It was rather white and very pretty. Then it got very blowy - okay, the wind was blowing everything to the horizontal. And it was cold. What a LION of an entry for winter's first snowfall!
So, we really were not ready. I guess it's going to thaw next week to allow us to catch up. We'll see. I will prioritise once again.
I am very behind with my blog. It has been very busy. There are several new additions.
I found four Chanteclerc hens for sale. They are just starting to lay. I had been looking for this breed in particular as it was developed in Canada to tolerate our cold winters; the combs and wattles are small. I wanted a few more hens since production is not quite enough for me to put a sign at the end of the driveway to advertise eggs for sale.
So the new girls arrived and there was some squawking. Okay, there was a lot of squawking. Before their arrival I read that they are not a pet kind of bird and were described as flighty. This seems to be true, however one allowed me to pet it today. The reds are nasty to them. After all, the expression 'pecking order' was created by these creatures and they are demonstrating their expertise in this area. I have put out a second feeder and moved it closer to the Chanteclers when there is an opportunity.
They are a Banty variety and instead of the white variety are dark in colouring with black and brown and red highlights. These girls' beaks were not trimmed like the reds were and so they are sharp. They are young, born in the spring and just starting to lay. Their eggs are brown and at this point, tiny - especially when compared to the very large eggs of the reds. An aside, there was a large double yoker laid by one of the reds last week. Hubby enjoyed that for breakfast.
Oh, yeah, the snow. Well, more of it arrived. The sheep are still wandering down by the house and are foraging for grass. That is, they are digging in the snow to find grass to munch on. I am feeding hay. I have been feeding more hay. I ran through my calculations and I'm feeding more hay. The sheep have been getting a bit of grain too to add some bonus nutrition for the breeding season. Birch the new ram joined the flock last week.
There was the wild barn cat I brought home that was last seen in a tree, care of border collie Beau. I was a little more strategic this time. I have been watching kijiji and found a young barn cat, fixed, up-to-date on shots and free. It turns out it is a rescue for euthanasia bound cats. I was going to get two but the second one was not feeling well. Humphrey meowed a bit on the way home and otherwise was an excellent passenger. I had held on to the poultry crate I borrowed to get kitties home too.
At home we took Humphrey in the crate into the barn with the Maremmas. Ruby went bonkers as there was an intruder in her barn! Kitty ate some vittles. He seemed quite hungry. Ruby didn't bother too much until later and when I entered the barn Ruby was at the rafters on the stacked hay, peering over the wall into the overhang where the hay was stored on the other side of the wall.
So, Humphrey remained calm and stayed setting atop the wall. In a second he could dash into the hay on the other side and Ruby would not be able to follow. Humphrey seemed to me to be quite content. I was happy as Humphrey remained calm and in control and able to handle this HUGE puppy barking in his face. And on the other side of the wall there is an abundance of mice and rats.
Oh, and we picked up a side of beef today. Local, happy cow. We had some for dinner. And last night we ate lamb. All very good and good for us. Not sure we can describe snow that way...
Friday, 21 November 2014
Tuesday, 11 November 2014
Sheep, llamas, hiking
I am no longer taking the sheep out to pasture in the Middle Field. Instead they are around the house and in the Front Field. I am offering a half bale of hay each day but it is barely cleaned up; they prefer the green stuff even though the pickings are slim.
I have also been giving the sheep grain now for a few weeks. This is called "flushing" and is done in anticipation of breeding. The ram lamb too has been getting lots of grain. He's a small ram lamb and growing. I need him to be a big guy! The ram, Birch, will go out with the girls this weekend.
Some sheep farmers hold back their ewe lambs and do not breed them the first year. We did this thirty years ago, holding them back until they were larger. It is hard on them as they are not finished growing and they are not always good mothers that first year. In the thirty years since I had sheep I notice that lambs gain faster. My market lambs were big, earlier. And so I have decided to breed the ewe lambs this year.
When I look at the four yearlings from my flock purchase in March they are all doing very well. They were all bred their first year. They are large sheep now and looking really healthy. Each of them had a single lamb and none of them presented as clueless mothers; they took care of their babies. And so if I breed my ewe lambs and next year they look like these four, I will be very satisfied. Also, I could have sold more lamb, so if I breed these four I will have more produce to sell.
Last night when I was putting the sheep to bed, Cotton, one of the yearlings from the original flock was very complacent. Not in an unhealthy way, just that she was standing right in front of me and not moving away. I stroked and poked her back and as she did not move. I stroked and poked some more and talked to her. I told her she was standing stock still like Millie does when she wants a hug. Then I realised she was in heat and therefore extremely "affectionate". I reached down and gave her a hug and told her she'd probably never let me do this again. It was an amusing experience.
When the last market lambs left a week ago I separated the llamas. I put Sheba in with Birch to keep him company and I left Henrietta in with the flock. I posted an ad on kijiji to sell Sheba. I have had one strange response. I'll have to freshen up the ad. In recently consulting with a llama breeder she felt that the lack of coyote interference on the part of the llamas is because there are two of them. She emphasised that it is very much a personality thing, that not all llamas make good guardians. As I described Henrietta and some of her antics she did express that those were characteristics that could make her a good guardian. And so we are moving forward with the ongoing predator control project.
