Snowflakes and Feathers Fall

Ugly Dog's Farm has been home to many different kinds of poultry over the years - you name it and we probably had some at one time.  Currently there are guinea fowl, peacocks, and various chickens running the neighborhood.  The guineas seem to cut down on the bug population in the summer and make great "watch dogs", the chickens provide lots of free-range eggs for friends and family, and the peacocks are cool to look at and they drop beautiful tail feathers every summer.

A few years ago we upgraded our chicken coop with a nice big one the Amish built for us.  We decked the coop out with nest boxes, perches, and feeders.  Unfortunately, after we got most of the chickens trained to live in the coop, a raccoon got in and killed half of the birds one night.  The survivors of that night of flying feathers have been too traumatized to spend another night in there since.

Nesting boxes

Perches

Feeders

I have always been suprised at how well the birds deal with Michigan winters.  The peacocks have never liked being inside.  Even when they were penned up, they would rather roost outside in their flight pen than inside a coop.  Now that they are free to roam at will, they forego the opportunity to sleep in the dry coop and perch high in the barren willow or on the railing of the 2nd floor deck.  We have never lost a bird to weather exposure.

peacocks roosting in the willow at dusk with snowflakes falling

peacocks roosting on the deck railing

Finally we do have a chicken and a rooster who have found their way back to coop life...

Brave birds roosting in the coop of doom

What a GREAT Weekend!

We had a blast again this year at Michigan Shepherd's Weekend in Lansing and as always came home with a bunch of new information and great ideas for the farm.  The thing that I really love is that the more years we attend, the more it seems like a reunion of friends.  Some of these people we see once a year and others more often, but the longer we are part of this group the more I am amazed at how a love of animals can form such strong friendships.

I spent the whole weekend at the symposium and Wayne drove out for the day on Saturday and then came home to care for all of the animals.  Some of my favorite topics this year included talks about Selling at Farmer's Markets, Direct Marketing of Lamb, and Less Labor at Lambing time.  I also got some great ideas by talking to fellow shepherds about products they use and new management ideas...  I will need to update by lambing supply list!

The Sock & Yarn contests went pretty well for my first year running them, and many folks who didn't participate sounded like they planned to do so next year.  I was thrilled to find the PERFECT judge for the Skein of Yarn contest - Carol Densmore is a "Master Spinner" who travels to a spinners school in Canada for 10 days each year.  Carol really went above and beyond my expectations and spent a lot of time carefully examining each skein.  She then provided hand written feedback on every entry with positive feedback as well as where improvement was possible.

For people like Wayne and I who learned to spin by watching YouTube Videos only a year and a half ago, this personal feedback is awesome...  We donated prizes for the contest - first prize was a beautiful throw blanket made from Wool and Alpaca fiber, and second prize was a nice big candle.

The Sock contest was by "Popular Vote" as it has been in the past, but next year I am going to make some changes.  There were some "unattended" kids who were found filling up the voting cards.  There was also some discussion that the rules need some updating - one of the entries was a sock someone had made out of their own fiber by a local wool mill.  How can a hand-knitted sock compete with one made by a wool mill?  I don't think they ever had this issue before so no rule was ever in place.

I entered photos in the photo contest and won 1st place in the "Fairs and Exhibitions" category.  I think that the photo contest is a great way to advertise our farm for free at the biggest sheep breeders event in our state.

I got home this afternoon to a gorgeous sunny day and I spent part of the afternoon walking the farm.  Want MORE good news?  This afternoon Jasper is finally moving perfectly sound and seems to have recovered from whatever was hurting him.  Here are a few pictures I took this afternoon:

Jasper and Sue

Sally

Sally

Sue

Akasha, Jagger, Cody, and Billy

Riot

The whole "light horse" gang

Abby waiting to pounce on one of the other dogs...

I hope that everyone else had a great weekend as well... I am already looking forward to next year's symposium!

