar to the squeeze but instead of tilting is constructed to give you room to work on the sheep at a comfortable height for trimming hooves, AI, and other medical and grooming needs.
Have fun playing with your new toy. Just don't be surprised to hear screams as the children climb in and have their siblings tilt them side to side!
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Margali
Herd Master
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Margali
Herd Master
So Snip is starting to shed but it's not coming cleanly. The wool is loose but dreadlocked to the summer hair coat. So I "helped" get the brown section over his shoulders off.
Mike CHS
Herd Master
Most people that we know that have them like them. Even the people that we sold ours to love it.
We didn't like it for all of the reasons @Ridgetop mentioned plus there must be something in our sheeps genes that makes them dive down on all fours when they are stressed and no matter how tight we got them in the chute, it was still a bear to get them back on their feet. We got what is called a Deck Chair from Premier1 that the sheep don't mind very much. Most of our sheep are tame enough that we can trim them in the stall with no issues.
We didn't like it for all of the reasons @Ridgetop mentioned plus there must be something in our sheeps genes that makes them dive down on all fours when they are stressed and no matter how tight we got them in the chute, it was still a bear to get them back on their feet. We got what is called a Deck Chair from Premier1 that the sheep don't mind very much. Most of our sheep are tame enough that we can trim them in the stall with no issues.
Baymule
Herd Master
I was wondering how Snip was shedding, what about Panda? Aria sure looks slick and pretty!
Snip and Panda’s mom, Eve, has a thick thatch that I just scissor trimmed off. Miranda shed out slick.
@Mike CHS told me that if they got wet, the wool shed easier. Mine get rained on and it washes the lanolin and embedded dirt off, the wool just peels off!
Snip and Panda’s mom, Eve, has a thick thatch that I just scissor trimmed off. Miranda shed out slick.
@Mike CHS told me that if they got wet, the wool shed easier. Mine get rained on and it washes the lanolin and embedded dirt off, the wool just peels off!
- Thread starter
- #517
Baymule
Herd Master
I scissor sheared a ewe that had a rug. I hung it over the fence, it looked like a raccoon pelt.
Baymule
Herd Master
I took pictures of my young ewes this evening.
This is Cookie, full sister to Snip. I’ve been rubbing the fur off her, plucking and giving her lots of scratches. She paws my leg for more. I’m trying to see if I can get rid of the baby fuzz, will she shed out next year instead of a matted rug. The matted mess in the background is Butterfly, daughter of Frimplepants and she also is a matted mess.
This is Cookie and Rainbow. Rainbow is a daughter of Lucy and Ringo. Lucy is a daughter of Miranda and a Dorper ram. Lucy carries a rug, I have to shear her, usually with scissors. I posted before and after pictures on my journal. Rainbow (named by 5 year old granddaughter) had baby fuzz that has come off easily with grooming. She has a good hair coat. Same as Cookie, I want to see if getting rid of the baby fuzzies helps shedding after winter.
The brown ewe is Pinto, daughter of Ewenique and Ringo. Perfect hair coat!
This is Dainty laying next to her mom, Nova, triplet daughter of Miranda and Ringo. All 3 of Miranda’s triplets were shaggy and I “helped” them get rid of it. Dainty has a nice hair coat, Ringo is her sire and grand sire. You can see the woolly map on Nova. LOL
Another one of Dainty.
I thought I’d post these for you, maybe getting the baby fuzzies off might help shed better next summer. We’ll see next year!
This is Cookie, full sister to Snip. I’ve been rubbing the fur off her, plucking and giving her lots of scratches. She paws my leg for more. I’m trying to see if I can get rid of the baby fuzz, will she shed out next year instead of a matted rug. The matted mess in the background is Butterfly, daughter of Frimplepants and she also is a matted mess.
This is Cookie and Rainbow. Rainbow is a daughter of Lucy and Ringo. Lucy is a daughter of Miranda and a Dorper ram. Lucy carries a rug, I have to shear her, usually with scissors. I posted before and after pictures on my journal. Rainbow (named by 5 year old granddaughter) had baby fuzz that has come off easily with grooming. She has a good hair coat. Same as Cookie, I want to see if getting rid of the baby fuzzies helps shedding after winter.
The brown ewe is Pinto, daughter of Ewenique and Ringo. Perfect hair coat!
This is Dainty laying next to her mom, Nova, triplet daughter of Miranda and Ringo. All 3 of Miranda’s triplets were shaggy and I “helped” them get rid of it. Dainty has a nice hair coat, Ringo is her sire and grand sire. You can see the woolly map on Nova. LOL
Another one of Dainty.
I thought I’d post these for you, maybe getting the baby fuzzies off might help shed better next summer. We’ll see next year!
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Baymule
Herd Master
I plucked off the fuzzy butt patches on Cookie and Rainbow. Rainbow has the better hair coat. Now to wait on winter and next summer shed.
