Little Flock of 2

Didn't take long at all! Billy & Andy are officially best buddies, and really enjoying each other's company.

The goats even escaped while I was cleaning out the chicken coop (back fence really needs to be replaced!); but Andy is too large to squeeze under the same spot in the fence, and Billy stayed with his new buddy instead of following the naughty goats out!

Black & White, Big & Small; they make quite the little flock of 2!

Andy

I just want to squish is little face and call him Andy Dandy Candy, but I think he's the butchest animal on the farm!

My brave protectors

In case you notice one of the dogs is missing, that is because she is hiding behind my car, from the sheep...

What's all this fuss about?

ANDY!
Andy is a 200lb Suffolck, Rideau something-or-other almost 3 year old whether. You can't tell from the picture, but he's about the size of our water tank! Or, I'm 5'2" and is back is almost up to my hip.

Maddie was the bravest of the bunch!
See Meg in the back FREAKING OUT!

Or, according to the horses, the size of a small bear.

Yankey testing the waters.

Andy is the biggest sweetheart cuddle bug! Yanks immediately tried to tell him his place. I can say quite a few things about Yankey, but the girl has balls...

Show off

Meg proceeded to freak out for about 20 minutes, she's been living with goats and sheep and all sorts of animals for months now and this GIANT sheep was one over the line.

I should scare her with sheep more often

But I finally have a NICE photo of the surprisingly most un-photogenic horse in the world! She's stunning in person, especially when she starts showing off, but get the camera our and she starts standing weird, or sticking her tongue out or manure spots will magically grow on her side.

One lonely sheep + one lonely sheep
apparently =
one sheep scared poopless
and one wandering around asking the ducks
to be his new friends

Billy isn't so thrilled with his new friend right away, Andy is like 3x his size; but I'm sure by the end of a few days they'll be cuddled up in the straw together, best friends for life!

Billy's Ball

So Billy is feeling a little lighter after this morning. A quick surgery (only took an hour, we just drove around town for awhile) and he'll be a happy wether here for the rest of his life! It cost us about $100, which we could have avoided by waiting a few weeks longer before with elasto-banded him the first time; but we were under the impression it was going to be a lot more expensive. Now we don't have to worry about his displaying ram behaviour with those huge horns of him.

Harry is happiest of all as he was the one Billy was taking out his, uh..., unresolved hormones out on...

Actually it was the same Dr. Ken Newman (who is also a vet surgeon) who fixed up Diego's Leg. The Prescott Animal Hopsital (where Billy went) and the Rideau St. Lawrence Vet (who fixed up Diego) are all the same practice, so I ran into all the same Techs today. They are all lovely people but I hope we won't be seeming them again too soon!

What happened to Billy!?!?

Well... I don't know.

What he looked like last night

The goats & Billy frequently duck under the back fence (naughty creatures!) to come run around and eat all the grass on the lawn. We just let it go because we're going to fix the fence next year anyway, they don't wander off anywhere (no where for them to go) and they come when you call. Plus, we don't have to cut the lawn...

I was in & out of the farm yesterday with the meat birds, and when I went out to put the goats/Billy away for the night, Harry & Diego were already in their stall but Billy was nowhere to be seen. So I called him, and hear him come baaing from out in the garden. So he comes trotting in, at which point I notice he's missing part of his face!!

This is what Billy normally looks like

So it looks like his left horn that normally points down has been ripped right off. I have NO Idea how this happened, or where it happened. He's also got a little cut on his forehead. The only guess I have is that he got wrapped up in the fence somewhere and pulled it off trying to get out, but that is only a guess. I never heard him bleat for help, or noticed he was missing until I called them in.

The Scene!

The stump wasn't bleeding when I first saw him, but my efforts to "clean it up" lead to him spurting all over the back deck. All the while nosing around looking for grain... So I applied pressure until it stopped, then ran in & grabbed the corn starch and it did stop. Then it was iodine to cover the whole thing. At this point I had to wait until hubby got home to hold him (thankfully he was already close!). Hubs held billy, I placed an old towel over his eye & applied the liquid bandage. So now he's sparkley...

