Kip's Day

Yesterday we had perfect weather to be outside- what better day to trim sheep hooves.   Kip helped by holding them in a corner so I could catch them.   There he is in the above picture watching the sheep.    Then we took them out in the pasture to watch them eat.     The low, wet areas are getting up to grazable height, whereas the high, dry areas where the sheep really prefer to be are still very short grass.   So we go out and hold the sheep to grazing in their less favorite areas.  Sheep like to have a good high lookout to see any predators coming, but when those areas are patrolled by a big, black wolf they are willing to eat in the low spots.

They will not, however, stand in water to eat.   Here they are jumping over a puddle.

"We're not moose you know"

This is Adot and her two lambs in front

Adot is doing fine. She is feeding the lambs now, although I'm still supplementing with bowls of milk since the lambs aren't as fat as the others.   They also eat hay, grain and grass with enthusiasm.   The ewes have all developed a taste for milk replacer, so first I have to use one of the dogs to separate the group from the lambs or they won't get any.   Hank is becoming an expert shedder.  We don't do it the text book way, but which ever way seems to work at the time.   Usually I'm pointing and yelling "hold those guys!" while trying to ease the lambs toward the gate.   Which he does, good Hankie.   

This is the newest member of the flock.  He was born Wednesday

His mother is still very protective and he can't follow quick enough to keep up with the other sheep so Kip has to use all his patience (down, stay, walk, down) to move them along slowly.  

Moving slowly across the field...

Sheep grazing

Kip hanging out with me

Kinda big for a lap dog, aren't you?

The End