I greatly admire what you're doing Maggie, we keep our small flock more for pleasure than profit, although I would like to break even occasionally. We always seem to have a couple of old things around that should have gone away, but as long as they are happy and reasonably healthy, and keep their heads down we let them stay awhile. Even with sick ones, they do often get better with TLC. and you can be too hasty sending them away. A couple of summers ago one of our Shetlands was definitely off colour, didn't respond to anti biotics, wasn't bossy or noisy and looked very much like she'd had enough. We decided not to shear her as it was obvious she'd be gone before long. Well, she's still here, just as feisty as ever. O.k this is not a commercial way of doing things, but then we're not commercial farmers, if we were I'd grow tatties!