I kept him in Meg's stall over night so the goats wouldn't bump him, but let them out in the back-section of the barn so they could see each other. (Horses were outside).

He's outside running around with the crew today, in fact I just caught him on the wrong side of the fence! Looks like it might have been bleeding a little bit, but over-all looks okay...

What a day!

We were just going to leave things alone with the fence, but I'm going to investigate if we have some more tape-clips for the t-posts (and I'm pretty sure we do) and we'll run another string this weekend so they can't duck under the fence any more. There is a chance he did it somewhere else on the farm too, I'm just hoping this never happens again!

Update

Why the blog post today is so late.

Some days...

Grazing Corn

OMFRA video, about planting corn to have your sheep graze late fall/early winter.
Very interesting, hmmm...

You'll hear a lot from anti factory-farm people about how corn is bad & unnatural for animals. Humans have been feeding corn, and other grains, to farm animals for centuries. It is a good way to keep weight on the animals over winter.

The "problems" with corn are really more related to the factor-farm mentality and feed lots, where the animals are confined in a small area and fed corn to increase their weights right before slaughter. This adds a lot of the lovely fatty marbling that is so popular, but not a lot of nutrients.

Feeding entire stalks like this would be a good way to feed your animals for a few cold months, reducing feed costs (hay) for animals that don't need it (like the horses do) to be healthy. If you watch the video you'll noticed that there is a cow & llama in with these sheep.

Now, we do prefer the taste of grass-finished beef; it is a lot stronger tasting, more beefy, then what you get at the store; there is also some research that shows all that grass puts those good Omega3s into the beef. Something corn-fed cattle definitely don't have.

So, food for thought, either way.

The sceptic paddock

Out on the side of our house lays the septic bed. It's kinda tucked out of the way, with some cedar fencing to keep the livestock off it; it would be really bad news for the bed if the cows got over here. But we do have a few little creatures, with small, light hooves who do a bang-up job keeping it trimmed.

Plus it's close to the house, so my little bottle babies can maaaa or baaaa for "mom" any time they want. It's nice to be able to watch them out the kitchen window. 

It's raining out here
can I come in?

After driving me crazy for days I found out the front fence had heaved right up and there was a 2' gap for the goats to get out near the road. They're doing a great job clearing out the brush out front, and eventually I'd like to get some e-net so they can clear out all the weeds out there. It's not safe to have them just wandering around road-side though.

For now we've got a temporary fence up that actually keeps them in! We've had no more escapes, and I think we've plugged all the holes in the entire fence. The goats/Billy love having their own little paddock. We'll be re-doing this fence when we re-fence the front of the property, but that is years away.

A Tale of Tails

Billy's cute little behind

Most lambs have their tails docked when they are just born. There is actually a really good reason for this, fly strike. It can kill a lamb in no time, so to increase survival the tail is removed so that it can't hold feces against the lamb's body.

Billy is a bottle baby so we were always available to wipe his bottom if he needed it (thankfully it wasn't an issue!), so we never docked his tail. And the boy has just about the cutest butt on the farm!

His whole bum shivers when he's happy (like when I used to bottle feed) or if he's going for a good kick in the field it wags like a dogs'. Plus he uses it to fend off biting insects.

If you're going to keep a pet lamb, I highly recommend not docking their tails. They are just too cute to loose!
(His fuzzy balls were pretty cute too, but those had to go)

Update on the Gang

 

Look who finally lost that nasty horn! 

Yes, he looks really dumb now, the poor thing!

 

Can't believe how quickly these guys are growing! (Their tummies especially)
I've learned not to wear draw-string pants, or leave the camera in my pocket with the string sticking out because it goes straight into Diego's mouth!

