Tending

Sometimes, I let the ewes and lambs run free on the front lawn. Usually when the spouse is not home as he frowns on this. Something to do with his well manicured lawn. However, since it is too wet to mow the lawn, I have been letting the sheep mow the lawn.

I use Nan, Tess or Lucy. Tess is an old professional and knows the ropes. Nan is learning but goes too fast and needs to slow down and not spook everyone, although she has been making great progress.

Lucy is the upcoming star. She is a lot like Tess in handling the ewes and lambs. While Tess will do the wheelbarrow under a lamb to get it to move, Lucy will roll it or gently nip it to move. It doesn't bother the ewes and all works out.

Last week, I had Tess take the sheep out. It was the second time this year. The ewes know the routine but the lambs go everywhere but where they should go. Sigh, Tess gets it all figured out.

Ok, it's time to do a head check. Tess is bringing the sheep from the front deck where they were napping.

All bunched up and moving towards the barn.


Tess walking the ewes nice and slow. She may not be very stylish but she gets the work done.

Moving them down and all is fine.

Callie, my pet is happily eating a tree shoot and her lamb is also checking out the greenery.

A better view and unaware of the movement behind her.

Later that day, I let the sheep back on the front lawn again. Now it is time to put them up for the night. I tell her "bring them in" which means "find all the sheep and bring them to me as they are scattered all over and I can't see them"

Tess ran up the driveway and then began to get the sheep which were all around the house. I stood at the barn and took pixs.

She saw the sheep to the right and then did a movement to swing out wide to catch them. I didn't tell her a thing and let her figure it out. She has never left a sheep behind no matter where they are on the lawn.

Pushing them down the hill to join the other group near the car port.

Grouping everyone together for the final push to the barn

Nice tucking of the sheep together.

Oh, Lamb races to the barn!!

OK, so a lamb decided to go up to Tess and see if her milk bar was open. Tess sniffed the lamb and gave it a push on it's butt towards the flock. Oh, the milkbar was NOT open!!

The lamb says "alright" and slowly goes to the flock. Tess stands until the lamb joins the group.

Ok, mom ewe has discovered her missing lamb and turned on Tess. Tess freezes and gives the ewe a chance to make the right move.

The ewe starts to turn her head to the flock and one of her twins decides to do a rearing horse imitation. Finally the ewe turned and Tess put everyone away in the lambing corral.

Tonight after I got home from work, I used Lucy to take the flock out. I had her move the ewes around and got them settled. Then she had to take two ewes and their lambs from the stall and put them with the flock. Then I had her sort a ewe that had lost a twin to a Bald Eagle today and put her and her remaining lamb in a stall. Then we moved sheep from one pasture to the other and the steer.

Then Lucy put the ducks away. Last had to put the ewe and lambs in the backlawn pasture and that was hard as that was a first time and they wanted to go to the lower pasture gate. They have a routine and this was new for them. We had a few lambs go the wrong way but in the end she got it all sorted out. Then she had to take them from the backlawn pasture and put them to the lambing corral. Very complicated but she did it well. She is a fine lambing dog.

Last but not least, Lucy had to take a dip in the pond as she was very muddy. Now she is at my feet and very happy she did a job very well. She knew she did a great job and was dancing next to me all the way up to the house.

The weatherman says it will be nice (sun) this weekend and if so, we will do more tending. It was very challenging for Lucy but she stepped up to the plate and did a good job. Nan will get her turn this weekend also.