Author Topic: End of the road for Archie? (Read 7840 times)

Pedwardine · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2012, 10:22:39 pm »

I'm not about to tell you what you should do only what I would do if it were me. If I had shelter he could have access to, perhaps a coat for the winter, company of other animals and he seemed happy I'd keep him on and give him lots of love and treats of all the things he likes and hope that he'd go in his own time. I'm not the most practical of beings mind...

colliewoman · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2012, 10:59:23 pm »

Quote from: Mallows Flock on October 05, 2012, 08:47:35 pm

LOL... I bet I know EXACTLY who you are talking about CW....... can you inmagine the 3 of us ever working together - LOL... it would be mayhem and madness.

It would be fab!!!

I believe she has empty rooms.....
Lets ask

Mallows Flock · « **Reply #17 on:** October 06, 2012, 04:05:38 pm »

CW...lol... I would be more than happy to bed down in the barns myself!

mmu · « **Reply #18 on:** October 06, 2012, 09:09:36 pm »

Quote from: The Chicken Lady on September 30, 2012, 07:37:40 pm

My old tup is 10 1/2! I think this is quite old for a sheep. I was surprised that he survived last winter but now he has lost alot of weight and I am thinking that it is cruel to keep him alive for another winter. The problem I have is how to dispose of him. I know I am soft but I do not plan to spend a fortune on vets bills etc. Neither do I want to send him through a cattle market etc. What would fellow smallhollders do?

I really feel for you on this. It's a lot more difficult to keep an old tup than a ewe or a wether as they pine if they are not alble to work, especially if there are ewes nearby, and that is unkind. If this is not the situation and you really feel he has to go then the knacker is the best bet, although the one we use can be a bit difficult about putting sheep down unless they are collapsed. we are looking for someone else at the moment. I your lad is happy and still eating well, then a rug and plenty of his favourite feed should see him through until you know he's not enjoying life anymore. If you have a cosy shelter for him, and unless he's in full view of nosey neighbours, he won't necessarily need a rung if he has a good fleece. I have an old shetland ewe who is at least 18, but fit as a flea, and she is going nowhere until she says so!

The Chicken Lady · « **Reply #19 on:** October 07, 2012, 05:17:35 pm »

Well Archie seems to be making a comeback! He's still a little thin but quite bright. His feet are fine and he seems quite chirpy. He is eating fine at the moment and he is a steadying influence on the other tups. They still respect him as the boss. I think I will give him more time. I'll see what happens when the weather gets worse. I can bring him in if I need to.

colliewoman · « **Reply #20 on:** October 07, 2012, 05:38:28 pm »

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #21 on:** October 07, 2012, 05:40:18 pm »

Great news

in the hills · « **Reply #22 on:** October 07, 2012, 06:26:12 pm »

Good old Archie

Hope we have a mild winter for him

jaykay · « **Reply #23 on:** October 07, 2012, 07:44:09 pm »

Good lad

He might need more calorific food, perhaps softened a bit, to fatten him up. My skinny goat fattened quite nicely with flaked maize and ReadiGrass.

mmu · « **Reply #24 on:** October 08, 2012, 08:55:42 am »

Bless him and you chicken lady, good luck with him, if he wants to live, let him, you'll know if he doesn't.

Blackbird · « **Reply #25 on:** October 09, 2012, 10:49:32 am »

Good luck to you and Archie, Chickenlady. Let's hope for a milder winter for all of us

I have been having similar thoughts wondering what to do when my 10 year old ewe Daffy gets too old to eat properly - she's not bad off for teeth at the front, but she cuds a lot - especially with hay- so I suspect the problem is with her back teeth. I supplement her forage with a mix of coarse meal, crushed oats and ewe nuts at the moment and will add Readi grass to the mix for winter instead of hay. As long as she's eating and seems happy I'll keep her going - she's a good flock leader for the lambs and such a character.

Remy · « **Reply #26 on:** October 11, 2012, 12:06:11 pm »

Big hugs for you Chickenlady, I hate saying goodbye to animals before their time unless they have a serious condition that affects their quality of life. I've found that usually you do know when they are ready to go, and it doesn't sound like Archie is quite yet!

Horses that have problems with eating can get a sloppy conditioning feed called Readymash, maybe there is a similar product for sheep? Hope Archie has a good few happy days ahead of him