Is that your misses?
diary of a comedy sheep farm
- Thread starter spin cycle
- Start date
Is that your misses?
- Location
- Lancashire
Nope.
No comment, get mi self in enoughit's just the depth that veries
Haha! Serves you right!
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
did you ever play that 1970s board game 'mastermind'....y'know the one based on the quiz...set in a little tray one player tries to work out what colour/order 4 coloured pegs are in....each guess marked by a black or white peg depending on correct colour/position....well this morning i had a game of that with 3 ewes and 6 lambs
.....3 ewes and 5 lambs within 10ft....final lamb halfway across the pen....in the end its 3/2/1....another games show...remember ted rodgers and 'dusty bin'
feed round...then tails/knackers with mrs spin....she drops the diary in a water bucket....once we're all on electronic recording...i wonder if that reader would survive a dip in a bucket.....mum arrives...'percy' has led an escape party into next door...it makes my mind up though...they're due a move....they're trailered to paddock in next village
now i'd instructed mum to find some straw....a neighbour has some £30/bale....he turns up with a couple bales of hay....wires crossed... i take the hay and he goes back for a couple bales of straw for £20
the hay/straw is used for the ewe lambs...they've been a bit cramped but now there's more space....just in time as one is bagging up....the other week an in lamb wilt jumped out of her section and joined them somehow.....she has twins
this afternoon i have to shoot a ewe..horrible to do but it's the kindest option
otherwise it would've been a decent day
.....3 ewes and 5 lambs within 10ft....final lamb halfway across the pen....in the end its 3/2/1....another games show...remember ted rodgers and 'dusty bin'feed round...then tails/knackers with mrs spin....she drops the diary in a water bucket
....once we're all on electronic recording...i wonder if that reader would survive a dip in a bucket.....mum arrives...'percy' has led an escape party into next door...it makes my mind up though...they're due a move....they're trailered to paddock in next village now i'd instructed mum to find some straw....a neighbour has some £30/bale
....he turns up with a couple bales of hay....wires crossed... i take the hay and he goes back for a couple bales of straw for £20the hay/straw is used for the ewe lambs...they've been a bit cramped but now there's more space....just in time as one is bagging up....the other week an in lamb wilt jumped out of her section and joined them somehow
.....she has twinsthis afternoon i have to shoot a ewe
..horrible to do but it's the kindest optionotherwise it would've been a decent day
- Location
- N.Lincs
I sometimes feel like shooting all of minethis afternoon i have to shoot a ewe
primmiemoo
Member
- Location
- Devon
More often than not I find I'm in floods about two hours afterwards. Funny stuff, adrenaline and its counterparts.
Better that than have a creature suffer, though.
On a lighter note, waterproof notebooks are invaluable.
Better that than have a creature suffer, though.
On a lighter note, waterproof notebooks are invaluable.
- Location
- Lancashire
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
ok bit of a roller coaster today
10pm last night i had a cracking set of twins....now in days of yore id've been down 'the sandpiper' regailing my exploits to the pool team....but i'm a 54yr old 'sheep farmer' and it means i had a ewe have a nice set of twins....worringly i'm almost as pleased
7am this morning lovely triplets basking in sun
9am find a lovely exlana x shearling dead in the field...her lambs sitting by her....i am gutted...really gutted...i mean these things happen but for some reason i take it to heart
rest of morning fencing goes quite well despite my glum mood
back in yard ...just before lunch...rather wrinkly set of twins...but y'know....another ewe starting
after lunch she's made no progress...i reflect i'm on hatrick of afternoon lambing disasters.....first up full breach...dead...second full breach alive.....third...head + leg back alive just....very 'ratty' lambs
go and pick up dead ewe
move some ewes/lambs around...feed....one of 'K's lambs has watery mouth.....the ewe i have with what i think is a peritoneal hernia....well....after days of getting bigger...it suddenly shrinks
ewe from last night showing signs of rejecting a lamb....bitch
5:30pm...cracking set of twins....randomly have a bowl of porridge
home...don't know if i'm in good or bad mood TBH
10pm last night i had a cracking set of twins
....now in days of yore id've been down 'the sandpiper' regailing my exploits to the pool team....but i'm a 54yr old 'sheep farmer' and it means i had a ewe have a nice set of twins....worringly i'm almost as pleased7am this morning lovely triplets basking in sun
9am find a lovely exlana x shearling dead in the field...her lambs sitting by her....i am gutted...really gutted...i mean these things happen but for some reason i take it to heart
rest of morning fencing goes quite well despite my glum mood
back in yard ...just before lunch...rather wrinkly set of twins...but y'know
....another ewe startingafter lunch she's made no progress...i reflect i'm on hatrick of afternoon lambing disasters
.....first up full breach...dead...second full breach alive.....third...head + leg back alive just....very 'ratty' lambsgo and pick up dead ewe
move some ewes/lambs around...feed....one of 'K's lambs has watery mouth
.....the ewe i have with what i think is a peritoneal hernia....well....after days of getting bigger...it suddenly shrinksewe from last night showing signs of rejecting a lamb....bitch
5:30pm...cracking set of twins
....randomly have a bowl of porridge home...don't know if i'm in good or bad mood TBH
and when they die you have to pay to get rid of them and lambs with an extra 80ps worth of eartag in them.....
