Sunday Stroll

We spotted a tractor parked up by the gate today and went out to have a look. The local contractor left it so that he can mow the paddock this week. The sheep will be pleased. 

Sheep tracks

Rams

We had a good walk around our block last month - the first time since the start of winter. I took lots of snaps of spring arriving and will post them over the coming days.

Rest In Peace Rooster!

The other sad news from our flock is that our rooster has suffered a freak (and fatal) accident. We were planning on moving him on after selling his brother at the end of last year. We don't want any further in-breeding in the flock and it's too hard dealing with chicks when the hens won't lay in the hutch anymore. He was a beautiful bird though so I was sure that we'd find a good home for him.

I was therefore really quite sad to flip over the empty fish bin that we use as the sheep's drinking trough and find him underneath. He must have sat on the downhill edge of the bin when it was empty and tipped it over the top of him. It would have been too heavy for him to shift and we wouldn't have heard his crows. I laid him to rest in the bush with the sheep as mourners.

Going to the ram

On the same day as our flametree fell down, "our" sheep were taken away so that they could go to the ram. We'll look forward to seeing their offspring in our paddock towards the end of the year but in the meantime expect to host some rams once they've done their duty.

New sheep

This shot is for Jennifer - our new sheep who are enjoying the fresh grass after we had the paddock topped.

Fleeced!

Are these the same rams back in our field, having been sheared, or different ones? Who knows?!

Bold Boys

We have new rams on our land - and they were not at all afraid when I met them. But I'm sure if I actually went into the paddock, they'd scatter.

Eco Fleece Insulation

Just like we're going to have in our house...

Rough Fell Sheep

We found these sheep on the towpath of the Leeds to Liverpool Canal at Barnoldswick. They quickly hopped back over the dry stone wall as we approached them. Which explained the mystery of how so many stones had fallen off and out of the wall.

I'm not entirely sure what breed they are but suspect that they're rough fell sheep.



I don't think you can find them in New Zealand and they'd probably get too warm in Auckland anyway. I probably wouldn't be able to find a Lancashire lonk either. We'll have to go with some kind of colonial breed instead when we finally get around to stocking the paddock with our own beasts.

Sheep with kingfisher

New Ewes

When we got back from holiday a few weeks ago, we found new sheep in the paddock - five ewes and five lambs.

Sheep on a Slope