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Sheep / Re: Dilemma

« Last post by shep53 on Today at 04:14:08 pm »

 You really need to leave the ewes & lambs on the best grass  But sheep are flock animals , so either  put the ewe to lamb in with the e&L  or can you not bring  unbred  ewes or  ewe hoggs  in with her to keep company  just until she lambs  , any short term loss of condition won't  affect them too much and if you want to keep feeding the in lamb ewe then a small pen or similar

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Sheep / Dilemma

« Last post by Richmond on Today at 08:59:32 am »

I only put 3 ewes to our new tup this season. 2 have lambed already, with the lambs now 5 - 6 weeks old but I'm still waiting for the 3rd ewe to lamb. She's been bagged up for at least 3 weeks and has a huge belly, puffy vulva etc, but no sign of imminent lambing. We like the ewes to lamb in the small paddock next to our house - good view of everything, shelter etc. Then they move into an adjacent larger field with more grass when the lambs are about 4 weeks.

 A couple of days ago I made the decision to move the older lambs and their mothers to the bigger field so they could have more grass and I could stop feeding those ewes. I have kept the 3rd back in the smaller paddock. She initially seemed not too bothered and as they can still communicate over the fence/gate I thought all would be ok. However she now seems a little lonely and is standing bleating at the gate after them as they make their way further across the field exploring. Is the stress of separation from her sisters likely to be harmful to her unborn lamb/s?

I could let her through, but then it wouldn't be so easy to see her because of trees and hedges hiding the view down into that field, and the grass is quite long in places and would easily hide newborn lambs or her having a difficult labour. There's also a public footpath running alongside one of the boundary fences. Or I could bring the other ewes back into the lambing field again? What do you think is best?

Our other sheep (ram, wethers, unbred ewes) are in different paddocks a little further away.

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Sheep / Re: Raddle harnesses for small sheep

« Last post by Brewster on May 17, 2024, 12:16:58 pm »

Thanks for that Sally. I wont waste my money even though the saddle pointing upwards did make me smile!

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by Sudanpan on May 15, 2024, 06:41:54 pm »

The weather has been pretty garbage I have to admit. We have had weeks and weeks of wet, wind, drizzle, mist since the beginning of the year. Willows are supposed to tolerate wet areas relatively well but I suppose there's a limit to everything. Where the willow is planted doesn't get standing water, but the water table is going to be quite high as this is towards the bottom of a hill. Our field (which is higher up) has been like a soggy sponge for the 1st part of the year so it might just be too much dank damp conditions for too long.
There are trees in the lane below our garden (mainly sycamore) which don't seem to be in any sort of distress.
Will investigate further. Thanks for the RHS link - quite a few pointers from that seem to suggest water logging

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by doganjo on May 15, 2024, 01:51:35 pm »

Thanks for the input - I agree on the mechanical damage bit - it occurs to me that we had a tree surgeon on site on Friday taking downa big elm tree (dead  ) on Friday and the damage could easily have happened then with branches being moved around etc. Will get the bark sealer 👍


The box is a feeder - been there for years

I've used this website before to help with sick plants - https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/leaf-damage-on-woody-plants

RHS are pretty good.  Your photos show what I would think a couple of problems - I wonder if the weather has been the biggest problem?

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by Sudanpan on May 15, 2024, 10:07:51 am »

Thanks for the input - I agree on the mechanical damage bit - it occurs to me that we had a tree surgeon on site on Friday taking downa big elm tree (dead  ) on Friday and the damage could easily have happened then with branches being moved around etc. Will get the bark sealer 👍


The box is a feeder - been there for years

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by Sudanpan on May 15, 2024, 10:05:47 am »

Totally unrelated question, sudanpan.     I hope you find out what is wrong with your willow  , but I am fascinated by your wedding ring.

I wondered if the engraving was a mountain range?

Close, but no cigar! It's actually a piece of Cornish coastline - Godrevy to St Ives which is the bit closest to us. I could specify what I wanted and then the jeweller did the rest.    Originally the 'land' bit was brushed gold, and the sea bit polished gold. The 2 halves could come apart. Over time the brushed gold has polished out and I had the 2 parts sealed together.

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by doganjo on May 15, 2024, 09:52:19 am »

Totally unrelated question, sudanpan.     I hope you find out what is wrong with your willow  , but I am fascinated by your wedding ring.

I wondered if the engraving was a mountain range?

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by chrismahon on May 15, 2024, 06:34:04 am »

I think the two problems are unrelated. Looks like leaf curl due to aphids or perhaps a form of mildew. The bark damage is physical abuse, not insects under the surface. The proximity to the box on the trunk may be that something has stood on it and scratched or pecked the bark away. I could guess at a cat trimming its claws?


To add. The bark damage looks recent. I would seal it with the brown mastic-type tree sealer you can buy and apply a thick coat of it with a spatula, which should discourage further damage and stop disease getting under the bark. Can you remove the box?

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Pests and diseases / Re: Sickly weeping willow

« Last post by Fleecewife on May 14, 2024, 11:25:30 pm »

I thought at first deer, but then I saw the pic with the box attached to the trunk.  What's in the box?
The damage looks too high to be deer.  Do you have very tall sheep?  They love stripping bark too. Bears? Horse?
If that is the extent of the damage then it's unlikely to be causing the curled and spotty leaves.  It does look seriously stressed.  It's been wet enough so not too dry and willows don't mind being too wet.
I'm afraid I can't help you at all.
On a second look, the bark damage looks more mechanical than animal.  Has anyone been at it with an axe, chisel or saw? I don't think however that the bark will be a problem - it will heal.  It's the leaves that are more worrying.