[The Chicken Lady]

I have just started worming my sheep for the first time (all seven of them).  Archie is a big lad and I was not looking forward to this so I decided to do him first. I took my husband up the field and told him he would have to hold him - he said he didn't think he would be able to do this as he is so big. I put the bucket of feed on the ground - he was so interested in this - Archie that is - I pulled his head out of the bucket and while he was still chomping I opened his mouth and inserted the liquid down his throat. Never spilt a drop and then he carried on eating.  Dotty was next - she was hand reared so no problem. The other five girls will have to come into the stable to be done as I know that they will not be so co-operative and I may get them mixed up otherwise in the field. I think I will do that tomorrow. Want to finnish the day on a good note  I do have a question though. When I checked Archie over he had a scab on his back. It has hard and I did squeeze some pus out of it. I have bathed it - only had TCP! and them put some antiseptic wound powder on that I had in the ponies first aid box! I don't know what has caused this - any further advice as to treatment etc   

[kanisha]

keep and eye on the scaby pussy spot. and do as you have done keep it clean watch out for flies. if you want to avoid mixing up youe hseep when you are doing them mark thm with marker once they are done then if they do get back in together with each other you know whose been done and who hasn't.

[Rosemary]

If you have a closed flock and clean grazing, you might not need to worm routinely. You can get a faecal sample tested for worm eggs and decide whether to worm on the basis of that. Saves chemicals and stress. Or you could use a herbal wormer - Verm X, which goes in the feed every month.

[The Chicken Lady]

I have tried the Verm X with my poultry - not a big fan of it but I will think about getting a worm count and perhaps not worming as often although I must say I think I have got the hang of handling the sheep now. I checked Archie again a couple of days ago and he had flies on his back. My niece used to keep sheep and she had tried everything. Someone gave her something that looks like black tar that you put over the wound - it stops the flies getting to the skin. I have used this on him and a ewe that had been cut when being sheared. It seems to work very well but I don't know what it is called. Does anyone know what it could be and where to get it from? 

[hexhammeasure]

it sounds like stockholm tar. most good agricultural merchants should stock it