Our scrawny little lamb, is not so scrawny or little any more.

We elasticated all the boys here, basically it's just an elastic band that cuts off blood flow to the tissue so the testicles just die and fall off. Safe, cheap and effective way to neuter your boys, which is fine, I just wasn't expecting to be there when things fell off...

I was feeding Maddie, so of course all the goats came running over to grab a bite, when I tripped over Billy, sent him flying, and his balls flying in the opposite direction.

I'm just hoping some animal is going to come by and collect the wooly balls from the field overnight...

Billy Update

Billy is doing very very well!
He is turning 6 weeks (we think) this weekend, and he's gotten so fat he's ready to wean (which a bottle baby should be doing at 6 weeks anyway).

He's got his buddies the goats who are showing him he's bottom of the pecking order. A really good thing considering the massive weaponry that is coming in on his head!

Full grown Jacobs Ram
Souce: ALBC

His foot has healed and he's no longer limping. Amazing what a little bit of food & care will do for a lamb!

Billy has a home here for the rest of his life, and will hopefully be producing some lovely wool for me. He's just one of the family now, and comes running when you call for him. I'm sure something that will be only slightly less adorable when he's 120lbs! He's got a date with an elastic band in a few weeks (not for his horns) to keep him friendly.

Roll Call!

We've been here for just over a month now.

A very exciting, very exhausting month! 

The farm dogs

Madison (doberman x border collie) and Kayla (smooth coated collie)

5 & 4 1/2 and amazing puppies!

The beautiful and talented Iberian Warmblood Meg (AndalusianX) 

4 Shorthorn cows (2 mamas, 2 bull-babies) 

3 Muskovy ducklings

1 Mystery "Barn Rooster"

(he comes and goes as he pleases, no one is sure what he is)

6 Cuckoo Maran Chicks

(Were supposed to be Barred Plymouth rock!)

4 Narragansett Turkey

Lenny the Dominique rooster. 

(Also supposed to a BPR!)

Henny (Deleware) and her mystery-chick eggs.

Penny (a real Barred Plymouth Rock) laying hen 

The gorgeous & talented Miss Kitty.

She predicts the weather!

(not kidding, she was a stray who found us & she always seems to know when it's going to rain and heads inside for cover)

Peaches.

Not the brightest bulb in the box... but we love her :)

Oscar, a.k.a. Big Fat Oscar. 

Peaches' son, so we've had him since he was born, and he is the laziest, sweetest kitty that ever grew so large!

2 Saanen Goats 

(no names still!) 

And of course there is Billy!

We're finished expanding the farm for just right now, although if I can get things lined up, there may be just one more 4 hooved creature coming to stay. 

Billy, Meg & New Arrivals

Billy 

Billy is doing VERY well. He's finally taking full 600ml bottles like he should be, of course he looks like he's eaten a beach ball after downing the whole thing. Billy has also almost stopped limping! So it was just a stone-bruise or something that has resolved itself and he's running about and playing like a little lamb should.

He's moved out to his new digs in the barn, which he's not too impressed since he thinks he's a house-lamb! Right now he's taking every opportunity to break out & run back to sleep on the deck. Yes, cute, but he's pooping everywhere!

The New Arrivals

So I'm off today to pick up two little Saanen billy goats who will hopefully convince Billy to stay out in the barn! No names yet so we'll have to think of something. The seller has told me they got the goats under similar circumstances. The seller breeds miniature goats and someone dropped off the two billys in very bad condition because the original owners didn't know a thing about raising/feeding goats properly. They are now 3 months old and almost up to the weight they should be. I think they'll make great additions to our little herd.

The 2 shorthorn cow/calf pairs are coming this weekend & that's it for new animals for a WHILE! We mostly chose shorthorns because they are what our former landlord raises and we got a good deal on them. Short horns are a dual purpose cow, and are known for their excellent temperament. They are also delicious! I think even if we hadn't already had a good line on purchasing a pair, shorthorns would be what I would choose for our farm. I really like dual purpose animals.