In another vein, some girlfriends came to visit on Friday and we went for a good hike on the property. I had wanted to mark the trail in the bush while I could still see it. So, we circumvented most of the Middle Field and entered the bush back near the cabin. We explored some potential off shoot pathways that led us up a lovely hill scattered with chunks of the Canadian Shield. We crossed the bottom of the valley and onto the north side of the middle promontory that runs east-west down the property. We then came up the north side of the promontory and arrived back behind the barn. Before heading in we hiked over and up onto Table Rock to take in the view there.
It was lovely. It is a superb time of year to hike. All three dogs came with us. This was the first time that Millie has come for a hike with me, other than a field checking expedition. Beau could not get enough stick play, as usual. Ruby really liked my one friend in particular and would sit nicely for her - after jumping on her first.
After our hike we had a potluck lunch of soup, salad, chili, cheese, crackers... We took our tea by the wood stove. It was all quite lovely indeed.
I have also been giving the sheep grain now for a few weeks. This is called "flushing" and is done in anticipation of breeding. The ram lamb too has been getting lots of grain. He's a small ram lamb and growing. I need him to be a big guy! The ram, Birch, will go out with the girls this weekend.
Some sheep farmers hold back their ewe lambs and do not breed them the first year. We did this thirty years ago, holding them back until they were larger. It is hard on them as they are not finished growing and they are not always good mothers that first year. In the thirty years since I had sheep I notice that lambs gain faster. My market lambs were big, earlier. And so I have decided to breed the ewe lambs this year.
When I look at the four yearlings from my flock purchase in March they are all doing very well. They were all bred their first year. They are large sheep now and looking really healthy. Each of them had a single lamb and none of them presented as clueless mothers; they took care of their babies. And so if I breed my ewe lambs and next year they look like these four, I will be very satisfied. Also, I could have sold more lamb, so if I breed these four I will have more produce to sell.
Last night when I was putting the sheep to bed, Cotton, one of the yearlings from the original flock was very complacent. Not in an unhealthy way, just that she was standing right in front of me and not moving away. I stroked and poked her back and as she did not move. I stroked and poked some more and talked to her. I told her she was standing stock still like Millie does when she wants a hug. Then I realised she was in heat and therefore extremely "affectionate". I reached down and gave her a hug and told her she'd probably never let me do this again. It was an amusing experience.
When the last market lambs left a week ago I separated the llamas. I put Sheba in with Birch to keep him company and I left Henrietta in with the flock. I posted an ad on kijiji to sell Sheba. I have had one strange response. I'll have to freshen up the ad. In recently consulting with a llama breeder she felt that the lack of coyote interference on the part of the llamas is because there are two of them. She emphasised that it is very much a personality thing, that not all llamas make good guardians. As I described Henrietta and some of her antics she did express that those were characteristics that could make her a good guardian. And so we are moving forward with the ongoing predator control project.
In another vein, some girlfriends came to visit on Friday and we went for a good hike on the property. I had wanted to mark the trail in the bush while I could still see it. So, we circumvented most of the Middle Field and entered the bush back near the cabin. We explored some potential off shoot pathways that led us up a lovely hill scattered with chunks of the Canadian Shield. We crossed the bottom of the valley and onto the north side of the middle promontory that runs east-west down the property. We then came up the north side of the promontory and arrived back behind the barn. Before heading in we hiked over and up onto Table Rock to take in the view there.
It was lovely. It is a superb time of year to hike. All three dogs came with us. This was the first time that Millie has come for a hike with me, other than a field checking expedition. Beau could not get enough stick play, as usual. Ruby really liked my one friend in particular and would sit nicely for her - after jumping on her first.
After our hike we had a potluck lunch of soup, salad, chili, cheese, crackers... We took our tea by the wood stove. It was all quite lovely indeed.
Friday, 7 November 2014
Fall & Daily Dog Joy
FALL
Although I want to write about Fall it has been snowing, which means Winter. It has been a lovely Fall, a time of year which is my favourite. Sightings of Reginald and his relatives is unusual and the bugs are very very few - except for deer ticks as I have been finding them on the Maremmas quite regularly.
The colours have been quite nice with lots of red this year. It is a good time to see things, really see the land, as the leaves are released from the trees. There are really interesting rock formations under the forest covering. And some of the older trees are mammoth in size. I wonder what they have seen, what stories they can tell.
Out in the Middle Field with the sheep, I busied myself collecting dead fall wood for kindling. Collecting the bits along the edge of the field allowed me to keep an eye on the flock while cleaning up things and gathering fire starter for the wood stove. I also discovered some junk. In days of yore farmers burned and buried their garbage. What I have found are a few spots where galvanised and other metal has been dumped, and glass. I have gathered up some interesting glass bottles. In addition there are also some shiny bits of blue and red glass, broken shards from other more handsome discards. I have also found useful bits such as concrete blocks and terra cotta tubing that will make nice garden accents.
And other times I took Dot's fleece out with me as I work my way through preparing it for carding. Also in these times I have been present for the dogs. Ruby has required some correction to not chase the sheep. This has worked out well. All in all I have enjoyed the great outdoors of Fall and tried to make effective use of my time protecting the flock.