turn thoughts towards looking after the ones that are alive is what I was always told...
surely Just because you are a 54 yr sheep farmer doesn't mean to you cant now go down the Sandpiper
turn thoughts towards looking after the ones that are alive is what I was always told...
surely Just because you are a 54 yr sheep farmer doesn't mean to you cant now go down the Sandpiper
ok bit of a roller coaster today
10pm last night i had a cracking set of twins
7am this morning lovely triplets basking in sun
9am find a lovely exlana x shearling dead in the field...her lambs sitting by her....i am gutted...really gutted...i mean these things happen but for some reason i take it to heart
rest of morning fencing goes quite well despite my glum mood
back in yard ...just before lunch...rather wrinkly set of twins...but y'know
after lunch she's made no progress...i reflect i'm on hatrick of afternoon lambing disasters
go and pick up dead ewe
move some ewes/lambs around...feed....one of 'K's lambs has watery mouth
ewe from last night showing signs of rejecting a lamb....bitch
5:30pm...cracking set of twins
home...don't know if i'm in good or bad mood TBH
If you don't know then "choose ", save the bad mood for another time
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
surely Just because you are a 54 yr sheep farmer doesn't mean to you cant now go down the Sandpiper
long gone
....one of 'em 'cafe pubs' last time i heard....the pubs are all fancy rancy round here now plus once the smoking ban came in...well...whats the point of going to the pub@abitdaft i reserve the right to be grumpy if i want to
Wow that 'Shetland ' took my mind off the job .... did you watch it ? But Pity about Alice , Jimmy blew it ....well being a copper must be hard I guess...
.... did you watch it ? But Pity about Alice , Jimmy blew it ....well being a copper must be hard I guess...
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Wow that 'Shetland ' took my mind off the job
I think the beeb have improved the sound recording, we've struggled to follow the previous series because of background noise.
Jimmy couldn't have got with Alice, it would ruin any future programmes, he's got to be solitary by nature. Although he could perhaps have had a bit of nookie to let off steam.
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spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
OVERRUN
i couldn't see it coming but looking back it all it kind of makes sense...a difficult weekend ....a much better but busier couple of days...a late night....steady morning.....by lunch an exlana is lambing but refusing help...i'm tired so i have a couple of hours kip
out again at 3pm...coffee+ rollie...then to the lambing shed....the sun is just touching the ridge..i see something but the sun blinds me...it can't be....my eyes clear and the sun reflects from the muddy puddle into the shed...glinting hooves and noses...a line of ewes...back to me about to lamb...they move ...one drops a lamb....another starts to lick it...she produces a lamb another ewe licks it and so on
my ongoing plan was to remove lambed ewes to my redoubt behind me...i have just 3 hurdles to hand plus the hay rack is empty...but if i pen at the back the rest of the ewes will be crushed foward and i've barely enough hurdles to hand...UNLESS...i look right and of course this attack has 'spunc' all over it...5 charolais ewes are at the 'maginot line'...i could've used those hurdles temporarily but if i do the grain store is wide open...the sods planned the whole thing....yet if i attempt to extract that number of lambing ewes from the front as i originally planned the in lamb ewes will get out..chaos....the charolais almost smirk.....they're timing is impeccable mrs spin is picking 'cinders' from swimming and it's 'K's birthday so late back from birthday lunch..i could extend the section out into the yard but it means having my back to the muddy puddle...now no commander likes to retreat towards water...spunc knew this....nevertheless if they don't think i'll do it then thats my best plan...using the three hurdles i open the pen front and with juggling enough space is created...the inlamb ewes pour foward victorious but get distracted by some loose fodder beet...with the hurdles from my redoubt i can pen ewes at back...then fetch a bale of straw to litter the yard...the thin steel line holds
'K' arrives...more hay/straw/beet are deployed and the crisis recedes....every last reasonable hurdle from around the yard is scrounged....the charolais retreat for now....have i enough hurdles to survive the night
i couldn't see it coming but looking back it all it kind of makes sense...a difficult weekend ....a much better but busier couple of days...a late night....steady morning.....by lunch an exlana is lambing but refusing help...i'm tired so i have a couple of hours kip