Lambing Supply List

There will be a few Sheep Supply Vendors set up at the Michigan Sheep Breeders event this weekend so I thought it might be a good idea to review our lambing supplies to see what I might need to replenish...

VACCINES/SUPPLEMENTS/MEDICATIONS/DEWORMERS

• Bar-Vac CD/T - this is a vaccine against tetanus and several other clostridium toxins.  Since we have horses on the property, it is extremely important that we protect our sheep from Tetanus.  We will vaccinate the ewes 1 month prior to lambing and then will booster the lambs twice after they are born.  We purchase this online and our current supply is adequate.
• MU-SE - this is a Selenium/Vitamin E supplement which we have always administered to our ewes 1 month prior to lambing.  Michigan is deficient in Selenium and it is very important for muscle health, imune health, etc.  We purchase this online with a Vet Prescription and our current supply is adequate.
• BO-SE - this is a Selenium/Vitamin E supplement which we administer to newborn lambs.  We purchase this online with a Vet Prescription and our current supply is adequate.
• Vitamin B Complex - We keep this on hand because it is said to boost appetite and energy in a sick sheep.  We purchase this at the farm store and our current supply is adequate.
• Nutri-Drench - This is an oral Vitamin and Mineral supplement for newborn or "down" lambs and it is INSTANT energy.  I need to check our current supply.
• Penicillin and LA-200 - We keep these on hand for emergencies.  As a rule, we don't give antibiotics to healthy animals, but if an animal is sick or injured we won't withhold antibiotics in the name of keeping things "all natural".  It is very important to keep records of use of any meds that require a withholding period before slaughter.  As producers, we have a moral and legal obligation to protect our customers.  We purchase this at the farm store and our current supply is adequate.
• Dewormers (Ivermectin, Moxidectin, Fenbendazole, Albendazole, Levamasole) - We rotate through these dewormers as needed.  We utilize the FAMACHA system of monitoring eyelids for signs of anemia so that we can minimize use of dewormers, but sheep are VERY susceptable to parasites and losses can be high if one is not diligent about controlling them.  We purchase these online and our current supply is adequate.

NEEDLES/SYRINGES

• 3ml, 6ml, and 12 ml syringes - we seem to use more of the 3s and 12s and I need to order more of them.  I usually price them out online and buy from whoever has the best deal.
• 18 gauge & 20 gauge 3/4" needles - we use way more of the 20 gauge and we are completely out.  I usually buy these from the same supplier as the syringes.

MILK/COLOSTRUM REPLACER

• Nursemate - We usually try to have a tub of this on hand as a colostrum replacer just in case we need it.  I usually purchase it from Pipestone Sheep Supply and throw it in the freezer to keep it fresh.
• Milk Replacer - there are two brands that I really love and trust...  Merrick's Super Lamb, and Pipestones Shepherds Choice which also happens to be mixed by the folks at Merrick's.  We have had amazing results with both of these products.  I will probably order the Pipestone product as it is usually less expensive for essentially the same product.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Iodine Spray Bottle - We disinfect all lamb navels and cords with iodine.  Our current bottle is getting low so I need to find the best deal on a new bottle
• Rubber Banding Bands - We band our lambs tails before they reach 3 days old.  We were directed to do so by the State Small Ruminant Specialist - he indicated that it is much less traumatic at this age and healing time is decreased as the blood vessels in the tail are small at that time.  For those who may be put off by the tail removal, it is a necessary evil for our breeds of sheep...  The long wool-covered tails of these breeds become manure and urine magnets and attrack flies and disease. I have plenty on hand in a vacuum-sealed bag so they don't dry out and crack.
• Foot Trimming Shears - I usually purchase a new set from Mid-States at Shepherds Weekend, but I already have a new set so I don't need to buy more right now.
• Bottle Nipples - We don't want to have bottle babies, but sometimes they happen and it is good to be prepared.  I made the mistake of giving ours to a friend who needed them last year with the promise they would be replaced as soon as they were able to make it to the farm store... they must not have made it there yet.  I will buy these from Mid-States Supply this weekend.
• Lamb Tube (for delivering milk directly into a newborn lamb's stomach) - We have two of these and have never had to use them - I hope to keep it that way!
• Udderly Easy Milker - I added this to the list so that I remember to unpack ours to have handy in case we want to collect some colostrum from a ewe to freeze and have on hand just in case.
• Scale - I need to get my digital scale set up in order to record birth weights.  We have really learned a lot about feeding in late gestation by monitoring birth weights.
• Lamb Tags - in any purebred operation you need a way to positively identify a lamb and we put tiny copper tags in the newborn lambs ears.  We have plenty of tags ready to go.

