We have a break from the rain and cloudy skies today so I thought I would get out and take some pictures to share. The lambs are all growing so fast. The little girl above will actually be a nice dark gray. Patsy (below) is one of my friendliest lambs. 
Amos is finally getting his horns. His fleece is very nice so I hope those horns turn out ok.
Simmons is one of my nicest lambs. His fleece is gorgeous and his horns look great so far.
Lucy...what can I say about Lucy. That is a bit of a long story. She is now living with the rams. When my last ewe had lambed, I went out to find one of her twins in the middle aisle of the barn even though I had the mom and both babies still in a stall. His back was broken and he was in alot of pain. I had to put him down. I could not figure out how in the world he had gotten out of the stall. The gate was a hog panel so I assumed he probably stuck his head out and was pulled the rest of the way. The only way that could have happened was Lucy. I still didn't want to believe it but about a week later, after the mom and her other baby were out with the rest of the sheep; I looked out in the pasture and Lucy had the other baby by the back leg swinging it like a toy. I was able to get to him in time and he was ok. I have Lucy with the rams until I can figure this out. Then one night I went out to put the sheep up for the night and I couldn't find that little ram lamb. His mom was calling for him but no response. He has simply vanished. I can't find traces of blood anywhere. Nothing. I can't imagine a coyote getting in and only taking one sheep. I guess it will remain a mystery. I've talked to several people and read about livestock guardian dogs and I think it is a matter of aggressive play. She is not a mean dog. 
On a brighter note, I have been busy keeping up with the yard and painting furniture. I found these old metal chairs in the trash at my grandma's house. I brought them home and had them sandblasted. I've always liked old stuff better than anything I could buy new. I have also started a new rug. This is the rug before it is washed and sewn. The colors are a nice slate blue, brown and tan. I'm sewing it now and that is by far the most time consuming for me. I'm anxious to get it done before school is out next week. I need something to catch all that dirt the kids bring in. Bring on Summer!!!
4 comments:
Your lambs are getting so BIG! What makes you think the first one will be grey? She sure looks black & white to me.
I LOVE your chairs! How very cool.
I am very sorry to hear about Lucy. I have to say: every single person that I know that has a Pyre for LGD has ended up having to take it away from the sheep because it started hurting them. I think I'll stick to my electric fences and count my blessings!
Nancy, so good to hear from you. I should post a picture of that ewe lambs parted fleece than you can see the grey. Don't know what to do about Lucy but thanks..I've thought about letting her loose in the yard but I'm afrad she'll get hit by a car since she is use to her boundries..frustrating!
Sheila, I am so sorry to hear about your poor little ram lambs; that's heartbreaking. It must be hard to look at Lucy after that. I know I'd want to throttle Jackson - or worse.
Sorry to hear about Lucy. We originally tried pyrs, but they didn't work out. After one killed and ate a guinea, I figured it was time to find them a pet home. If she young, she might outgrow it. My Anatolian shepherd is a darling now, but he did play rough with a goat kid once when he was less than a year old. I saw it and scolded him, and the kid was okay. I'm not sure how I would have felt it I'd found a dead kid. As it was, I kept him tied for several months in the pasture, so at least the kids could get away if he was tempted to play rough again.
I don't know that there is an answer with livestock guardians of any species when they're young. We got a donkey once, and when he was about a year, he killed a yearling ewe -- ran her down and trampled her. Then we put him in a perimeter pasture for the bucks, and one day when one of them got out, he grabbed it by the hind leg and was running with it hanging from his mouth. Thankfully the buck recovered.
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