HOMEGROWN DINNER
It was quite scrumptious. We will not have as much lamb as originally planned. I hadn't really planned when we would get some. Last Saturday when I picked up lamb from the butcher I decided we should have some for dinner and so we became owners of one side.
Chops were what I selected. They were huge. We treated them like steak and carefully barbecued them in the same way. Alongside I served up the last late harvest of broccoli and some homegrown red potatoes. A lovely homegrown dinner, indeed!
DAILY DOG JOY
I'm not sure who gets more joy out of a day, me or the dogs. I realised today that Ruby is the first puppy that I have owned. I have always had a mature dog and advised others to do the same. Who would want a puppy? They are so much work. At twelve weeks she wasn't any work to house train. She wasn't in the house and never will be in the house. Her toileting habits are quite good for a barn dog.
Ruby's biggest challenge is that she jumps - a lot. It's getting better, though. After about the third jump she sits down and waits for you to pet her. The jumping really is for joy: the joy of the day, the joy of the moment, just joy. She pounces when she hunts mice. She curls up in a ball and sleeps wherever. In the barn I caught her sleeping upside down in the middle of her pen on the Power Rangers blanket she pulled out of the garbage pile. It's her blanket now, always in her pen. Slowly the stuffing has been removed from the thin pieces of material.
It seems that the best thing to happen to Millie is Ruby's arrival. Millie runs and plays like I've never seen her do before. And Millie smiles and beams and glows with her own joy. Millie has been showing some symptoms of Lyme disease, despite treatment, but the joy still shines through. I put hay out for the sheep and Millie went and burrowed in the hay. She slept in the mound. Millie and Ruby play around the sheep as they munch away at the mound of hay.
We can learn a great deal watching our animals experience the joy of a second, a minute, an afternoon...
Although I want to write about Fall it has been snowing, which means Winter. It has been a lovely Fall, a time of year which is my favourite. Sightings of Reginald and his relatives is unusual and the bugs are very very few - except for deer ticks as I have been finding them on the Maremmas quite regularly.
The colours have been quite nice with lots of red this year. It is a good time to see things, really see the land, as the leaves are released from the trees. There are really interesting rock formations under the forest covering. And some of the older trees are mammoth in size. I wonder what they have seen, what stories they can tell.
Out in the Middle Field with the sheep, I busied myself collecting dead fall wood for kindling. Collecting the bits along the edge of the field allowed me to keep an eye on the flock while cleaning up things and gathering fire starter for the wood stove. I also discovered some junk. In days of yore farmers burned and buried their garbage. What I have found are a few spots where galvanised and other metal has been dumped, and glass. I have gathered up some interesting glass bottles. In addition there are also some shiny bits of blue and red glass, broken shards from other more handsome discards. I have also found useful bits such as concrete blocks and terra cotta tubing that will make nice garden accents.
And other times I took Dot's fleece out with me as I work my way through preparing it for carding. Also in these times I have been present for the dogs. Ruby has required some correction to not chase the sheep. This has worked out well. All in all I have enjoyed the great outdoors of Fall and tried to make effective use of my time protecting the flock.
HOMEGROWN DINNER
It was quite scrumptious. We will not have as much lamb as originally planned. I hadn't really planned when we would get some. Last Saturday when I picked up lamb from the butcher I decided we should have some for dinner and so we became owners of one side.
Chops were what I selected. They were huge. We treated them like steak and carefully barbecued them in the same way. Alongside I served up the last late harvest of broccoli and some homegrown red potatoes. A lovely homegrown dinner, indeed!
DAILY DOG JOY
I'm not sure who gets more joy out of a day, me or the dogs. I realised today that Ruby is the first puppy that I have owned. I have always had a mature dog and advised others to do the same. Who would want a puppy? They are so much work. At twelve weeks she wasn't any work to house train. She wasn't in the house and never will be in the house. Her toileting habits are quite good for a barn dog.
Ruby's biggest challenge is that she jumps - a lot. It's getting better, though. After about the third jump she sits down and waits for you to pet her. The jumping really is for joy: the joy of the day, the joy of the moment, just joy. She pounces when she hunts mice. She curls up in a ball and sleeps wherever. In the barn I caught her sleeping upside down in the middle of her pen on the Power Rangers blanket she pulled out of the garbage pile. It's her blanket now, always in her pen. Slowly the stuffing has been removed from the thin pieces of material.
It seems that the best thing to happen to Millie is Ruby's arrival. Millie runs and plays like I've never seen her do before. And Millie smiles and beams and glows with her own joy. Millie has been showing some symptoms of Lyme disease, despite treatment, but the joy still shines through. I put hay out for the sheep and Millie went and burrowed in the hay. She slept in the mound. Millie and Ruby play around the sheep as they munch away at the mound of hay.
We can learn a great deal watching our animals experience the joy of a second, a minute, an afternoon...
Thursday, 30 October 2014
Get Away
It's hard to get away from the farm. Animals require feeding at least once a day, at least those inside or on limited pasture. Water is essential and should be freshened. With the coyote situation it is harder to get away, even for a few hours of running errands.