I am sure I am forgetting some things...  My shopping list looks pretty lean, but the needles and syringes alone will cost a pretty penny. 

For those of you who may be preparing for your own lambing or kidding season, here are links to some of my favorite Supply Vendors:

• Pipestone Veterinary Clinic
• Mid-States Supply
• Valley Vet
• Premier Supply
• Jeffers Livestock Supply
• American Livestock Supply

Winter White

Winter in Michigan means limited sunlight and I am usually at work in the rare moments when the sun does actually peek through the clouds.  A nice dusting of snow has covered the ground again - not enough to make the roads treacherous, just enough to make everything look crisp, clean, and BRIGHT - even when the sun isn't out.  I enjoyed the "winter white" this evening while feeding the animals.

My internal clock thinks that it is time to hibernate in the winter and so when the sun goes down I feel ready for sleep...  I really count on my Zumba classes to wake me up and last night we went up to the indoor track and walked for an hour.  After all of my poor holiday eating choices, it would be easy for me to return to my "sloth-like" lifestyle of days gone by (come home from work, feed the animals, feed ME, and sit in front of the TV for the rest of the night).

My goals for this month are to finish getting the lambing barn prepared to move the first group of ewes in, take an inventory of our lambing supplies and replenish as needed, and to make sure all of the buckets, feeders, and lambing jug panels are clean and ready for use.  It is exciting to think that we are less than 2 months away from our first lambs of 2011.

I guess these are the things that help me get through our dreary Michigan winters...  winter white, Zumba, and preparing for lambs...

Michigan Shepherd's Weekend

We have a really active sheep breeders organization here in Michigan and this weekend is the Michigan Sheep Breeders annual symposium.  There will be guest speakers, educational sessions, a trade show with a bunch of vendors, a dinner banquet, and the annual meeting. 

There are also a few different contests and this year I volunteered to organize a "Handspun Skein of Yarn" contest...  It just so happened that at the same time I suggested and offered to host the yarn contest, the person who ran the sock and mitten contest each year had to give them up - so they asked if I would take these on as well and I agreed.  Thank goodness I don't need to know anything about knitting socks and mittens - my knowledge is limited to wearing them.

This is always a great weekend and I am really looking forward to it.  Last year, the keynote speaker was Dr. Temple Grandin, the famed author and animal behaviorist.  She was really an entertaining and thoughtful speaker and it was awesome to have the opportunity to hear her in person.

I am also REALLY looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  It is great to talk with other sheep enthusiasts and to learn new stuff to bring back home and put to good use.

If any blog readers plan to attend, make sure you hunt me down to say "hi"!

Wild, Lame, and Full of it...

What wild weather we have had over the last week - the ice I was so worried about never came to fruition...  The temperatures rose very fast (up to the low 50s) and the rain didn't hit us until after most of the snow pack had already melted or turned to slush.  The rain then melted the rest of it over night and our beautiful snow was gone.  All of that worry for nothing.

Even the rain cooperated and stopped in time for most everything to dry out before the temps dipped back down into the 20s on Saturday evening. 

