The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: chonty on April 29, 2014, 09:14:33 pm
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So handsheared 2 this afternoon. A baptism of fire having only had dagging experience! It is possible though tiring. 40 mins each. Dont think a professional shearer would be impressed. Only 6 more to go if my back copes. Poor buggers.
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I don't think 40mins is too bad - my first time hand shearing last year I did 23 over a few weeks some took 25mins but some of the backs were so difficult to see took me way more like 50mins - but only a couple of mini knocks for the whole lot - back has just recovered!!
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Hope you won't ache too much in the morning! You will have used muscles you didn't know existed - amazes me the contortions it's possible to get in to whilst shearing!
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23? Madness!!! And yes i fear what the morning might bring!
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It's a greAt feeling though, isn't it! To know that you can. Hope you can move this morning :fc:
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I hand shear a dozen or so sheep. I have found it easier to create a platform with a sheet of ply with a couple of plastic poultry crates as supports. I found it is less damaging to my back and I can get half done in one session.
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Remind me to ask you to show me that, tweedy hill! When I clip my wee primitives, I walk off afterwards like the Hunchback of Notre Dame! Takes some minutes before I can straighten up!
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I think i would be in a heap of ply and poultry supports! Thankfully i can move today so will be attempting some more shortly! Not looking forward to doing the bolshy matriarch!
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Good luck! Shearing and general handling is THE reason I won't keep a ram - I have enough of a wrestle with my ewes and the breed ram is about twice the size!
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My ram is extremely easy to handle (Hampshire Down) - I can check his feet by picking them up like you would a horse and I just catch him, put the halter on and tie him to the fence for any other jobs such as dagging, worming, spraying etc. He is a very big chap but easier in many ways than several of my smaller ewes. On saying that, he is not very flexible when it comes to shearing and out of all the sheep Philip sheared for me last year, it was Mowgli (the ram) that looked the most difficult for him. Mowgli just does not have the bendability of the ewes and in addition didn't like the clippers over the top of his head/face!
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I have five rams to hand shear. My eldest, Winston was first to fall prey to my efforts and looked liked the Specsavers advert the other week when I did him. Looks better now after I've tidied him up. He just has a scanty pair of bloomers remaining ;D He gets twitchy when I'm on his back legs. Maybe it tickles or something... Then I did Ebony who was so patient until the other boys came sniffing around and being stupid and his neat trim ended at his hips (I start on the chest, open the fleece up like wings and fold back as I go) leaving him with something resembling a rara skirt. He hasn't yet let me finish. Donatello let me do all of him, no fuss, with the fleece coming off like a sheepskin rug. It takes me for bloomin' ever but the boys love the time spent with them and it feels like a real achievement on my part.
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Loving the word picture Pedwardine. :D