12:25 with the "Sheep Parade" was THE funniest moment I"ve seen on this channel. I was laughing so hard. That worked great I just wasn't prepared for the sprint to the new paddock.
Well done! Webb Signworks leads his flock with tortilla chips, lol. Poor Figi, supporting those two big louts -- it was high time they moved out and got their own pad. You're doing a great job! Thanks for sharing it with us.
I laughed SOOO hard at the sheep chasing you down!!! I'd say that plan worked well - except for Penny, of course. Nice job! You can always move Sage back in.
It put a smile on my face watching the flock run after you. 😁 I thought you would have kept Connie with Fiji since she's also weaning a lamb; does she also have a ewe lamb?
Yes, Connie has a ewe also so I didn't hold Connie back. I could have left Connie and her ewe back but it would have been really difficult. Connie is the leader so it is easier to move the sheep with her.
How close is Tess to you? Hopefully she will watch this video. To me -- and granted it has been years since I interacted with sheep on a daily basis -- but Figi looks more than just worn out from nursing 2 ram lambs. I gather you have checked her eyes and gums for signs of anemia. As an older ewe she might be more susceptible to a worm overload but it might be more. Try supplementing her with yogurt to kick start her rumen if it is slowing down. But also talk to Tess!
A comment for your viewers, the parasite cycle length is the absolute minimum for reintroducing animals to a pasture. Other factors that would extend the minimum time are the makeup of the pasture and the growth of the pasture during its rest period. For my mostly cool-season grass pasture, the local extension service recommended more like 50 days as a typical rest period.
too funny watching the sheep race. Would an apron for Fiji that keeps the babies from nursing but allows them all to stay together for now be a less stressful way to wean them?
Love the music-can you recommend some songs? I know it's not farm related, but I connect with your methods and ideals and figured out music tastes might line up too. Thanks for all the informative videos!!! They've been really helpful as I start my sheep journey. Hope your doing well this spring!
What do you feed the lambs after weaning? We are getting two wether lambs soon and everywhere I'm reading that we should give them grain but i want them to be fully grass-fed. Our grass is pretty dead now because of winter so i was thinking to give them alfalfa hay and maybe some peas. I would love to know what you think.
You are correct - no grain. Grass hay plus a supplement of field peas or alfalfa to boost protein. They will also need some redmonds salt and kelp meal is a good idea to add as well.
Hi. I just watched the Fouch-o-matic video on grazing at your farm. Now I have questions: Is there a reason the chickens don't follow the sheep (when Phoebe isn't nursing)? I was under the impression that best practice is to follow the ruminants with chickens about 3 days later to allow them to eat the emerging parasites after they hatch out. Maybe I am mistaken? I am trying to learn - not criticize. :) Also, do you have any plans to plant trees in each strip - or every other one - to give them some shade? Just curious. Thanks for the wonderful videos!
You're not mistaken. I've actually been doing that with the chickens around the corral. I had that in some of my videos last year but haven't really talked about that this year. But basically I've been moving the chickshaw where the sheep just left until the sheep went to the other side of the creek. I can't get the chickshaw over there because the crossing isn't wide enough. My long term plans include doing contour food forest strips for both shade and forage. It's going to take awhile to get there though.
Good call on switching to strip grazing! I think you'll really like the results and flexibility of that sort of system, we're having good results with our cattle and now the Kunekune-ish hogs. Just curious why you're moving the shelter with them for the summer, it seems like you probably only really need a bit of shade, but I'm not really all that familiar with sheep beyond some 4H animals the kids did for a couple of years...just wondering.
Absolutely correct...shade. I don't have many shade trees in the "pasture". Most trees are around the property perimeter. The long term plan is to have a Mark Shepherd style system with agroforestry etc which will provide shade but until then....
We are looking into getting sheep, how big is the yard they were initially in with the sheep hut/house, just as an idea for us. Also although the rams are not in heat at the moment, have you experienced what it is like to handle a ram during this time, otherwise this would be a great video for future reference :)
Are Fiji's teeth ok? I don't see Blue, so I guess you made your decision. I know it wasn't easy. Thanks for drawing out your paddock design. Made it much easier to understand and follow along with your grazing plan. I never understood your lane way grazing last year until you drew it out this year.