Jasper the old Percheron gelding has come up lame.  There doesn't seem to be any heat in the leg or joints so we're pretty sure it is a bruise on the sole of his foot...  Poor guy - he is getting around good but you can tell he is hurting a bit.  We'll keep an eye on it - he seems a little better today than yesterday.

We're also keeping an eye on the new Cheviot ewes...  They traveled to Michigan in the same trailer with the new little ram and there is a slight chance that he could have bred one or more en route.  It isn't likely - Cheviots are very seasonal breeders and the weather was hot when they were traveling, but we are still watching closely (due date would be around Jan 25).

We have started to get the lambing barn ready for winter lambs...  We had let the Suffolk girls run in the end of the barn when they were separated for breeding and they were kind enough to leave me a pack of manure to clean up.  I am pretty good at shoveling shit - I have been told more than once that I am full of it.

6 Years Gone

My first horse was a beautiful palomino paint gelding named Justin.

I bought him in his mid teens from a woman in California - he had definately lived through a lot in his previous life.  He suffered a knee injury as a colt and had arthroscopic knee surgery, later was sold to some people who went through a divorce and he was nearly starved to death.  The woman I bought him from said she rescued him from the neglect.

She boarded Justin at a farm in California's Sierra Nevada mountains where a musician saw him and wanted to buy him for his daughter.  The previous owner didn't think Justin was the right horse for a young girl so she refused to sell him.  She did agree to let the musician take pictures with the horse and use them for his Christmas Album...  You can see Justin with Kenny Loggins on the back cover of his 1998 release "December".

Justin showed some scars from his past...  he had a front knee that was a little larger than the other, he was not real trusting of people until you proved yourself to him, and he was pretty serious about protecting his food.  But once he got to know and trust someone, he was a good friend to have.

I was a green rider when he first arrived and Justin was not a "push button" kind of guy.  He knew all of the tricks on how to get out of work and that forced me to become an assertive and confident rider.  This being said, the horse never wanted to hurt me...  as I look back, I realize that he never dished out more than I could take.

Justin taught me how to listen to a horse, he taught me how to talk to a horse, and most importantly he taught me what it meant to have a partner.  We camped and rode the trails of Tennessee, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and all over Michigan.  We did some team penning and went to a few horse shows, but our favorite times together were trail riding right here at home.

It was the fall of 2004 and we had a lot of rain...  the temperatures dropped and the mud froze into the jagged ground I have "stressed" about on this blog before.  Justin bruised the bottom of two of his feet and could hardly walk.  We moved him into the barn and the vet came and treated his abcesses with pain meds and directed us to soak his feet in warm epsom salts water twice a day.  After two weeks in the barn, his feet healed and he was able to go back to the pasture with his friends for the day.

This picture by Kat Wiegand - Laughing Horse Farms

It was good to see him moving so well and as I put him back in the barn that night, I noticed that he was moving a little loose in the hind end but dismissed it as being muscle fatigue from standing around for so long.  The very next morning Wayne woke me up and said that I needed to go to the barn.

Justin had lost complete control of his hind end.  He was not one to lay down much, you could tell that it made him feel vulnerable so he was fighting and fighting to get on his feet.  Crashing into the wall and gate, struggling to his feet.  He was finally able to get his head up over the gate and by shear force of will balanced himself upright.  After a short time he was down again and the struggle would start again.

It was probably a stroke - two weeks standing still had likely formed a blood clot that let loose when he was finally able to move without pain.  The vet got there as quickly as possible on that warm New Years Morning in 2005 and our neighbor was kind enough to bury Justin in the back pasture the very same day.

Logic tells me that it was his time, but my heart tells me that Justin saw my young horse "Riot" waiting in the wings and the thought of a peaceful retirement was not his idea of "Golden Years".  He left while he still had his dignity and pride and forced me to take what he had taught me and put it to use with the young one.

I still miss him today and I talk to him from time to time.  I think he has whispered in Riot's ears a few times when the young boy has shown himself to be wise beyond his years.

6 years gone today but truly not forgotten - rest in peace old friend.