Haha progresses

[Flyfisher]

Ours were just weaned, lambs, not supposed to over winter, but that changed with the fact that as they were due to go to slaughter over half were in lamb themselves!!!

Arghh! Something else to watch out for - can rubber bands still be used to, ahem, stop that sort of thing or is there some EU rule that says such things can only be done by expensive vets? (During my teenage years I once help a farming friend to, er, deal with a number of his male pigs, which was quite an eye-opener, not to mention the eye-watering. I won't go into details but it involved a razor blade . . . . there go my eyes again).

I love Worms' suggestion for a wildflower/hay meadow, it was actually one of my first thoughts, but anywhere I don't regularly mow just turns into nettles and other weeds I've been told that our soil is too rich for a traditional meadow.

 

[skier-hughes]

I'm not sure on the law, but rubber bands have been used and for tail docking as well, so long as it's done immediately.

 

[worms]

I'm not sure on the law, but rubber bands have been used and for tail docking as well, so long as it's done immediately.

Rubber rings are only legal (for castration or tail-docking) if used in the first week of life.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Sorry to have been so pessimistic last night!

Carole is right that short wool sheep, properly managed, are easier than longwool sheep. But I've not come across a sheep that didn't require dagging, worming, foot-trimming, shearing and sundry other duties. Invariably it will then die mysteriously. They say a sheep's only aim in life is to die. They are right.

That said, lambing is incredibly rewarding, and the meat is very tasty.

Joce, Mike, etc. By all means get some traditional, hardy, preferaby rare-breed, sheep. Just make them short-wool. And be prepared that some will die if you're thinking of keeping them as pets.

 

[LadyArowana]

And be prepared that some will die if you're thinking of keeping them as pets.

Could you tell me a bit more about the non pet variety of immortal sheep?

 

[JoceAndChris]

there must be some sheep gods, but also a bit more prosaically - this:
http://m.upi.com/m/story/UPI-91891251524430/

Think how much we could do to our nice houses if we were to get the knack of breeding them!!

And thanks for all the many useful pointers in the thread. It's encouraging to know that preventive treatment can make a big difference ( as with poultry) but it's still clearly a huge responsibility to take on and as 'marm says a good solution here would be for someone experienced to use the grazing. I want my own though - ones who will nibble out of my hand and come running when I call their names.

 

[skier-hughes]

I had a lamy called frisky which we had as a pet as we bottle fed it as the farmer thought it'd die and it was very friendly.
A lot of our 47 sheep would come to you at feeding time and eat out of your hand, but they know when you want to get them in for something else and then just play at being silly little ********

 

[JoceAndChris]

S.H - Your above anecdote back in September is already matching my own observation! The sheep are coming right up to me, particularly if there's a container in my hand.

I'm having a really good time with the ha-ha, the weather's mild and the wasps have gone. The sheep are right under my nose wondering what I'm doing.

It all looks a bit butcehred in the area I'm working on, but I'm wondering if buillding it up another 3 or 4 courses and grassing up to the brick will both look nice and then form a tall enough wall for me to be able to take the sheep's electric fence away. (By the way, it's a solar powered electric fence!)

Another year of work on this, and it might be done!

 

[worms]

After all the talk of cute native breeds, you get some texels?! :?

 

[JoceAndChris]

They belong to a local sheep farmer, who's pleased to get the grazing, and will show me the ropes.

I could make her an offer for them - but would probably sooner have rare breed lambs in Spring.

 

[Flyfisher]

That sounds like a great arrangement Joce. Nice to see the land in use again.

 

[worms]

They belong to a local sheep farmer, who's pleased to get the grazing, and will show me the ropes.

I could make her an offer for them - but would probably sooner have rare breed lambs in Spring.

Ah well, that's alright, then!

 

[Penners]

Joce - as something of an amateur photography enthusiast, I absolutely love your sunset shot of those sheep! However, I thought the photo was bit too contrasty and had some slightly distracting details in it, so I've mucked around with it a bit. I hope you don't mind, and that you like the result.

 

[Feltwell]

Very clever Penners - I particularly like the way you've managed to remove what was presumably fencing wire stretching across the shot. The fact you can achieve that with what I presume is readily available software that is within reach of the average man, rather than a professional publishing suite costing an extortionate amount, says something for the rapid development of digital photography.

The camera never lies - well, is a lie really isn't it?

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, I absolutely love that Mr P. How sweet of you! As Feltwell points out, it's fantastic to get rid of the electric fence, and I also love the increased gold of the sunset. When I first glanced at this page was oh, Mr P has taken such a similar shot - only so much better than mine. Realising you've just played with mine was quite a surprise, and as Feltwell says an indication of the staggering progression of photography. Thank you so much, I'm having it as my screensaver right away.

I've loved photography since I was little but am not all that good at it - it requires vast amounts of patience and good technical knowledge too.

 

[Penners]

Very clever Penners - I particularly like the way you've managed to remove what was presumably fencing wire stretching across the shot. The fact you can achieve that with what I presume is readily available software that is within reach of the average man, rather than a professional publishing suite costing an extortionate amount, says something for the rapid development of digital photography.

AVERAGE?? How dare you, sir! :wink:

Actually, that was done with the full version of Photoshop, and the phrase "extortionate amount" would not be inappropriate! I worked with Photoshop professionally before I retired, and as a keen amateur photographer I have allowed myself the luxury of the full professional version.

Joce - you'll find that the image you and I posted will be pretty low resolution, so it won't really be suitable for anything other than viewing on a computer. If you want the high resolution version* worked on in the same way, do feel free to email it to me.

*In other words, the picture file as it came out of the camera (unless you're shooting at very low resolution!)

 

[Penners]

I've loved photography since I was little but am not all that good at it - it requires vast amounts of patience and good technical knowledge too.

Actually, you know, with today's digital cameras that's not really true. Since you're no longer hidebound by the cost of film, you can afford to click away at anything and everything that takes your fancy. Just try lots of different angles/views and you're more likely to get something that you really like. Set to automatic, most half-decent digital cameras will get the focus, aperture and shutter speed right pretty well every time.

 

[worms]

it's fantastic to get rid of the electric fence...

Oh no! Blame Penners if the sheep are now over the haha and in with the chooks!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Well Penners, if you're going to Photoshop it, you may as well go the whole hog!

 

[Feltwell]

Those are elephants my dear Mr Wiggs, not hogs.

Do keep up now.