The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 02, 2020, 03:18:55 am

Title: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 02, 2020, 03:18:55 am
  :wave: Hi! Or, I guess I should say "Howdy", LoL!
10 acres, here, with horses, ducks, chickens, a peacock, a newly adopted male pygmy goat, and my 3 little girls, who've been here one week today - Navaho-churro sheep.  :thumbsup:
Finally going to try and get the land self-sufficient. The little ladies are the beginning foundation, we'll see where it goes from here.
Oh, and almost forgot, got my first hive this year, too!  :excited:
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: SallyintNorth on July 02, 2020, 09:15:24 am
Well howdy   :wave:

We are mostly in the Uk but we do have members all over, and I for one love to hear about smallholding in other countries.

I'm sheep mad. :hugsheep: and I spin  :spin: knit  :knit: and weave.  We have 58 breeds and types native to the UK and a host of imports mostly from Europe.  But we don't have Navaho Churro!  I'd love to see some pics  :eyelashes:
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: Fleecewife on July 02, 2020, 10:18:25 am
Hi the Black Sheep Squadron  :wave:  and welcome to TAS. I'm in Scotland on a small green hillside, where we keep hens, geese and the Scottish version of Navajo Churro sheep, our multihorned Hebrideans.  I have spun Navajo Churro fleece, although not using the authentic large spindle  :D
I'm sure we would all love to see some pics of your place and your animals, especially the sheep.
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: Rosemary on July 02, 2020, 04:45:52 pm
Hello and welcome  :wave: from  :sunshine: Carnoustie.Yes, photos please.
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 04, 2020, 03:30:22 am
The little ladies are having dinner right now, so I snapped this. The one my hand's on is just starting to get little horns ????.
I do have more pictures, and will put some up tomorrow.
I do love these little girls, although I know of course they won't stay little for long!
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: Fleecewife on July 04, 2020, 12:46:28 pm



Hello again
What age are your sheep?  I was surprised to see that they have topknots and many have no visible horns, although you mention they are beginning to get them.  I had always thought of Churros as being multihorned, so I checked on Mr Google:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qku1B1Ox9UM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qku1B1Ox9UM)


and found that many do not have horns, some have scurs, some have two horns and some have four. If yours are only just showing signs of horns then if they are truly like Hebrideans they will eventually develop scurs (small, sometimes wobbly and misshapen horns, but perfectly acceptable). Full horns are visible at birth, and polled sheep have nothing but a small dip in the skull where other sheep might have horn buds. They are such pretty sheep  :hugsheep:  Lucky you  :thumbsup: .  I'm looking forward to more pics tomorrow  :D
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 04, 2020, 12:53:40 pm
They are still little lambs, oldest was born 3-25, youngest 4-5... They ran with ~ 200 head, so weren't messed with (tamed) much. I've only just been able to scritch their heads while they eat, which was when I found the little nubs.
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 04, 2020, 02:46:41 pm
I do have many pictures of the place, and other 'residents' here however for right now I am going to focus on the Navajo-Churro. Little side note, I was going to get a couple Leicester Longwool, but that fell through, and I went to my next choice, these little ladies.  :excited:
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: arobwk on July 08, 2020, 07:16:46 pm
I do have many pictures of the place, and other 'residents' here however for right now I am going to focus on the Navajo-Churro. Little side note, I was going to get a couple Leicester Longwool, but that fell through, and I went to my next choice, these little ladies.  :excited:


Trouble is that recognition is made so difficult when sheep decide to wear sun-glasses  :) 
Is that a Navajo-Churro looking really cool in those shades [member=203824]The Black Sheep Squadron[/member] [/font] ?  :D
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 08, 2020, 07:35:22 pm
Quote
"Trouble is that recognition is made so difficult when sheep decide to wear sun-glasses  :) 
Is that a Navajo-Churro looking really cool in those shades [member=203824]The Black Sheep Squadron[/member] ?  :D"

Yeah, I couldn't help myself, the Navajo-Churro are soooo Cool! LoL!
Two have been shaded, one left to go... ????
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: The Black Sheep Squadron on July 09, 2020, 02:20:04 am
Here's one of the three just before dinner time..
Title: Re: Making a go at it, FINALLY!
Post by: arobwk on July 09, 2020, 06:08:16 pm
Very distinctive face !  I don't do sheep, but they look great even without the glasses  :)