out again at 3pm...coffee+ rollie
...then to the lambing shed....the sun is just touching the ridge..i see something but the sun blinds me...it can't be....my eyes clear and the sun reflects from the muddy puddle into the shed...glinting hooves and noses...a line of ewes...back to me about to lamb...they move ...one drops a lamb....another starts to lick it...she produces a lamb another ewe licks it and so onmy ongoing plan was to remove lambed ewes to my redoubt behind me...i have just 3 hurdles to hand plus the hay rack is empty...but if i pen at the back the rest of the ewes will be crushed foward and i've barely enough hurdles to hand...UNLESS...i look right and of course this attack has 'spunc' all over it...5 charolais ewes are at the 'maginot line'...i could've used those hurdles temporarily but if i do the grain store is wide open...the sods planned the whole thing....yet if i attempt to extract that number of lambing ewes from the front as i originally planned the in lamb ewes will get out..chaos....the charolais almost smirk
.....they're timing is impeccable mrs spin is picking 'cinders' from swimming and it's 'K's birthday so late back from birthday lunch..i could extend the section out into the yard but it means having my back to the muddy puddle...now no commander likes to retreat towards water...spunc knew this....nevertheless if they don't think i'll do it then thats my best plan...using the three hurdles i open the pen front and with juggling enough space is created...the inlamb ewes pour foward victorious but get distracted by some loose fodder beet...with the hurdles from my redoubt i can pen ewes at back...then fetch a bale of straw to litter the yard...the thin steel line holds 'K' arrives...more hay/straw/beet are deployed and the crisis recedes....every last reasonable hurdle from around the yard is scrounged....the charolais retreat for now....have i enough hurdles to survive the night
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primmiemoo
Member
- Location
- Devon
May I prescribe ad lib dark chocolate accompanied by strong coffee?
Are you able to safely sublet any individual pens? Strategic hurdles? Triangular pens? Oblong pens?
Happy Birthday to 'K'
KOKO
Are you able to safely sublet any individual pens? Strategic hurdles? Triangular pens? Oblong pens?
Happy Birthday to 'K'
KOKO
I hope the pie pub at Warnham is still suitably rustic ?
- Location
- Lincolnshire
An interesting and entertaining thread. Keep it up.
Had a lot of what I call "Rodney and Del boy" twins this year. Often a big slow white one and a small black lively one. You think to yourself they can't be brothers out of the same ewe but they are.
Had a lot of what I call "Rodney and Del boy" twins this year. Often a big slow white one and a small black lively one. You think to yourself they can't be brothers out of the same ewe but they are.
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
think you'll like the langham bluebell better
now then...abridged due to knackered/going out
just two of 'K's ewes lamb today..twins
....rat triplets(one dead)....both giving me troubletook the weeks casualties to knacker yard...bit of a bumpy ride but scenic as i trundle along track by river wensum
call in at 'the yard of many bargains'....an elderly drill combination catches my eye but i don't know
i ask how business is ..MS(owner) tells me workshop is busy..stores steady..s/h kit is good if he can find it but new sales are slow...he says fear over post brexit grain prices not helping
get home to discover mum phoning doctor as her rash/wounds from falling arn't so good...now she'd been telling me the opposite
....straight off to duty doctor who dispenses new pills + says she must return to have it dressed later....she also needs a scan cos there might be a clot in her leg.....mrs spin to take to N&N hospital 10am tommoz....so no 'K' or mrs spin friday morning....'peacock' is volunteered by his other half...i have 'dude' coming also for some fencing 'help'spare moment so wrestle with my tenant's 'plumbing'...but it's no good.. my bolt is to long
feed round and home
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
had a nice day today.....not that the omens were good earlier on...'K' doesn't come in friday mornings and mrs spin had to take mum for her scan...so lost both my helpers...but the 'peacock' was on the scene and keen....i set him off doing the lambing pens while i tended newly lambed...fed ...orphans ...bottles.......anyhoo i was enjoying a quick cuppa and rollie in between when i heard 'that noise'......you know.... when sheep get out....i got to the yard to see it covered in in lamb ewes...the 'peacock' standing at the hayrack still taking hay for the pens...'look' he said 'they've got out'....like i hadn't noticed...i'm a bit of an expert by now in these situations (lots of practice )...get the mule +food and lead most of them to a paddock nearby .....remaining ewes tempted back into pen
