Tag: flocks

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All Together Now!

 

meeting new friendsAfter two weeks of quarantining the new girls and hearing a lot of baaing between them and the main flock it was time to combine the two groups.  I turned all the Wensleydales out to pasture and then let the three new girls out with them.  The three stayed tightly together and went baaing through the group.  I was just so proud of my Wensleydales who were so sweet and polite to the new comers.  They would say hello, touch noses and then go back to eating.  No following or harassing them and the meeting went as smoothly as could be hoped for.

two flocks combine

Since then I have watched the girls settle in nicely.  Baby who I was worried would have the most trouble since she had never met another sheep other than her mom and auntie, has adapted the best.  She is with the rest of the flock a lot of times now and following their cues.  She baas at me when they do like a teenager trying to fit in with the crowd.  Auntie is still the most jumpy and constantly wants to be near her sister.  If she gets separated she will call and call till she finds her again.  After watching her I don’t think anyone could ever doubt the bond between farm animals.  I anticipate that over the coming months the group will fade easily in with the flock but always enjoy each others company.

chrysanthemum and new girls

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Splitting up the flock

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I have had these new sheep for almost a year now and the blend has not been seamless.  My original flock is all polled, or hornless and the new flock has large prominent horns.  What has happened is that my original Wensleydale flock is fearful of the new Karakuls and for good reason.  The Karakuls can be very pushy and ram the Wensleydales, very hard at times.

In the six months that I have had the two flocks housed together I have had two serious injuries in my original flock.  I had a wether named Marzo (see below), unable to stand for several days due to a pelvic or spinal injury.  lambsmay08008.jpg.w300h225

Then Lawrent (white sheep above) suddenly was very lame one evening when I entered the barn barely able to walk, clearly in a great deal of pain.

Both wethers luckily made a full recovery but that was the final straw; the flocks would have to be separated.

I do not want to re-home the Karakuls because they are so personable and sweet to me and each other. I have just figured out a new was to think about them.  They are the “goat-iest” sheep I have ever known.  They are bolder around dogs and people than most sheep and are more aggressive like goats too.  When I had goats I did end up keeping them separate from my sheep as they were getting picked on in the same way.  Except those goats were Angoras and half the size of my original sheep and so it seemed a slightly more even match.

So now my chores are a bit longer and more complicated.  Two waters, two mineral tubs, separate feeders, etc.  But at least I can relax and know that everyone will be safe.

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