I requested daughter attend her PhD convocation as she had not attended any other graduation ceremonies. Knowing the date of this event and noting it was one week prior to my mother's 75th birthday, I suggested to my siblings we get together the day following the convocation since I'd be in town. Unfortunately, our sister was planning to be away. On the one hand, kudos to her for landing a series of speaking engagements in Australia. On the other hand, she would be absent for these family events.
We mustered together a number of folks to check on the animals and feed and water over the two full days we would be away. The beast requiring the most interaction was Beau dog. And counting sheep was a task to be done numerous times on account of the coyote situation. It all came together beautifully.
A couple from up the road came by twice on Friday and once on Saturday afternoon to count sheep, play with Beau and feed him dinner. Apparently, he bonded with Ruby and they are now best buddies. Another friend came and stayed overnight, checking critters and amusing Beau. On my antiquated cell phone I received text message updates, photos and videos - which would not play. The photos included Beau on the couch, happy chickens eating breakfast, and Ruby in her usual spot at the gated doorway of the Big Barn. And on the Friday night, before our friend arrived, the neighbour-girl did evening chores, feeding everyone and locking up the sheep for the night. It was truly a community effort that allowed us to attend the family events. We are very appreciative of the many hands that allowed us to get away.
Okay, we do look alike a bit, mother and daughter. We are all very very proud of this very awesome young woman and her amazing accomplishments. We will miss her as she sets up house in California for a few years for her post-doctoral at CalTech. She and her husband - yes, they will finally live together in one place, in one country - are coming here for Christmas.
Before heading out to lunch at a restaurant we met at Mom's for a visit - she had yummy chocolate. Sister's absence was filled with her photograph :) She was certainly there in spirit. Happy 75th Birthday, Mom!
When we arrived home on Saturday evening all was in good order. We each headed off to do respective evening chores. The sheep were already in the barn, peacefully lying down and chewing their cud. Their 'dog-thing', Ruby, thumped her tail on the ground in excitement. As long as she stays low and down they don't whack her. Less and less do I find her in her pen; she stays in the larger area with the sheep. The chickens were roosting and their egg laying Christmas light rope which is on a timer was still on to brighten things up.
I fed those who needed feeding, checked water, gathered a few stray eggs and tucked up everyone for the night. We petted Millie and Beau and unpacked ourselves, finding our respective comfort zones and tasks to get settled back into home.
Saturday, 18 October 2014
Atypical Friday
Not a typical, but atypical. I know of no one else who has ever spent a Friday this way.
As I walked up behind the barn I saw hubby's car. He was home early. I saw him and called out to him. "Get your rifle, Honey." He could see I had mine. I'd been out for an hour and finally found the carcass. The sheep 'notified' me when I saw them rushing around the barn, herded in tightly, heads and ears up, eyes half looking behind them.
I'd been in to town earlier and so my rifle was locked up tight. I ripped through the procedure to get it out, grabbed the ammunition, a coat, hat and jumped into the easy to don rain boots. I tried counting the sheep but they were jittery and jambed together. It's easier to count them when they are spread out. I counted twenty-six three times and did not want to believe that one was missing. After all, I often had to count three times before I actually got twenty-seven.
Millie had come into the field with me. Only a half hour before she and Ruby and I had been out with the sheep for over an hour. We had been exploring the bush alongside the field. I had collected some old glass bottles....
Millie went right up to the sheep and nuzzled their faces, a behaviour I had not yet seen. I had not seen Millie try to get this close to a sheep nor had I seen the sheep allow her to get that close. They were not feeling good and Millie knew something big was up. Since Ruby's arrival the sheep have been more accepting of Millie. Unlike Ruby - I refer to her as their 'dog-thing' - who is full of puppy playfullness, Millie is calm and clearly is trying to make them safe as she heads out to the field first thing each morning. Millie is once again trying to befriend the sheep but they are not the sheep with whom she was once best buddies. It remains confusing for Millie and as much as Ruby is very grounded at the barn, Millie avoids going into the Big Barn.
Together hubby and I walked out to the field and surveyed the scene. I had brought my camera to take photos of the carcass. The sheep were grazing restlessly nearby. They had followed me out the second time I went out to search.
At first I did a quick check of the field. I could see neither a carcass or coyote in the field. I went back to the barn and counted sheep again. I counted fourteen ewes and thirteen lambs. Clearly, a lamb was missing. I made a mental note of my favourites and they all seemed to be present. I know, I shouldn't have favourites.... Now I knew I had to find the missing lamb. I searched the entire field edge, looking closely into the brush. At the very end of my search, there it was - a dead lamb with grass still in its mouth, chewing unfinished. He was still warm. I looked at my watch and sixty-five minutes had now passed since I first looked up from my desk and saw the frightened sheep at the barn.
Hubby was all decked out in his hunting clothes. These allowed him to be camouflaged, warm and somewhat waterproof. In addition I sprayed him down, including the soles of his feet, with a no-scent product to allow him to be less known to Mr. Coyote. It was now about 3:15 pm; he'd gotten home early and was now at work in a different capacity. I would not see him again until just before seven. He lay in wait for Mr. Coyote to return to the carcass while I took the sheep back to the Front Field near the barn.
