Hey a sheep post!

This blog was initially created to keep in touch with my sheep friends and keep up-to-date with them in all things sheepy.

I've neglected them recently!

Let's see....what can I say about the sheep?

Some of the mature ewes are starting to really get fat......I"ve checked for udders on the AI girls that are due in 8 weeks and there aren't really any bagging up but their bellies sure look big! Last year I was amazed some of the biggest bellied girls only had small single lambs so that can't be even a consideration that they are bred. I did AI 10 ewes in October so I have the possibility of having 10 ewes lambing on or around March 20th. The rest of the girls and the AI girls were put in with rams and due around April 20th, so I know for sure that the AI girls didn't take on the AI if they don't lamb sometime around March 20th. I like that I have a definite break between them and it was really based on me being away for nine days in April for our Cardigan National. I think next year, regardless I will put them together for all March lambs. I have new pens inside that are quite large so if we do have a tremendous amount of snow yet next spring that they will be ok in the barn for a few weeks.

The BFLs were put back in the barn as the ewe lambs from Kathy Davidson might be pregnant for February lambs! She told me that they were in with a ram fairly early and that they MIGHT be bred. If not, and if they did cycle, they won't be lambing until May, as I didn't put the ram in with them until a week after the Shetlands as I've been told they aren't the best moms in the cold, especially the first time moms. Time will tell how they do for me. I highly doubt most of them are bred, as they are mostly ewe lambs from 2008.

I've kept most of the ewe lambs separate from the mature ewes this year and I believe that that has really helped them not compete for food and they are growing better than my ewe lambs did last winter when they were with the adult ewes. I will continue this practice from now on. I don't grain them, but the extra space and lack of competition with older ewes really seemed to give them a better growth spurt this winter.

Photos...ah yes...well I should be able to get back to my photos when I get my computer back TONIGHT and then I can start catching up with blogging again. Its amazing how addicted I am!