Blue is out on pasture with the flock. I don't know about Fiji's teeth. At her age she probably doesn't have many left (which is normal for elder sheep). I drew out my grazing plan last summer. I linked to it in this video.
I'm glad Blue is still around. The reason I asked about Fiji's teeth is sometimes horses loose weight because their teeth develop "points or something" that make it hard to eat. (According to the Incredible Dr Pol who is a vet on reality TV). I just wondered if sheep can have the same issue.
After watching your fencing videos, I think you could use one of these instruments: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groma_surveying It uses no power, so you can use it as long as you have daylight. You only have to check your angles once(the way you did it is perfect), and then just use the groma to follow straight lines all the way into the horizon, if you want. Also, I don't know if they sell it still, but you could built one. You can use little stones or fishing weights and normal thread or cord for the rest. If Ashley is helping, you can work way faster and Little Buddy could learn very quickly how to use it too! It is ancient, proven technology(All Roman cities and fortifications were built using it) and it's cheap. I'm sure something like this could help you in your future proyects. Have a nice day and keep it up with your homestead efforts!
Looking back, do you thing the laneway system was the right choice for you at the time? Do you wish you had have done it differently? You where nice enough to answer my questions the other day on Facebook (David Zoglauer), and here I am, picking your brain again :) I originally wanted to do a strip system similar to what you are doing now, and that is still the end goal, but I think with our current time constraints that a laneway system might be more workable, so I was curious as to your thoughts looking back. It would mean slightly lower setup costs as the waterer doesn't need to be mobile just yet, less daily work as it would only be a matter of switching which paddock is open, not moving everything else. Seeing as I am away from home for a week at a time this seems to be the obvious choice.
yes,I feel it was a good choice for me at the time. It fit my context for where I was with things last year and it worked just fine for me. I think it is a really good system if you don't mind a path being carved into the pasture. If you already have a walkway or driveway of some kind and you can use that as your laneway, all the better! And I agree, it might be the right option for you given your context as well. But no regrets with how I did it last year. I just wanted to try the strip grazing model this year. Best to you David!
i know that Blue is Guarding the flock but i mean there is no point in training the dog or getting a herding dog when they have themselves to herd the flock
I know that Blue guards the fence line all I'm saying is if they thought about getting a herding dog they don't need one because they did I pretty good job of herding the sheep themselves
11:03 - the sheep don't seem to respect the other sheep if a sheep is peeing so close to another sheep's face. Are they eating that same hay that they're peeing on? I thought that the hay they ate was separate from the hay they did their business on. Since he was talking about the hay they ate being fortified with protein and vitamins, I didn't think that would be the hay spread out along the ground that they walk on, lay on, and do their business on.
Great job!!! We are pulling for Fiji to get better!! You must be exhausted. Little Buddy is so cute and a great help!! And of course Ashley too!🐄
thank you Patti
That was so funny watching them following you like the Pied Piper!! Awesome job! 👍
Nature's Cadence Farm I was going to say the same thing...well, except for Penny. Llamas...just can't take them anywhere!
:) Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. It was certainly fun for me
12:25 with the "Sheep Parade" was THE funniest moment I"ve seen on this channel. I was laughing so hard. That worked great I just wasn't prepared for the sprint to the new paddock.
:) I'm glad you liked it
A big day at the homestead. Really cool! Looks like you're becoming quite the shepherd!
Thanks Devin!
Well done! Webb Signworks leads his flock with tortilla chips, lol. Poor Figi, supporting those two big louts -- it was high time they moved out and got their own pad. You're doing a great job! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Thank you Jeanette!
I laughed SOOO hard at the sheep chasing you down!!! I'd say that plan worked well - except for Penny, of course. Nice job! You can always move Sage back in.
I'm glad you liked that Laura!
Very nice fencing and grazing plan! Great job!
:) thank you!
Well done 👍🏼
thanks Carl
You nailed that move!
Thanks Tara!
The good shepherd 😎
Ha ha YES that was my thought as I saw them all following after the feed. He is really a good Sheep Daddy!