I spent an hour on the phone trying to figure out how to navigate the system(s) to get a Livestock Evaluator to accept my application for compensation for the coyote loss. This was our fifth loss - plus a major and expensive injury - seventh attack, and tenth sighting. Hearing them is in addition to these stats. I could no longer go without compensation; I was losing too much money. Dear reader I am sparing you the details of the challenge of navigating a contradictory government bureaucratic maze. I managed to arrange for the Evaluator to come the next evening.
The Friday evening barbecue plans were postponed. I had put soup in a double boiler on low so it would be hot and ready whenever we wanted it. I puttered around outside for the evening, awaiting hubby's return. I was near the sheep and the dogs, observing behaviours and ensuring safety. I cleared out a shed and set up for salting hides which I would retrieve from the butcher and then salt to preserve them until ready to ship to the tannery for finishing. In addition I retrieved from the shed the heated buckets I would need when the freezing temperatures required them. I put up a few items for storage and in the process secured a few rodent passageways into the shed.
I was putting the sheep into the barn when hubby appeared at the back gate. "I'll help you" I called out. It is very awkward to navigate the secured gate with a rifle in hand. He was
cold and had had enough. There was no longer sufficient light for the task at hand. Together we lifted the heavy lamb into the wheelbarrow. We put it in the big box stall in the Small Barn where it was safe from scavenging and so that the Evaluator could look at it the next day.
There was a fleeting visit by a coyote. It quickly circled the carcass. It was so quick that hubby does not recall seeing it's head or tail. It seemed to be assessing the situation and the return of the entire family was a distinct possibility.
We were away the next day attending a prior commitment - a gun course, my third one, all part of this new life punctuated with unwelcome visits by coyotes. The sheep were not put out back but left in the Front Field. Both Millie and Ruby are very attentive to the sheep when they are in this field. When we got home I only had to count them once to get the right number, now twenty-six: fourteen ewes and twelve lambs.
The compensation I will receive - providing all bureaucratic hoops are jumped - is far less than would have been earned had the male lamb lost instead gone to the butcher's next week. As the Evaluator was leaving this evening he said he has been at one sheep farm seven times in two weeks for many losses, and the farmer has already shot two coyotes during that time. This does put things into perspective. Yet, it is such a shame to lose lambs in such a worthless way. I feel very little control when these things happen.
And, what a loss of a fine Friday night!
As I walked up behind the barn I saw hubby's car. He was home early. I saw him and called out to him. "Get your rifle, Honey." He could see I had mine. I'd been out for an hour and finally found the carcass. The sheep 'notified' me when I saw them rushing around the barn, herded in tightly, heads and ears up, eyes half looking behind them.
I'd been in to town earlier and so my rifle was locked up tight. I ripped through the procedure to get it out, grabbed the ammunition, a coat, hat and jumped into the easy to don rain boots. I tried counting the sheep but they were jittery and jambed together. It's easier to count them when they are spread out. I counted twenty-six three times and did not want to believe that one was missing. After all, I often had to count three times before I actually got twenty-seven.
Millie had come into the field with me. Only a half hour before she and Ruby and I had been out with the sheep for over an hour. We had been exploring the bush alongside the field. I had collected some old glass bottles....
Millie went right up to the sheep and nuzzled their faces, a behaviour I had not yet seen. I had not seen Millie try to get this close to a sheep nor had I seen the sheep allow her to get that close. They were not feeling good and Millie knew something big was up. Since Ruby's arrival the sheep have been more accepting of Millie. Unlike Ruby - I refer to her as their 'dog-thing' - who is full of puppy playfullness, Millie is calm and clearly is trying to make them safe as she heads out to the field first thing each morning. Millie is once again trying to befriend the sheep but they are not the sheep with whom she was once best buddies. It remains confusing for Millie and as much as Ruby is very grounded at the barn, Millie avoids going into the Big Barn.
Together hubby and I walked out to the field and surveyed the scene. I had brought my camera to take photos of the carcass. The sheep were grazing restlessly nearby. They had followed me out the second time I went out to search.
At first I did a quick check of the field. I could see neither a carcass or coyote in the field. I went back to the barn and counted sheep again. I counted fourteen ewes and thirteen lambs. Clearly, a lamb was missing. I made a mental note of my favourites and they all seemed to be present. I know, I shouldn't have favourites.... Now I knew I had to find the missing lamb. I searched the entire field edge, looking closely into the brush. At the very end of my search, there it was - a dead lamb with grass still in its mouth, chewing unfinished. He was still warm. I looked at my watch and sixty-five minutes had now passed since I first looked up from my desk and saw the frightened sheep at the barn.
Hubby was all decked out in his hunting clothes. These allowed him to be camouflaged, warm and somewhat waterproof. In addition I sprayed him down, including the soles of his feet, with a no-scent product to allow him to be less known to Mr. Coyote. It was now about 3:15 pm; he'd gotten home early and was now at work in a different capacity. I would not see him again until just before seven. He lay in wait for Mr. Coyote to return to the carcass while I took the sheep back to the Front Field near the barn.
