Hay IN, Rams OUT!

Busy times on the farm. 

Making hay while the sun shines.

We have been really lucky with the rain, it has stayed away.

The hay is baled.

Some of the hay is in big round bales.. 

and some is in little square bales.

The big round ones have to moved with the tractor. 

The little square ones can be moved by Dad and PopPop.

It is not every year that we make hay. The grass has to be very good to cut hay.

We put the hay in a big shed where it is protected from the rain and sun.

Sometimes on the farm it does not rain for a long time and there is not much grass for the animals to eat. We feed them hay from the shed and grain from the silos when this happens. It is very handy to have it. 

It is like having a pantry of food for the animals.

Time for the rams to go out with the ewes and make babies.

For every 100 ewes in the mob we put 1 ram. The rams have a big job ahead of them.

The ewes are a little shy at first.....

then they are a little bit curious.....

and then they are happy to meet them!

The rams will spend 5 weeks with the ewes then they will return home for a rest.

Can you See?

They're HERE.....can you see them?

The ewes stay close by their babies to protect them.

These ewes have 2 lambs in their tummies, they are very big and their udders are full of milk.

All their babies will POP out soon!

Some of the ewes are getting sick, they are getting pregnancy toxemia.

They stand or sit in the paddock alone, stop eating and drinking, and run out of energy.

If we find them early enough we give them medicine BUT it is very hard to save them.

PopPop is very disappointed, there is so much grass in the paddocks he thought they would be right.

Dad says there is always something that will go 'pear shaped'!

Dinner is Served!

Beautiful autumn weather, cool mornings and warm sunny days!

Perfect weather for lambing. Baby lambs are due to arrive on the 11th of April.

I can't wait!

The ewes are getting bigger and bigger, they need lots of energy now.

Dad is serving them up oats and lime, trying to keep them strong.

 Ready for the arrival of their babies.

in it goes....it looks like they are enjoying the blocks I gave them....

this is where the ewes nibble up the oats....

the ewes can smell the grain...they are waiting patiently.......

sneaking up a little bit closer.....

These ewes are having two lambs, there is very little room left inside their body for food, so the food they eat MUST BE GOOD!

While the grain goes into the feeders I find something fun to do.

ZOOM.....ZOOM in my aeroplane!

Dad is also serving up some food for the nasty foxes...we don't need them around while the ewes are having their babies. No, no, NO!

PopPop's oats is up and away, the seeds have grown very quickly.

It seems the everything is enjoying this beautiful weather.

Home Delivery.

It is only about 3 weeks until we will see the first baby lambs arrive.
The ewes need to stay strong and healthy to rear the best lambs they can.

There is plenty of grass in the paddocks and it is green and lush, but sometimes that is just not enough.

Dad has put feeders full of oats and lime in the paddocks with the twin ewes, they need a bit of extra energy to rear two lambs.

We are also putting out some special blocks. They are full of special vitamins and minerals.
 The sheep lick them like lollipops and they are meant to be really good for them.
They do not look that yummy to me!

I had a very special helper on the weekend, my cousins came to visit.

 

I love my cousin Hughie! And he is a great helper!

BUT sometimes a little CRAZY!

I am looking forward to lambing, baby lambs are so cute.

I wonder whether I will find any pet lambs this year..............?

Baby Shower for the Girls!

It is that time again.....getting ready for lambing...

All the ewes have been mustered up for their annual appointment with the shearers.

Time to clean up the wool around their faces and a little around their bottom too!

 Down the chute and out into the yards for their next appointment with Dad.

Time for a needle, which will help protect both the ewes and the unborn lamb from bad diseases and.....

Open wide..... some medicine for worms........AAAAAAAHHHH......

 

With all this rain the flies just keep hanging around.....so Dad is spraying the ewes with a special chemical to keep them AWAY!
We do not need to be chasing flies when the ewes are having their babies.

Off they go.....now they need to rest up. In 4 weeks their babies will arrive!

Weary and Worn.

Everything eventually gets old.....these old ewes are off to market.

They have bred many lambs and now they are too old to keep.

 Some don't even have teeth anymore!

The ewes averaged $71.00.....the fattest ones were sold before Christmas for $112.00.

Not bad for OLD GALS! 

 

The rams have all returned from the ewes, some a little worse for wear!

Sally and I can muster them up all on our own, the rams are very well behaved.

Foot sore and tired.

 Mum and Dad inspect them, some will need to be sold and some just require a little bit of tender, love and care!

A few new rams need to be put on the shopping list for next year.

A fresh paddock will do them the world of good.......

A Beauty Treatment!

It is time to visit the beauty parlour....for sheep!

Every year just before shearing the ewes are put through the sheep handler to get some special treatment.

They have their bottoms cleaned AGAIN....shearing is about 3 weeks away and to help the keep the wool clean, Mum and Dad clean the stain and poo from the ewe's bottom. The wool buyers don't like it with all that rubbish in it!

and this year they are having their toenails done too.

 

While Mum, Dad, Beau, Bear and Kirk are busy. I create masterpieces with chalk!