:)
Run Dan, Run hehe, good job!
:)
It put a smile on my face watching the flock run after you. 😁 I thought you would have kept Connie with Fiji since she's also weaning a lamb; does she also have a ewe lamb?
Yes, Connie has a ewe also so I didn't hold Connie back. I could have left Connie and her ewe back but it would have been really difficult. Connie is the leader so it is easier to move the sheep with her.
How close is Tess to you? Hopefully she will watch this video. To me -- and granted it has been years since I interacted with sheep on a daily basis -- but Figi looks more than just worn out from nursing 2 ram lambs. I gather you have checked her eyes and gums for signs of anemia. As an older ewe she might be more susceptible to a worm overload but it might be more. Try supplementing her with yogurt to kick start her rumen if it is slowing down. But also talk to Tess!
I have. We agreed it is most likely the milk production but if she doesn't improve we will address it
nice sheep
Thank you
A comment for your viewers, the parasite cycle length is the absolute minimum for reintroducing animals to a pasture. Other factors that would extend the minimum time are the makeup of the pasture and the growth of the pasture during its rest period. For my mostly cool-season grass pasture, the local extension service recommended more like 50 days as a typical rest period.
Thanks Randy
too funny watching the sheep race.
Would an apron for Fiji that keeps the babies from nursing but allows them all to stay together for now be a less stressful way to wean them?
They were over it by the next morning. They are all relaxed now. An apron may have been a good option but I'm not familiar with them
Love the music-can you recommend some songs? I know it's not farm related, but I connect with your methods and ideals and figured out music tastes might line up too. Thanks for all the informative videos!!! They've been really helpful as I start my sheep journey. Hope your doing well this spring!
Thanks Bob. I get the songs from a royalty-free download site with a monthly subscription
I had no idea boys were so hard on their mamas! rose at wholesome roots had the same thing but with goats :)
What do you feed the lambs after weaning? We are getting two wether lambs soon and everywhere I'm reading that we should give them grain but i want them to be fully grass-fed. Our grass is pretty dead now because of winter so i was thinking to give them alfalfa hay and maybe some peas. I would love to know what you think.
You are correct - no grain. Grass hay plus a supplement of field peas or alfalfa to boost protein. They will also need some redmonds salt and kelp meal is a good idea to add as well.
Hi. I just watched the Fouch-o-matic video on grazing at your farm. Now I have questions: Is there a reason the chickens don't follow the sheep (when Phoebe isn't nursing)? I was under the impression that best practice is to follow the ruminants with chickens about 3 days later to allow them to eat the emerging parasites after they hatch out. Maybe I am mistaken? I am trying to learn - not criticize. :)
Also, do you have any plans to plant trees in each strip - or every other one - to give them some shade? Just curious.
Thanks for the wonderful videos!
You're not mistaken. I've actually been doing that with the chickens around the corral. I had that in some of my videos last year but haven't really talked about that this year. But basically I've been moving the chickshaw where the sheep just left until the sheep went to the other side of the creek. I can't get the chickshaw over there because the crossing isn't wide enough.
My long term plans include doing contour food forest strips for both shade and forage. It's going to take awhile to get there though.
Good call on switching to strip grazing! I think you'll really like the results and flexibility of that sort of system, we're having good results with our cattle and now the Kunekune-ish hogs. Just curious why you're moving the shelter with them for the summer, it seems like you probably only really need a bit of shade, but I'm not really all that familiar with sheep beyond some 4H animals the kids did for a couple of years...just wondering.
Absolutely correct...shade. I don't have many shade trees in the "pasture". Most trees are around the property perimeter. The long term plan is to have a Mark Shepherd style system with agroforestry etc which will provide shade but until then....
We are looking into getting sheep, how big is the yard they were initially in with the sheep hut/house, just as an idea for us. Also although the rams are not in heat at the moment, have you experienced what it is like to handle a ram during this time, otherwise this would be a great video for future reference :)
the corral is 32'x'32' - I hope to have a ram handling/breeding video out by the end of the month!