whilst checking pens i have a count up...we've 10 more lambs than i thought....silly but it really cheers me up
'peacock' finishes just as 'dude' arrives...'orrwright uncle jimmy' he says coming up behind me and scaring the bejezus outta me....i take him down the field and he starts on leccy fence...back at the yard there's a ewe lambing indoors + one in paddock...now i've put the elastrator + red marker down somewhere safe...can i find the fekker
ewe indoors lambs ok twins...outdoor ewe has head sticking out....some food...a nonchalant walk.....pounce.....get a large single out ok
go down the field help dude a bit...by lunch we're done for now.....mum's back...no clot
'dude' is quite happy so after lunch i get him to litter pens while i have sort/ move round...i keep borrowing him to help me here/there...the pens are ok really but he's only done a couple of hours and it keeps him amused while being on hand to help me...we move some rogue ewe lambs out of ewe section into teg section for which i use van + trailer....one of 'K's ewes lambs...big barsteward...leg back but ok...unlike my shirt that i took off to dry my hands before the final pull...stripped to the waist i rise triumphant and shout to 'dude' ..' you too could have a body like this'....'bloody hope not' he says....how rude
4pm 'K' + mrs spin turn up...we get ewes off paddock apart from one who's lambing and the mornings single....'dude' departs ...the lambing ewe runs home....i tempt her into the ewe lamb barn...she has twins....i decide to take van+trailer into paddock to retrieve single...it's pretty dry....after loading the ewe + lamb i find i'm stuck....back at the yard i'm doing something...i've a fleece on..bending over....builders bot...suddenly i hear 'stunnin' (ref max& paddy..prison shower scene)...it's 'weeta'... called in on way home....we take the forklift and retrieve the van
6:30 pm we're done
.....not that the omens were good earlier on...'K' doesn't come in friday mornings and mrs spin had to take mum for her scan...so lost both my helpers...but the 'peacock' was on the scene and keen....i set him off doing the lambing pens while i tended newly lambed...fed ...orphans ...bottles.......anyhoo i was enjoying a quick cuppa and rollie in between when i heard 'that noise'......you know.... when sheep get out....i got to the yard to see it covered in in lamb ewes...the 'peacock' standing at the hayrack still taking hay for the pens...'look' he said 'they've got out'....like i hadn't noticed...i'm a bit of an expert by now in these situations (lots of practice )...get the mule +food and lead most of them to a paddock nearby .....remaining ewes tempted back into penwhilst checking pens i have a count up...we've 10 more lambs than i thought....silly but it really cheers me up
'peacock' finishes just as 'dude' arrives...'orrwright uncle jimmy' he says coming up behind me and scaring the bejezus outta me
....i take him down the field and he starts on leccy fence...back at the yard there's a ewe lambing indoors + one in paddock...now i've put the elastrator + red marker down somewhere safe...can i find the fekkerewe indoors lambs ok twins
...outdoor ewe has head sticking out....some food...a nonchalant walk.....pounce.....get a large single out okgo down the field help dude a bit...by lunch we're done for now
.....mum's back...no clot'dude' is quite happy so after lunch i get him to litter pens while i have sort/ move round...i keep borrowing him to help me here/there...the pens are ok really but he's only done a couple of hours and it keeps him amused while being on hand to help me
...we move some rogue ewe lambs out of ewe section into teg section for which i use van + trailer....one of 'K's ewes lambs...big barsteward...leg back but ok...unlike my shirt that i took off to dry my hands before the final pull...stripped to the waist i rise triumphant and shout to 'dude' ..' you too could have a body like this'....'bloody hope not' he says....how rude 4pm 'K' + mrs spin turn up...we get ewes off paddock apart from one who's lambing and the mornings single....'dude' departs ...the lambing ewe runs home....i tempt her into the ewe lamb barn...she has twins
....i decide to take van+trailer into paddock to retrieve single...it's pretty dry....after loading the ewe + lamb i find i'm stuck....back at the yard i'm doing something...i've a fleece on..bending over....builders bot...suddenly i hear 'stunnin' (ref max& paddy..prison shower scene)...it's 'weeta'... called in on way home....we take the forklift and retrieve the van6:30 pm we're done