Alchemist Posted April 6, 2017 Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 Lovely photos and descriptions, Ludi! A much more challenging setting than many of us with small flocks of docile sheep encounter in my parts. But that's where the worth of a good dog like yours really shines. I had to chuckle over your description of the Cheviots. My sheep are mostly a Border Cheviot x Perendale cross. The Perendales (originating as a Romney x Cheviot cross; popular in NZ) calm the Cheviots down quite a bit, and also add size (and a nice fleece) to the Cheviot side. But two of my yearling ewe lambs were sired by a Cheviot ram, and are thus a high percentage Cheviot. You'd never know from looking at them, or watching them, that they were anything but pure Cheviot. The smaller of the two (they were twins) is seriously batshit crazy. The other sheep behave well if the dog is correct - but this one is like popcorn. I don't think she'll be remaining in my flock, for this as well as other reasons. Agreed about the desirability of easy lambing/good mothers! So far this year (with 80% of my ewes having lambed) I've gotten twins from each. No need for me to do anything other than put them in pens ("jugs") (well, and treat their navels with iodine; I also administer vitamin AD-E), and the ewes have made that easy by coming into my barn to lamb whenever they go into labor. All good mothers - the only issue was one mother, smelling the isopropyl alcohol I used to disinfect the ear tags/bands, decided I'd stolen her babies and replaced them with imposters. I put her in a head stanchion overnight, and that did the trick. Fingers crossed it'll be this easy with the remaining ewes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted April 6, 2017 Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 I love the naturally colored ones as well. Thrilled that I'll have the chance to buy some naturally colored purebred Perendale ewes and lambs this summer! I like naturally colored sheep too. I had a lovely black Finn cross that had a nice spinning fleece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludi Posted April 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 Very nice to hear, Alchemist! Glad your lambing is going well. And yes, these Cheviots were like popcorn... what a terrifically descriptive term for them. I'm looking into getting some fairly notorious sheep breeds for myself (Soays and Hebrideans), but after handling these wily SCCs and Scottish Mules, I know Meg should be able to handle just about anything they'll throw at her. And truth be told, I like them light instead of heavy and stodgy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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