Sheepfarmer22 ~ My Sheep and I

[Sheepfarmer22]

Funny story for everybody's coffee this morning:
A couple of months ago, while I was feeding the sheep, the stampede was running to me! Then, I quickly had to drop the feed bucket by the troft to do something somewheres, I forgot what.. When I returned, I was observing Petunia, a Katahdin that was only 3 months old at the time, was stumbling around looking for more food. She looked over the feed bucket that I had left and had a good thought.. Now take note that our feed buckets are gallon milk jugs with the top cut off. She was sure there was more food in there! So she slipped her perfectly sized head in the bucket as she smelled the food crumbs... She got the food alright! Before I could say "Look!", she was running around with that bucket stuck on her head, bumping and stumbling on everything! The other sheep kinda looked at her dumbfounded and curious, tilting their heads. Petunia was just walking all over them blind! Now ofcourse she was fine and I could get the bucket off her head effortlessly (after she got tired of running). The point is: Seeing (or in this case smelling!) isn't everything!

Petunia memories

 

[fuzzi]

I'm sorry. It's so easy to get attached.

 

[Baymule]

I will have some 75% ewes for sale probably next year. Two of them gave me ewe lambs early this year, they are being bred back now. They are named Ginger and Pancake. Their ewe lambs I kept are 87.5% and are eligible for full registration. I’m finally getting there! They will be for sale after I wean lambs from them. I’d be delighted to see them go to good homes with someone who can utilize them in the breed up program.

I’m so sorry that you have had bad experiences. It’s so disheartening. I’ve had my share, even from buying from well known breeders. It can put a bad taste in your mouth, just don’t give up.

The next thing I learn is blood draw, so I can have my flock tested for diseases. I currently have 30 breeding ewes, plus the 10 I kept this year. Taking them to the vet is out of the question. $$$$$$$ I may have to get help on holding them. LOL My ultimate goal is a tested flock, safe for buyers, and a good reputation for quality breeding stock. I will make no more purchases from an untested flock. Fortunately I have 3 excellent rams and won’t need another one for another year or two. I’ll work my way through my flock until all are tested and I have a clean flock.

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

Cinnamon seems to be doing a little better today. I am starting to suspect that Salt's scours may be Barber Poll worms and that she came over here with them. Cinnamon is low immune and probably caught it. I am going to buy these things to further treat and also just keep on hand.

And I just spent $100+ on treatment for the sheep yesterday! Good thing 4-H broiler season will pay for all of this next year.

The next thing I learn is blood draw, so I can have my flock tested for diseases. I currently have 30 breeding ewes, plus the 10 I kept this year. Taking them to the vet is out of the question. $$$$$$$ I may have to get help on holding them. LOL My ultimate goal is a tested flock, safe for buyers, and a good reputation for quality breeding stock. I will make no more purchases from an untested flock. Fortunately I have 3 excellent rams and won’t need another one for another year or two. I’ll work my way through my flock until all are tested and I have a clean flock.

That's exactly where I'm trying to get!

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

Preparing to do treatments on the sheep this evening. As well as special treatments for certain ones.

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

Everybody seems to be doing well and Cinnamon is still alive. Her bottle jaw has gone down slightly but she is still very lethargic. I would describe how everything went but I have to get some rest now, going to be herding cows with the good farmers and their crew again starting around 5:30 am. Those farmers are mighty good to me and they let me borrow some of the stuff to treat my sheep. Couldn't ask for better neighbors. I will say how it goes tomorrow. Good night!

 

[Baymule]

You might ought to give Cinnamon a shot of pig iron, 1 ml. Sheep get anemic from those blood sucking barber pole worms. I keep a couple bottles of Nutridrench on hand. Some like it and I have to watch that they don’t bite the pump thing off. I’ve had to stick my hand down a ewe’s throat to retrieve it!

 

[Baymule]

I have found that lambs don’t have much in immunity to worms. Watch them closely. After 6 months, but closer to a year old, they seem to gain immunity. Some don’t and just don’t thrive.

To know for sure what worm load they have, learn how to do your own fecal tests. You will need a microscope and a test kit. Try to find someone to teach you. Sometimes Ag colleges will give a course on it, or at shows someone will give a class.

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

It went great. We moved a bunch of steer and hefner calves in trailers and let the breeders back out. Brought them to the feed lot to be further sorted and weighed. Great 2nd time for me!

Just checked on the sheep and they are all healing up. Cinnamon is still very slowly but surely recovering. I think she is still wormy though. I might try the pig iron when I can find some.

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

Quick story on my new profile photo: This was my dog Fluffy Ears. We always called him Floopy. He was a registered long haired Doxon. Got him around 2022, hoping he would be a great hunter to pair with my other dog, Sushi. (Sushi is turning eight this October). He never went after anything but cats. Sushi mainly went after all of the opposums, raccoons, mice, minks, and rats by herself (she's a rat terrier/jack russel mix). One day, August, 2023, Sushi and Floopy were barking in our shop like all day. We were convinced there was a mouse in there that they were after. That evening, we were on the other side of the garden (where my sheep are now), about an acre away, watering some plants. All of a sudden I said, "Mom, what is that?!" Sushi and Floopy were running out of the shop, playing tug-of-war with a mink they killed. It was Floopy's first kill! (If you don't know, minks are a type of weasel that hangs around the crawfish ponds. When farmers are done with crawfish, they drain the ponds and the minks go hungry. They used to always come and kill our chickens by the dozen every night.) I was so proud of Floopy. I gave both of them some nice treats and I was so happy to have that dog. The next month, the very next day after my 10th birthday, I woke up with Floopy and my mom beside my bed. She explained to me how Floopy got in a car accident and died. I loved that dog to death and I cried there for hours. We buried him right next to the pasture for the sheep. That day I learned something very important: Any second of you life, your day can change terribly in a heart-beat.

R.I.P. Fluffy Ears