Posted by Karen on January 21, 2003 at 18:41:08:
Well it's sheering time again I can't believe it's only been a year. We were advised by our sheerer to change the woolies diet and to worm them more often, so we did. The little boogers eat better than we do and are wormed about every two months. You would not belive the wool we have this year!!!! I wish I had some clue as to how to do spinning and whatnot there is at least 3 fleeces that I do not want to sell. We tried last week to get all the sheep into one pen but of course I have had this nasty little head cold type thing but even worse one of the Jacob woolies poped an abcess. I am still Thanking God that it was not positive for CL. We were on the verge of sending all the Jacobs to the sale barn. So anyway everytime we move the Jacobs I get hooked it's just a give it, most of the time I get kicked and sometimes I get run over. They are a natural breed and we have tried real hard to keep them as feral as possible. Of course this makes worming, triming and sheering a bit difficult but at least they are a small animal....with 4 horns but still small (100-180 #s). But anyway I did get hooked several times in fact but not bad surprisingly not bad enough to hurt even, I didn't get kicked or run over it went really well. We saved Curly our ram for the last to move back into the ram pen let me tell you he was not impressed. I was not real sure just how we would get ahold of him to change pens as his horns were damaged and they bend forward making roping him hard. As we pulled the last 3 ewes out he stood by the fence and I swear he groweled at us, he was MAD to say the least. So mad in fact he jumped the fence between the Jacob pen and the ram pen. I am not sure what tomorrow holds that all just went to well. Now all we have left is to lock everybody in the barns so they can dry out before Sat. My fingers are crossed that they will dry out in time, I can't even imajine what the lambs will think they are so bouncy in this cold and just love the snow. Being locked up for a week will be tough on them. I guess it's for the best though our sheerer says if they are wet he will get zapped and that would not be fun for him. I think he has no sense of adventure. Now the fun begins all of the woolies need to be trimmed, Goathater is going to get me some nippers as the boys used mine for fence cutters. I wonder how long it will take me to trim 43 sheep plus the goats that I know should be done before kidding. I have two sheep that are really bad. One poor Bertha she has foundered or has walnut poisoning or something. The only way to keep her from buckling over is to trim her weekly, not an easy task as her feet hurt and she is at least 50#s more than me. Same story on our new ram Lurch he is huge about 300#s maybe more. For some reason he is really sore as well. We had them in a low ground area that is edged by walnut trees. Could have been the walnuts, the wet ground or a combo of both. Anyway just thought I would give you all a laugh at the thought of me wrestling with all those woolies in a matter of days. This year could be really fun as I was wrestling with Goathater( he and the boys were wrestling and I joined in) of course I ended up messing my thumb up. I thought maybe it was broke, Dalice says maybe not who knows. Other than it's been a week and it still doesn't want to bend we can't be sure. Anyway Iam off I haven't slept a nite in over a week. Think I will take nitetime meds this evening.....what a novelty sleep before two am it's like kidding/lambing season already. God Bless and Good Nite