Just another Day on the Farm

As I was squatted down with a wee babe of a lamb between my legs nursing from its bottle, its mother once again broke from her corner and raced across the pen and slammed into me, driving me into the wall..

Now the reason I was in that spot was because not a min or two earlier, she had done the same thing but by me and have knocked down her own son in the process.

That ewe is heading to freezer camp!

First off, she didn’t bond correctly, I can forgive that, I can work with her and train her to understand that she needs to bond with the baby, and I can help her by putting her in a jug, with her own water, feed, bedding and a safe smaller space so she can’t be pushed around by more dominant ewes.

Then she would not make enough milk, so if you catch her and stand her, she will freeze and allow the lamb to nurse (I have never seen him successfully nurse yet by asking her, she moves on him always) and he is a strong nursing lamb.

Ok, there is no reason that she should not have milk, but I babied her, I added in a touch of grain her to feedings, I added in a bit of the higher protein pellets, and some dried herbs to see if she could increase her milk.. so far.. nothing, and trust me, normally what I have added is enough to send the milk production souring.

I will own up the fact that this no milk was sending her to freezer camp, but I was still feeling a bit, well should I give her more of a chance..

Bla, I think not.. she won’t settle.. I mean none of the ewes like to be jugged, they are a herd animal, and I get that, I really do but they all are jugged and normally after one or two feedings the girls react a) meet me at the gate, I’m so happy, I get grain and all my fix’n delivered to me, I like this breakfast in stall.. happy, happy, joy, joy or its a quieter female, she will stand at the back in a corner and watch me do her dishes, feed, water and clean her pen, wait till I am done and then move up and get down to the business of being a content sheep.. I am good with both of the sheep above..

But this young female is on day three now of being jugged and she is not being either of the above, she either freeze’s in place or she runs from one side to the other, and back again, she has no respect for me, my personal space, or her offspring..

I won’t stand for it.. she will get to stay around long enough to keep him company but she is on the fall list.. she is not a good momma and I have no room for a breeding female that is not!

“I was thinking of you when I bought my guineas. Are you free ranging yours? I want to, but I’ve heard that they may take off and not come back. Our babies are currently confined in a rabbit cage in our chicken coop. When they’re old enough, we plan to keep them in the chicken run for awhile. Will that be enough to imprint their little brains that this is “home”? I’d love to hear how your guinea fowl are doing.”

Hi Mrs T

Well mine are now bonded to the farm and they have day time free range, they are roamers, going much further into the pastures and the food forest then the chickens or ducks do. They are active and busy, they are noisy, and if you like the way they sound, they are a hoot, if not, maybe not so much LOL

here are some photos for you..  I can’t say much about the rest of their life cycle yet as I have not had sitting, hatching, raising keets, or butchering yet, so far, I just have a fun trio of a male (the boss) and two lovely hens.