Tag Archives: shetland

A New Ewe

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Blackie, our new ewe!

Blackie, our new ewe!

Her arrival was uncerimonial to say the least, but we are very happy that she is here. Introducing Blackie, our new ewe.

Blackie arrived from Quebec on the evening of Friday February 1. She, and her people had had a long drive and were glad to finally stop. It was dark, cold, and she was quite content in her truck, but our place was her final destination. I picked her tiny frame (very tiny, she is just knee high) up off the truck, and placed her on the snow. She didn’t mind her halter, but wasn’t too sure about this cold white stuff under her feet again. Blackie felt VERY pregnant.

She hesitantly at first, but after the sheep treat was introduced, joyfully walked to her new stall. She will be in there until she lambs, which shouldn’t be too long now. Everyone was surprised to find her user so full, and imagine my surpass, when on Monday I felt her user again and she presented it to me. Lamb following soon!

 

Introducing Thomas, the ram

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This year in many ways has been pivotal. We have added to our chicken flock, had our own homegrown chicks, and brought some animals to slaughter, with more to go soon (damned roosters)! A full life cycle has taken place here. We really didn’t know how we would react to all of this birthing and dying. At times it has been traumatic (Mr. Tufts) but also fulfilling (our first lamb roast). All in all we feel that we want to continue raising animals for more than pets.

Of course this means that we had to think about how we were going to have more lambs and chicks. Well, we kind of have the chick thing covered, but the having more lambs is a more complicated thing. It seems that loaner rams are not common here, and likely they are not as common in England as they once were either. this is due to transmitting diseases between farms, not something that anyone really wants to do. So, we took the plunge an got a ram.

Because our ewes are of small stature we had to make sure we did get a small breed. Of course a Shetland ram is the logical choice, so that is what we looked for. Of course we had determined what kind of animal we needed: white, male, good fleece. Luckily we managed to find the perfect ram at the right (a.k.a. as low as possible)price down near Sarnia. Tammy has been breeding Shetland’s for a number of years and wanted to reduce her flock. She had a ram available that suited our needs perfectly. So we looked at Thomas and decided he was the one for our girls. Unfortunately his original home had cut his horns before they had fully turned outward so he has a few maintenance issues that we need to address. But other than that he is very good and gentle with the girls.

We had Tammy deliver Thomas here as we didn’t think our hatchback was a good way to bring him home. S far everything is going great and he has settled in beautifully. We have noticed that the girls are no longer afraid to go to the end of the pasture the way they were when there was just the two of them. Now we just hope he is going to do his ramly duties!

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