Friday, April 6, 2007

Very busy time here... getting things ready

Ah yes, it's been 10 days since I sat down to update this blog. I've found myself on the "business end" (that's the handle) of shovels, hammers, and other assorted hand tools as we continue to finish the chicken coop.

We've now prepped the "yard" and will plant grass seed this next week. At the same time, I expect to order our chicks (just waiting on some commission payments). There are a few little details to finish... "bird doors", a window in the man-door, as well as a vent. I need to construct the cardboard brooder guard and we have to finish the electricity. That could be as simple as using the outdoor extension cord, or maybe getting the actual line completed.

Monday we cleaned the sheep pen. I could smell rotting greens of some kind. When we had lambs in there last fall, they were very wasteful, not wanting to eat the alfalfa stems, so it would get tossed about the pen. With the frozen ground, snow and small flock of sheep romping and stomping about, it became quite compacted.

Cindy and I got it all raked and shoveled out. I must tell you that shoveling dry hay and pretty dry manure in a 15-20 mph wind was quite a challenge. Now they have a very clean pen. We also replaced the "lamb manger" with a large barrel. Voila! No waste... these animals eat everything.

Tuesday, I built our first real compost pile. Now... I'm taking this as a personal challenge since Cindy mentioned she's never built a successful compost pile.

This is an area where you have to ADD water instead of protect from water. To build it, I first layed out an area about six feet in diameter and built it up about 9 inches. Then I watered it well.

We have some extra cardboard strips left from the worm bin, so am using those, too. I placed just a single layer, watered well, and then added another 9 inches or so of manure/hay mix. That process continued until I ran out of the mix. By the time I was done, my pile was about 3 feet high. I watered it well to hold it in place and left it for the night.

Now, I didn't measure it directly after building it, but can easily estimate the starting pile temperature to be less than 70 degrees. Within 72 hours the pile temp is now over 112 degrees.

The last couple days, Cindy and I have been "hanging out" at a neighboring sheep ranch. It's lambing time, and by being there at the right time, we get an awesome education, as well as can get another "bummer" or two.

Lambs are being born almost faster than helpers and the head shepherd can get them moved. Our "job" yesterday was to watch for pregnant ewes in the big pen who were going into labor. Imagine this, you've got a pen of over 100 spooky pregnant ewes and you only want to move the ones who are going into labor.

Here's one gal that did make it to the small pen. If you look, you'll see the "water bag". Within five minutes the next little bundle (the bloody white newborn) dropped onto the straw.


Believe me, there were many more lambs born in the big pen and then moved, than ewes who were herded to the lambing pens. The trick with the one's born in the big pen is to get to them before the other ewes... if a newborn lamb is cleaned by an "auntie"... the mother will most likely reject it... creating an immediate "bummer" for us.

We prefer they have at least been cleaned and have had the first of "mother's milk" so they can get the important anti-bodies into their system before they have to be bottle-fed.

Mother's get a little tired of the constant need for milk. We got this shot shortly after feeding time. Several ewes have discovered they can shuttle the little ones into the manger and get some rest... this nursery contains at least 3 sets of triplets.

As for "Freezer", he's growing up. We moved him to his larger pen in the garage. He's getting three full bottles (20 oz soft drink type) a day now. When I go out to work, I let him out of his pen and he follows me around like a dog. If he's listening, he even comes to my call.

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Posted by Shari Thomas @ 10:14 AM

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