Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2008 0:58:38 GMT -5
Our oldest son has been working towards the day that he would have his own flock of sheep. He researched different breeds and decided on Jacobs because they're an endangered, heritage breed and because of their breed characteristics. We brought home a starter flock this weekend!
We're all pretty enamored with these sheep!
Here's the flock (minus the 2 rams). There are 5 older ewes (3-5yrs old), 3 yearling ewes (the 3 in the way back of the picture), and 6 lambs (4 ewe lambs and 2 ram lambs). One of the older ewes was bred late and hasn't lambed yet.
This isn't a very good picture of the older ram, Henry. He and the other ram, Tank, started fighting in the stock trailer, and I was too nervous to move them until Hubby gets home on Thursday. Thankfully, they settled down, and seem to have called a truce. They'd been penned together for the last 5 weeks, but it was a very small pen. The front half of the trailer gave them room to tussle. The trailer was bedded down with straw, so I put in a water bucket, and we've been feeding them there.
Here's a good "mug" shot of Henry. He won grand champion ram at a wool show in W. Virginia as a yearling, and he looks like he knows he's hot stuff in this picture!
This is the "queen" ewe, Hannah, and her ram lamb, Maveric. Maveric has the most gorgeous wool. Our plan had been to butcher both ram lambs this fall, but I don't think we'll be able to do that to Maveric. If we're unable to sell him as a ram, we'll wether him and keep him around for his fleece.
Our son says he feels like the happiest kid in the world. I was so proud of him when he gave his 6- and 8-year old brothers each their pick of a ewe lamb to be their own. He said he'll give his sister and baby brother a ewe to start their own flock when they're old enough to want one.
I was also tickled when -- in the middle of talking about his big plans for his life as a shephard -- he set down his glass of milk and said, "Wow...Norman's milk is so good. No matter how many sheep I have on my farm, I gotta always make sure I have a milk cow." That's my boy! ;D
We're all pretty enamored with these sheep!
Here's the flock (minus the 2 rams). There are 5 older ewes (3-5yrs old), 3 yearling ewes (the 3 in the way back of the picture), and 6 lambs (4 ewe lambs and 2 ram lambs). One of the older ewes was bred late and hasn't lambed yet.
This isn't a very good picture of the older ram, Henry. He and the other ram, Tank, started fighting in the stock trailer, and I was too nervous to move them until Hubby gets home on Thursday. Thankfully, they settled down, and seem to have called a truce. They'd been penned together for the last 5 weeks, but it was a very small pen. The front half of the trailer gave them room to tussle. The trailer was bedded down with straw, so I put in a water bucket, and we've been feeding them there.
Here's a good "mug" shot of Henry. He won grand champion ram at a wool show in W. Virginia as a yearling, and he looks like he knows he's hot stuff in this picture!
This is the "queen" ewe, Hannah, and her ram lamb, Maveric. Maveric has the most gorgeous wool. Our plan had been to butcher both ram lambs this fall, but I don't think we'll be able to do that to Maveric. If we're unable to sell him as a ram, we'll wether him and keep him around for his fleece.
Our son says he feels like the happiest kid in the world. I was so proud of him when he gave his 6- and 8-year old brothers each their pick of a ewe lamb to be their own. He said he'll give his sister and baby brother a ewe to start their own flock when they're old enough to want one.
I was also tickled when -- in the middle of talking about his big plans for his life as a shephard -- he set down his glass of milk and said, "Wow...Norman's milk is so good. No matter how many sheep I have on my farm, I gotta always make sure I have a milk cow." That's my boy! ;D