The golden mare has arrived home!!

I've had Meg for almost 6 years now. We've been through a lot over those years, learned a lot, and enjoyed each others company. Since the kids came along I've had a lot less time for my favourite hobby, but now my girl is home! It's so wonderful to be able to see her every day, manage her feed, and yes, even clean her stall, the way I want.

And the best part is, if I can't find someone to transport the cows for a reasonable price, we can always hitch'er up for an ol' fashion cattle drive!! (I am hopefully kidding!) 

Billy Update

Bill is the little "orphan" lamb we picked up at a bird auction on the weekend. I would love to hear from anyone who has bottle-raised lambs before, specifically for anyone who has raised neglected bottle babies before.

We have been told "Billy" is 2 weeks old, WAY too young to be off his mom.
He's also very small. He started off at no more then 20lbs and when we got him from the auction you could feel absolutely every single rib all the way down (you still can, but at least now he's got a full-belly too).

Guesses between the feed store/the sheep farmer I was talking to:
- he is a premie
- he is the runt of a triplet
- he may also be a small breed
- he is a ram and the farmer took no interest in his care

Considering he is INFESTED with Keds, something a reputable sheep farmer would never let run rampant in their herd, I’m starting to really wish we knew where he came from, if for no other reason then to call the ospca. There is really no excuse for his condition, the poor thing came to us with ever single rib sticking out under his wool. (I’m a little pissed after seeing all those happy/healthy lambs down the road yesterday!!).

So he is VERY underweight so we are bringing his feeding up really slowly so he doesn't bloat. We started off with him eating 50-80ml a feed for about 400ml the first day :S (and that was all his little stomach could handle). He's not up to about 200ml a feeding for around 800ml a day. Still a long way off from what he should be eating, but we're getting there!

The feed store woman led me to a older sheep farmer around the corner from us so I had a little visit yesterday morning morning, picked up some creeper for Billy*, and got some really good advice! (*The feed store wouldn’t sell it to us since it was $60 a bag and there was no way he was going to eat that much before it went bad - how is that for amazing people?? Plus the farmer gave it to me for free!). So Billy is getting a little bit of corn/soybean meal. He's not too keen, but he will eat it out of my hand  not the bucket. I have been mixing a little corn-syrup in to make it sweet and yummy.

He's not getting any hay yet, but we're giving him all the lawn he wants to eat. Plus at night (or right now because it's about to storm) he's getting a few handfuls of pulled grass & clover he sort of munches at. I didn't want to put him on alfalfa right away, I'm sure that would make him sick! But he'll be on hay by the end of this week. Probably only a 1/4 flake at first. He really only nibbles at the grass so he's getting a few mouth-fulls every hour.

He's been limping but I think it's an abscess or a bruise


He was COVERED in keds, GROSS! I picked the big suckers off and doused him with powder (which is why he's a little off-black in that video). The feed store also didn’t want to sell us wormer for him since it was $140/container and we need one dose… so Billy has been doused with the tick powder I actually already had at home (Duh! It even says “kills sheep keds” right on it!), it was left here when we moved in, so not sure how old it is, but hopefully it’s gonna work!

We think he *may* be a Jacobs, JacobsX because he's got two huge horns growing out front and may possibly have some side-horns slowly growing in. He's also got the colouring/disposition.

Billy does still have his tail, the farmer was telling me banding a tail should be done at 3 days and he’s got quite a few that have tails because they just didn’t get around to it in time. It’s fine. The only problem is that they get poop build up on their bums because of their tails. Billy is a bottle-baby so if he gets a gunky bum I’m going to notice and clean it :).