Are Fiji's teeth ok? I don't see Blue, so I guess you made your decision. I know it wasn't easy. Thanks for drawing out your paddock design. Made it much easier to understand and follow along with your grazing plan. I never understood your lane way grazing last year until you drew it out this year.
Blue is out on pasture with the flock. I don't know about Fiji's teeth. At her age she probably doesn't have many left (which is normal for elder sheep). I drew out my grazing plan last summer. I linked to it in this video.
I'm glad Blue is still around. The reason I asked about Fiji's teeth is sometimes horses loose weight because their teeth develop "points or something" that make it hard to eat. (According to the Incredible Dr Pol who is a vet on reality TV). I just wondered if sheep can have the same issue.
Dan my advice to u is to put them as far as possible from each other so that they can't hear each other and they will eventually settle down
I don't have enough property for that. They simmered after the first night and are calm now
how are your broiler chickens doing? I'm curious how close your rangers are to your cornish
they are doing pretty well. I'll do an update soon. Thanks for reminding me
After watching your fencing videos, I think you could use one of these instruments:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groma_surveying
It uses no power, so you can use it as long as you have daylight. You only have to check your angles once(the way you did it is perfect), and then just use the groma to follow straight lines all the way into the horizon, if you want. Also, I don't know if they sell it still, but you could built one. You can use little stones or fishing weights and normal thread or cord for the rest. If Ashley is helping, you can work way faster and Little Buddy could learn very quickly how to use it too! It is ancient, proven technology(All Roman cities and fortifications were built using it) and it's cheap. I'm sure something like this could help you in your future proyects. Have a nice day and keep it up with your homestead efforts!
Thanks Israel! I will check it out. Anything that can make fence projects easier is a good thing!
Looking back, do you thing the laneway system was the right choice for you at the time? Do you wish you had have done it differently? You where nice enough to answer my questions the other day on Facebook (David Zoglauer), and here I am, picking your brain again :) I originally wanted to do a strip system similar to what you are doing now, and that is still the end goal, but I think with our current time constraints that a laneway system might be more workable, so I was curious as to your thoughts looking back. It would mean slightly lower setup costs as the waterer doesn't need to be mobile just yet, less daily work as it would only be a matter of switching which paddock is open, not moving everything else. Seeing as I am away from home for a week at a time this seems to be the obvious choice.
yes,I feel it was a good choice for me at the time. It fit my context for where I was with things last year and it worked just fine for me. I think it is a really good system if you don't mind a path being carved into the pasture. If you already have a walkway or driveway of some kind and you can use that as your laneway, all the better!
And I agree, it might be the right option for you given your context as well. But no regrets with how I did it last year. I just wanted to try the strip grazing model this year. Best to you David!
Awesome! Thank you. Our plan is formulating clearer and clearer :)
it looks like the Llama is guarding the one sheep so is Blue guarding the main flock?
correct!
Are you selling connie's ram back to tess for breeding? Or was he delicious?
He was delicious.
Did you check for parasites?
we'll do a fecal egg count if she doesn't improve
Do you have a breeder ram
Not yet
whats the need of a herding dog when you have yourself lol
i think he also needs the dog for guarding against predator
i know that Blue is Guarding the flock but i mean there is no point in training the dog or getting a herding dog when they have themselves to herd the flock
Blue is not a herding dog, he's a guard dog. He's not watching what the flock is doing, he's watching the perimeter to keep them safe from harm.
I know that Blue guards the fence line all I'm saying is if they thought about getting a herding dog they don't need one because they did I pretty good job of herding the sheep themselves
11:03 - the sheep don't seem to respect the other sheep if a sheep is peeing so close to another sheep's face.
Are they eating that same hay that they're peeing on? I thought that the hay they ate was separate from the hay they did their business on. Since he was talking about the hay they ate being fortified with protein and vitamins, I didn't think that would be the hay spread out along the ground that they walk on, lay on, and do their business on.
Why don't you just let the ewe wean her lambs herself?
because she was getting dangerously skinny
Have you figured out why she got so skinny?
Not definitively but my thought is she just wasn't able to keep up with milk production. Perhaps because of her age.
maybe next time she has lambs you'll have to bottle feed them