We started with the six black bums (above) from Dave Astill's Cottonwood Farm. The black Romney's were only 4 months old and weren't ready for breeding yet. So we bought Peanut and Penelope from Kelly Bruce so that we would have lambs right away. Penelope gave us two little ram lambs and then we discovered the joys of bottle lambs. While cruising facebook, I noticed Dave's pics of his recent lambs saying he had triplets and commented that I would love to raise some bottle lambs. Ten minutes later the phone rang. Come and get one. First came Whizzer (above front) then came Brisket (white with spots) and Princess (black, which we have kept for a breeder ewe).
October rolled around and it was time to rebreed. You have to love Darwin. Black lambs out of white ewes and white lambs out of black ewes. All but one of our first time moms had twins. For a total of 14 lambs, then we adopted 8 more bottle lambs and we had our hands full. Every two hours we were bottle feeding some one.
Our sheep spend most of the year on 14 acres at the neighbors keeping the lawn manicured, with 4 ponds and lots of trees for shade they grow nice and fat by September/October. They are grain fed every morning and the ewes are wormed three times per year.
Lambs are available for lawnmowers after 4 months and by the whole, half, quarter or by the piece late September.
I am also learning how to create sheep skin rugs. When I have figured out what I am doing, they also will be available for sale.
*** I finally figured it out thanks to a course from SS Abattoir at the SSI Farmers Institute. Sheepskins and goat skins are available at farm.
Our sheep are sheared by Pieter Demooy.
Some helpful websites for raising sheep are:
Sheep raising 101
Gestation calendar
Canadian Wool Growers Association
BC Sheep Federation
October rolled around and it was time to rebreed. You have to love Darwin. Black lambs out of white ewes and white lambs out of black ewes. All but one of our first time moms had twins. For a total of 14 lambs, then we adopted 8 more bottle lambs and we had our hands full. Every two hours we were bottle feeding some one.
Our sheep spend most of the year on 14 acres at the neighbors keeping the lawn manicured, with 4 ponds and lots of trees for shade they grow nice and fat by September/October. They are grain fed every morning and the ewes are wormed three times per year.
Lambs are available for lawnmowers after 4 months and by the whole, half, quarter or by the piece late September.
I am also learning how to create sheep skin rugs. When I have figured out what I am doing, they also will be available for sale.
*** I finally figured it out thanks to a course from SS Abattoir at the SSI Farmers Institute. Sheepskins and goat skins are available at farm.
Our sheep are sheared by Pieter Demooy.
Some helpful websites for raising sheep are:
Sheep raising 101
Gestation calendar
Canadian Wool Growers Association
BC Sheep Federation