Waiting their turn

Clun Forest yearlings.

Shearing day

Shearing began this morning at about 8 o’clock. The pregnant ewes were the first ones through and it is easy to tell now the ones that will lamb first. Worker boy has put out lots of fresh straw bedding in each of the lean-to areas for the sheep to snuggle down in tonight. They don’t seem the least bit upset to have their wool gone. Maybe it's a relief to have less weight to haul around.

Maria shearing a Clun Forest yearling.

Winter Break

It's been terribly cold here the past few days. Seems more so because we had almost a week of unusually mild weather. Then March came roaring in.

Garry put up panels at the end of the east lean-to and then we attached a bale tarp across the end and part of the side. It looks dark back there in this photo but it's actually fairly light. The ewes with lambs and our yearling ewes quite enjoy going in and out of the wind. With lots of straw bedding they look quite comfortable when I check on them in the evening.

The shearers should be here by the end of the week and it is good we have this area all ready for them. The bred ewes are on the other side of the barn where the lean-to has tin on the west side, a wall of straw bales on the South side and a gate on the north side so they are well protected. Once it gets close to lambing if the weather is still like this they will all be in the barn at night. We have thirty one more ewes to lamb of which most are purebred Clun Forest, two are purebred Suffolk and three are Rambouillet.

Spring chickens?

Our chickens are happy the weather has gotten warmer the last few days. We spread some hay on the snow so they could go out and scratch around and get some exercise. They are more content now and the egg production has improved. I have six Buff Orpington hens but none are in this picture. Went into their building and several were laying eggs and the rest were looking anxiously at the favourite nest box. Isn’t it funny how they all seem to like the same nest.

Recess

When the ewes are eating the lambs take the opportunity to run and jump around the corral. Yesterday was the first time this group really got into the game. I have such a good time watching them jump up and kick their heels in the air. The stopped the game when they saw me with the camera in hand so they could pose.

Clun Forest

It's soon going to be time for lambing. Many of the ewes are looking quite big and in three weeks will be huge I'm sure. This Clun Forest is enjoying the warmer weather.

Java's lambs

Java finally lambed on Thursday. I was beginning to wonder about her. She needed a bit of help to get these two lovely ram lambs out. I was dissappointed when the second lamb, pure black, turned out to be a ram lamb. I would love to have a ewe lamb out of Java. Well, maybe next year.