Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

Mike CHS

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We have reservations for the family get together for next August. I couldn't go to the last one in Tulsa because of our animals but this one is only a little over an hour away. I still won't get a lot of visiting time but at least get to see the new Granddaughter again.

 

Mike CHS

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One of the worst things about breeding when we do is hoping the ewes cycle so it works. We have half a dozen that look like they should have lambed a week ago but they are still hanging on. Nobody seems in distress so no point to worry yet.

The bottle lamb is doing well with our routine of giving him a bottle at 7:00 and then taking him out to the baby sitter dogs with their food. Maisy and Mel are enjoying it now that they know that I will bring him back out every morning. This definitely is the best protected lamb in the county while he is out there.

He has a unique personality that is much different than all of the bottle lambs that we have raised and I'm pretty sure he will get banded and join Pete as wethers since I won't send him to the market.
 

Mike CHS

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The fall temps came in right on schedule. Our first day in the 40's came on Monday. I didn't think about it but I went down to feed the ram and ewe and both of them freaked out when I opened the door. I can be slow to get awareness at times but they had been calm for several days so it took me a couple of minutes to figure it out. As soon as I started talking to them they calmed down and I realized they didn't recognize me at first. Monday was the first time in months that I wan't wearing shorts and T shirt but that day I was wearing long pants and a sweatshirt. :)

I let them out this morning so hopefully things go well from here on out.
 

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I did just the opposite with Sentry and Sheba. Got early shower and went back outside to put them in the sheep lot. I was wearing shorts, They barked, snarled, hair up on their back, in attack mode. Impressive! I finally talked to them, “Momma’s got legs!” And they wagged their tails, happy to see me. LOL
 

Mike CHS

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Teresa and I went out to call the sheep into a paddock away from the ram since several of the yearlings kept trying to entice him to break his way through the fence. One ewe was in the process of delivering her second lamb so she will stay put for another day. One of them has the color pattern like a few others have.
 

Mike CHS

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We had to think about what made this bottle lamb different than all of the others that we had and it didn't take much figuring. We had used a kennel outside for our first couple of lambs so they were tame but not into living with us. We had a couple that had a day or two in the inside kennel with interaction with us and then back out with the sheep and getting fed by us that way. This is the first time that we have had one in the house with us for this much time. We have a couple of ways this lamb can get a good life, whether that be with us or elsewhere. We really don't need another wether at this point but that is OK if it works out that way. We have friends who have always had some sheep for pets but most of the sheep are getting older and they are talking about getting more. He responds to his name, comes when called and stops doing whatever he is doing when we get on to him.

Maisy pouts every time I go down and take the lamb out of the field. She won't even take a treat or if she does take a treat she will spit it out and just look at me. :)
 

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Mike CHS

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The ram and ewe that we let out of the stall spent the whole day staring off in the distance to where I moved the ewes but they came back up to the stall this morning as I was out. I had left a small amount of feed and they went in to eat that then went back out. When I went to the stall they saw me and came back to see if I had something for them. The ram took a couple of crackers and I put some more food out and they walked right by me to the food. Today was just to get them used to coming in and gaining more of his trust by not trying to control their coming in and out.

We went out and weighed and ear tagged the twin ewes born to #44 yesterday.
 

Mike CHS

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At some point in his life, the new ram had a lot of hands of by someone. He appears to be completely trusting no. I can walk up to him and put my hand on his back and walk completely around him. I expected him to at least flinch some when I got in his slight zone but he had no reaction at all. I don't want him getting too trusting so we will keep it where we are. I just wanted to be able to get him in and out without having to drive him.
 
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