I spent an hour on the phone trying to figure out how to navigate the system(s) to get a Livestock Evaluator to accept my application for compensation for the coyote loss. This was our fifth loss - plus a major and expensive injury - seventh attack, and tenth sighting. Hearing them is in addition to these stats. I could no longer go without compensation; I was losing too much money. Dear reader I am sparing you the details of the challenge of navigating a contradictory government bureaucratic maze. I managed to arrange for the Evaluator to come the next evening.
The Friday evening barbecue plans were postponed. I had put soup in a double boiler on low so it would be hot and ready whenever we wanted it. I puttered around outside for the evening, awaiting hubby's return. I was near the sheep and the dogs, observing behaviours and ensuring safety. I cleared out a shed and set up for salting hides which I would retrieve from the butcher and then salt to preserve them until ready to ship to the tannery for finishing. In addition I retrieved from the shed the heated buckets I would need when the freezing temperatures required them. I put up a few items for storage and in the process secured a few rodent passageways into the shed.
I was putting the sheep into the barn when hubby appeared at the back gate. "I'll help you" I called out. It is very awkward to navigate the secured gate with a rifle in hand. He was
cold and had had enough. There was no longer sufficient light for the task at hand. Together we lifted the heavy lamb into the wheelbarrow. We put it in the big box stall in the Small Barn where it was safe from scavenging and so that the Evaluator could look at it the next day.
There was a fleeting visit by a coyote. It quickly circled the carcass. It was so quick that hubby does not recall seeing it's head or tail. It seemed to be assessing the situation and the return of the entire family was a distinct possibility.
We were away the next day attending a prior commitment - a gun course, my third one, all part of this new life punctuated with unwelcome visits by coyotes. The sheep were not put out back but left in the Front Field. Both Millie and Ruby are very attentive to the sheep when they are in this field. When we got home I only had to count them once to get the right number, now twenty-six: fourteen ewes and twelve lambs.
The compensation I will receive - providing all bureaucratic hoops are jumped - is far less than would have been earned had the male lamb lost instead gone to the butcher's next week. As the Evaluator was leaving this evening he said he has been at one sheep farm seven times in two weeks for many losses, and the farmer has already shot two coyotes during that time. This does put things into perspective. Yet, it is such a shame to lose lambs in such a worthless way. I feel very little control when these things happen.
And, what a loss of a fine Friday night!
Thursday, 9 October 2014
Dogs, Colour & Reno
GOOD DOG!
I say "Good dog!" a lot. As well, Ruby hears frequently "Off!" and "No Chase!". She is learning and once she settles a bit knows to sit when she comes to me and then I will pet her right away. She is very excited in the morning. And she sometimes chases the sheep. In turn the ewes are getting kind of hard on, immediately setting out to bash her when she is near. I've only seen and heard Ruby stand up to the sheep when they get near her food. Millie on the other hand would never get bashed by a ewe.
With the addition of Ruby and the intense bonding we experienced over the time of her spay surgery, Millie is getting much closer to the sheep. She rarely parks under the veranda now. And most of the time she will stay in the Front field which is a safer place from which to chase cars. I really discourage the chasing of cars in front of the house as she gets right on the road. The fellow who drives the big red motorcylce says very unpleasant things when chased by Millie.
Part of the attraction to the road is that the coyotes live on the other side of it. Many evenings now we hear the coyotes howl and yip at dusk just across the road.
With Millie's surgery we locked her into the Small Barn. She only escaped three or four times - ! She can climb a four and a half foot wall, but not five. I am still locking her in there at night. There are a few other animals in that barn now and I am hoping Millie can bond with them. In addition, we have thought about putting a doggie door into the Small Barn so that Millie can come and go; however, I'm not sure yet.
Millie has improved in leaps and bounds over the last few weeks. She eats more than she ever has and hangs around the back door from four o'clock until dinner time at seven; she's hungry. I increased her food again. She is resting better. The barn is much cleaner than under the veranda and although she is a happy outdoor dog, she is out of the weather at night. And she is sleeping. She has only barked a few times in the last week while locked up in the Small Barn at night. Before this she worked all night, running all over, barking at shadows and howls and barks and squeaks. So, she was also too tired to do much sheep guarding in the daytime.
She will now come out to the Middle Field where the sheep are grazing a few times a day. She will not stay there. She will however stay in the Front Field for long periods of time. She can escape out of there but also will slip back into the field. Interestingly, she blasted Ruby in a major way making it clear that SHE was never to leave that field.
The two dogs play beautifully together. This makes them both happy.
HEAVY LAMBS
A few weeks ago the neighbour girl helped me to weigh all thirteen lambs. Wow! In the thirty years since I had sheep it seems, sheep have gained in the rate at which they gain. My scale goes up to one hundred pounds and most male lambs were off the scale. Lucky was the smallest at seventy-seven pounds. The ewe lambs were all around eight-five pounds with one at ninety-five pounds.
By the end of that session, we were both filthy. You would have thought we had rolled in the manure pile. I will never get my jeans completely cleaned. We used the hose to clean up a bit before I drove her home. Good thing it was a warm day and we could hose down.
