Mark, how soon new waggly tails?
I saved a video called: "Lamb Feeding Time" on March 27, 2016." From the number and size of those 'little' ones, lamb birthing must have been pretty well finished. Any new lambing with there feet ...
Forum Discussion
One of you may ask, how are your young boys doing with lambing chores?
Before lambing, the chores consisted of calmly moving the pregnant ewes from one location to another. Calmly is a very difficult task for most young dogs; Lee is getting it with calm reminders from me (my staying calm helps him stay calm).
Lee moving pregnant ewes
Once lambing has started, the chores are:
move flock out of barn to facilitate pouring grain into feed troughs
gather any sheep that did not come to barn yard at feeding time
help move new mother and lambs to lambing jug
This last chore is the hardest. We walk out through the field amongst the flock. We pick up the new born lambs and use them to lure the mother to follow. The dog falls in behind this one ewe to keep her following her lambs that in her mind are now flying (being carried off the ground). The hard parts for young dogs are focusing on just the one ewe while moving through the rest of the flock; not rushing the ewe that is frantically calling to her lambs and darting around us looking for her lambs (in our arms) that are calling to her, making sure the darting ewe does not escape (not backing down if the ewe decides to dart back to the place where she lambed), and being willing to not turn away if the ewe decides to turn and face the dog that she feels is threatening her lambs. Lee and Grant are getting the idea of the right distance off the ewe (to keep her coming but not make her turn and fight) but they still need to be reminded to stay calm.
Before lambing, the chores consisted of calmly moving the pregnant ewes from one location to another. Calmly is a very difficult task for most young dogs; Lee is getting it with calm reminders from me (my staying calm helps him stay calm).
Lee moving pregnant ewes
Once lambing has started, the chores are:
move flock out of barn to facilitate pouring grain into feed troughs
gather any sheep that did not come to barn yard at feeding time
help move new mother and lambs to lambing jug
This last chore is the hardest. We walk out through the field amongst the flock. We pick up the new born lambs and use them to lure the mother to follow. The dog falls in behind this one ewe to keep her following her lambs that in her mind are now flying (being carried off the ground). The hard parts for young dogs are focusing on just the one ewe while moving through the rest of the flock; not rushing the ewe that is frantically calling to her lambs and darting around us looking for her lambs (in our arms) that are calling to her, making sure the darting ewe does not escape (not backing down if the ewe decides to dart back to the place where she lambed), and being willing to not turn away if the ewe decides to turn and face the dog that she feels is threatening her lambs. Lee and Grant are getting the idea of the right distance off the ewe (to keep her coming but not make her turn and fight) but they still need to be reminded to stay calm.