We just moved into our hobby farm 2 weeks ago so our animals haven't arrived yet. So Billy is sleeping in the garage until the barn fills up. Just seemed like leaving one little lamb in the barn all by himself would be a dinner bell for the coyotes! He'll be sleeping out in the barn as soon as this weekend, (depending on how things go) hopefully I can find some more sheep/goats to keep him company too.

Because everyone asks me:
We have no real plans for Billy except to give him a forever pet-home here.
Not sure yet if we are going to have him wethered or not (probably will), but I am teaching him proper manners. As cute and cuddly as he is right now I don't want a 100lb hormonal creature with giant horns thinking he's a pocket pet! We'll make a decision about that once he's got some weight on him in a few weeks.

Any suggestions/experience/etc. would be much appreciated!
I've worked around horses but this is my first sheep-experience!

Billy

Just after he arrived home!
He went the whole 20 minute trip in my lap, next time we'll
leave a dog-crate in the car, just in case... 

My husband has always wanted some goats, so when we saw this cute little ball of wool hiding in the back of his dog crate at the auction we had to bring him home. Yes, I say wool because apparently he missed sheep vs. goats 101 (I can't blame him, Billy has tricked a couple people, he really looks like a goat!).

Our you my Mommy?
Poor Madison!

Billy is our first official four-legged farm animal since the horses & cows don't arrive until next week. We brought him home as a pet so hopefully he'll have a very long and happy life with us. He's already a total sweet-heart, just loves to cuddle right into your lap.

Lunch Time!

We're not sure what breed he is (and he is probably a mix) but I definitely think he's a smaller breed, like a Shetland, because of his size. The auctioneer said he was 2 weeks old, way too young to be off his mom. He also can't eat as much milk replacer at a time as a lamb his age is supposed to, but he eats enough to fill his little tummy and seems to be thriving!

The little guy is sleeping in the garage until we get the rest of the animals home (a lone little lamb is a dinner bell for the coyotes), although it occurred to me later he probably could have stayed in the chicken coop... at least this is more convenient for feedings!

Exhausted from all this activity! 

He's taking a bottle about once every two hours except at night, and drinks between 100-150ml each time. He's also grazing away on our lawn, and especially my miniature rose bush which apparently was a lovely snack... Oh Billy! :)

Report from the Chicken Auction

After checking around the local online classifieds, I couldn't find any of the chicks I wanted for a price I was willing to pay. However, I did see an ad for someone who was going to the auction, and we decided it would be a great family activity for Saturday. It was a TON of fun!

I was finding chicks for about $8 per online and we were able to get a 1/2 dozen barred rock chicks (about 2 weeks we think) for $4 a piece at the auction! 

We also picked up the two little fuzz balls in this picture at $2 a piece, that was about the cheapest any of the chicks went for (and we're not sure what these guys are but we do know they are chickens!).

We picked up the lovely "Jenny" who has settled in so quickly she's already gone broody and is sitting at least 1 egg. I have to wait a little longer to check if it's fertile, but we believe she was in with a Roo at the auction, so we're hopeful! Not sure if I'm going to run out and get some more fertile eggs yet or not, we weren't really planning on having one of our hens raise  chicks so quickly!


We got a "Roo" of our own so here is "Lenny!". No one is 100% sure he IS a rooster yet, but he's got a hen look with a rooster attitude & we should find out for sure very soon.


These 3 little cutie-pies are Muskovy ducks. We went hoping to get some Pekins but these seemed much more interesting! After we came home and did a little more research I'm really glad we chose to get them, females are supposed to be very friendly and that is what we wanted.

Henny is not too please about the new occupants

You should always quarantine new chickens for at least 30 days before integrating them with your existing chickens. However, we aren't sure we're going to keep Henny & Penny once we have new chickens to replace them (they just aren't very friendly and they are past their laying prime so producing less eggs), so for us it was worth the risk of introducing a disease into our chicken population. From now on, when we add new chickens we'll have them in quarantine on the other side of the farm.

Billy

We also came home with someone we really weren't planning on... but he's a whole other story!