As a result I have made arrangements to have lambs butchered over a one month period. Mostly this is to allow me to manage freezer space. I will still need to purchase an additional chest freezer. So, we are taking orders and collecting recipes, looking forward to enjoying some yummy range fed lamb.
I've had to make arrangements with the trucker to get the lambs to the butcher. I will also have to make arrangements to have the hides tanned. And I am looking into taking my fleeces to a mill to have them washed and prepared into roving for spinning and some into wool, ready for knitting. There is a lot to arrange!
COLOUR ADDED
Yes, it's Fall and the colours are lovely. But that is not what I want to tell you about.
I have added colour to my flock. I have purchased a coloured ewe and a ram who will pass on colour genes. I have decided to call the ewe "Libby" after Elizabeth Hoey for whom I worked as a teen. Her coloured flock was a great inspiration and this is the first colourful ewe I have, and she is several colours indeed. If she were a pony she'd be called a pinto.
The ram is young but will do the job as expected. He comes with the name "Birch" which I think we'll keep. I have a marking harness for him to wear when he is put out with the ewes in November. When he does what he is supposed to do a crayon mark will be left on the ewe. If three weeks later there are new crayon marks on the ewe, we will know he is not working. We hope there is only one mark on each ewe.
In addition to passing on colour genes, he has very nice fleece which will also be passed on as well. His sire was a Blue Faced Leicester. Spinners love to spin this breed of wool. The breed is also known for producing good quality meat animals. So, a good dual purpose breed. The seller sent me this photo after they left her place.
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| Libby and Birch |
BASEMENT RENO / RECOVERY
Over the last few weeks a variety of service people have been in and out and we finally have a basement again. Recall that we planned to renovate to finish the basement as it was just rough drywall down there. Then there was the flood on April 9th. So, we went into recovery mode. So, we have completed the rebuild to recover from the flood; and the Reno, as originally planned.
It is really really nice. It is bright and white and clean and dry. Hubby has been unpacking his stuff and setting up his space. There are 'flood goods' still across the house but we will get it all put away, hopefully by Christmas time.
There are still some shelves to be built, so books will remain scattered or in boxes. And finally, the sea container in front of the house will go away, hopefully in the next week. It has been blocking the view of sunsets!
As well, I can finally clean. There is - of course - a fine layer of drywall dust over everything. And since I don't expect workmen and shoes and boots any longer, it might stay cleaner.
Sunday, 28 September 2014
Dog Days
The last two weeks since I wrote have flown by and been consumed with dog activities.
On the Friday Ruby arrived and she has settled in quite nicely. The poor dear eats lunch mid-afternoon since that's about when I remember. She doesn't seem to suffer for it.
The following Thursday Millie was booked for her surgery. We were to arrive at eight. I had been feeding her in the car for a month. This was the day, and as I was pushing her into the car she escaped. Two more times I caught her but she would not get into the car and I could not drag her or lift her into the car.
I had just caught her the second time when my neighbour arrived after I telephoned her for help. She had come right away. Her idea involved long towels looped underneath Millie and I had just remembered Beau-dog's car harness. I gathered up these things and together it worked. We had the harness and a towel for the hind end.
Beau came too to keep Millie company, he in the front seat and Millie in the back. She was nervous. At the Vet's she slid nicely along the floor, me pulling on the harness and the Vet Tech pushing on the back end. She weighed in at 88 pounds, a bit lighter than I expected.
I commented that it had been a hectic morning and a particular beverage might be in order. I went to the drive-thru for coffee on my way home.
Getting her home and settled wasn't too bad as Millie was groggy. On day one I tied her outside. When I returned a half hour later Millie was walking up the driveway having just inspected a passing vehicle. She had slipped the harness and I dubbed her a Houdini relation. On day two I found her in the alleyway in the barn, having jumped over the four and a half foot door. She had worked under the metal rack over the window and ripped out most of the screen. I have since tied these to the wall. On day three she was outside, having chewed the mesh from above two stall doors and jumped each of them. Later she slipped the harness while tied up and I was watching.
A piece of wood, nails and hammer resulted in the four and a half foot doorway becoming a six foot doorway. She hasn't gotten out since. The harness has been very well tightened.
Now the world looks differently. Today Millie came out with me and Ruby to mind the sheep. After a thorough check of the field and some play time with Ruby, Millie disappeared back to the house. By late morning she went into the box stall by herself and stayed there to rest. It has become her happy place. I locked her in for a few hours midday and then let her out late afternoon. She has walked on a lead without being dragged.
As desired Millie is becoming more grounded and solidly oriented to the Small Barn rather than the house. Today she did get under the veranda for a short time - I could tell as she got fine dirt in her incision! We went out this evening for a short time and I left Millie out to keep an eye on the sheep. As we drove down the driveway I observed her enter the Small Barn heading for her stall.
I have learned that Millie really does trust us. She is very loving and accepting of each of us now. I have learned that she will allow us to do anything with her without responding in an angry snarl or physical behaviour. She's a big dog so it is good to know this about her. I have really pushed her in the last ten days and she has taken it all. She knows now that no harm will come to her. She knows that we might lock her up, but we let her out again.
The harness has remained on her and will for another week. Right now Millie is not on night duty. I have not even heard her bark at night from inside the barn. In addition no cars have been chased.
I really need Millie to check the Middle Field when the sheep go out. We heard coyotes in that area this evening. I really need Millie to teach Ruby some stuff.
Ruby started barking this morning at something. Millie had returned to the house but she heard Ruby and began to bark as well. The sheep herded together and watched and listened. All was well.
Ruby likes to play chase - including chasing sheep. She knows she is not supposed to do this. The sheep do not run helter skelter away from her but they do move away from Ruby - especially the one she is chasing. I can correct her verbally and she does respond - if I see her. In general she does not stay out in the Middle Field with the sheep. However this evening Ruby had gone out into the Front Field with the sheep and was chasing them. I need Millie to help correct this behaviour too.
Ruby is very grounded in the Big Barn. The sheep look at her and stamp their feet and Ruby just looks back and says "I'm here right where I'm supposed to be". I have seen her lick Clover's face twice. I have seen adult sheep try to butt her and Ruby just moves more quickly. All in all, Ruby is settling in well.
Dog days yes, and the Indian Summer weather makes me think of the dog days of summer. These days are numbered for sure. And I know - and am reassured by my neighbour - that next year will be totally different when the sheep and dogs are well bonded. Stay tuned!
On the Friday Ruby arrived and she has settled in quite nicely. The poor dear eats lunch mid-afternoon since that's about when I remember. She doesn't seem to suffer for it.
The following Thursday Millie was booked for her surgery. We were to arrive at eight. I had been feeding her in the car for a month. This was the day, and as I was pushing her into the car she escaped. Two more times I caught her but she would not get into the car and I could not drag her or lift her into the car.
I had just caught her the second time when my neighbour arrived after I telephoned her for help. She had come right away. Her idea involved long towels looped underneath Millie and I had just remembered Beau-dog's car harness. I gathered up these things and together it worked. We had the harness and a towel for the hind end.
Beau came too to keep Millie company, he in the front seat and Millie in the back. She was nervous. At the Vet's she slid nicely along the floor, me pulling on the harness and the Vet Tech pushing on the back end. She weighed in at 88 pounds, a bit lighter than I expected.
I commented that it had been a hectic morning and a particular beverage might be in order. I went to the drive-thru for coffee on my way home.
Getting her home and settled wasn't too bad as Millie was groggy. On day one I tied her outside. When I returned a half hour later Millie was walking up the driveway having just inspected a passing vehicle. She had slipped the harness and I dubbed her a Houdini relation. On day two I found her in the alleyway in the barn, having jumped over the four and a half foot door. She had worked under the metal rack over the window and ripped out most of the screen. I have since tied these to the wall. On day three she was outside, having chewed the mesh from above two stall doors and jumped each of them. Later she slipped the harness while tied up and I was watching.
A piece of wood, nails and hammer resulted in the four and a half foot doorway becoming a six foot doorway. She hasn't gotten out since. The harness has been very well tightened.
Now the world looks differently. Today Millie came out with me and Ruby to mind the sheep. After a thorough check of the field and some play time with Ruby, Millie disappeared back to the house. By late morning she went into the box stall by herself and stayed there to rest. It has become her happy place. I locked her in for a few hours midday and then let her out late afternoon. She has walked on a lead without being dragged.
As desired Millie is becoming more grounded and solidly oriented to the Small Barn rather than the house. Today she did get under the veranda for a short time - I could tell as she got fine dirt in her incision! We went out this evening for a short time and I left Millie out to keep an eye on the sheep. As we drove down the driveway I observed her enter the Small Barn heading for her stall.
I have learned that Millie really does trust us. She is very loving and accepting of each of us now. I have learned that she will allow us to do anything with her without responding in an angry snarl or physical behaviour. She's a big dog so it is good to know this about her. I have really pushed her in the last ten days and she has taken it all. She knows now that no harm will come to her. She knows that we might lock her up, but we let her out again.
The harness has remained on her and will for another week. Right now Millie is not on night duty. I have not even heard her bark at night from inside the barn. In addition no cars have been chased.
I really need Millie to check the Middle Field when the sheep go out. We heard coyotes in that area this evening. I really need Millie to teach Ruby some stuff.
Ruby started barking this morning at something. Millie had returned to the house but she heard Ruby and began to bark as well. The sheep herded together and watched and listened. All was well.
Ruby likes to play chase - including chasing sheep. She knows she is not supposed to do this. The sheep do not run helter skelter away from her but they do move away from Ruby - especially the one she is chasing. I can correct her verbally and she does respond - if I see her. In general she does not stay out in the Middle Field with the sheep. However this evening Ruby had gone out into the Front Field with the sheep and was chasing them. I need Millie to help correct this behaviour too.
Ruby is very grounded in the Big Barn. The sheep look at her and stamp their feet and Ruby just looks back and says "I'm here right where I'm supposed to be". I have seen her lick Clover's face twice. I have seen adult sheep try to butt her and Ruby just moves more quickly. All in all, Ruby is settling in well.
Dog days yes, and the Indian Summer weather makes me think of the dog days of summer. These days are numbered for sure. And I know - and am reassured by my neighbour - that next year will be totally different when the sheep and dogs are well bonded. Stay tuned!
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