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Author Topic: lessons learned !  (Read 2843 times)

countrygirlatheart

  • Joined Apr 2008
lessons learned !
« on: August 02, 2009, 08:12:42 pm »
Lesson 1

Having just acquired a new gimmer and two lovely ewe lambs I had put them in a separate paddock and had been feeding them to get them friendlier so that they became tame like the rest of my flock.  I had put feed in their trough and left the bucket sitting while I went to the back paddock to say hello to my friendly ewes.  On returning to the field the acquisitions were in,I was horrified to see ........ a ewe lamb, the best one (its always the bloomin best one !) with the bucket firmly trapped on her head!!!  (I should add this was a tall narrow type of bucket with a sort of fold up plastic handle - not your normal bucket) She had obviously put her head in and lifted it with the handle stuck in the 'up' position behind her head.  Unfortunately, the bucket didn't completely cover her head .. I say unfortunately because it would have meant she wouldn't have been able to see where she was going and I might have had a cat in hell's chance of catching her, but no!, her eyes were just above the rim of the bucket so she was able to gallop towards her two buddies (no doubt seeking comfort) baaaaaaahing her head off and absolutely scaring the c**p out of them, such that they galloped off every time she headed in their direction ... and she chased them ... and so on.  A few times she stopped and put her head down but she brought it back up again under the handle.  Aaaaaaaaargh ...... how the hell do you sort that one .... bucket firmly stuck and no chance of catching an untamed sheep in a 2 acre field.   Went back to the house and tried more feed in the trough thinking if she came near the trough could wheech it off her but no chance ... as soon as the other two came towards the trough she ran up behind them and off they all went again!  Was beginning to despair ... by now all three sheep panting and looking stressed so decided to set up a pen of hurdles and see if I could somehow get them in.  Heaved 8 hurdles across to a corner of the field ...... then....... sweating and a tad stressed myself ... turned round to see she had managed to get the bucket off and had rejoined her pals.  Phew !

So.. lesson 1 .... don't ever leave a bucket with a handle on in the field !!!!

Lesson 2

Was climbing over small bit of post and rail in corner between two fields.  New gimmer (untamed) was quietly 'stuck' in the corner as friendly sheep were behind her waiting to say hello to me.  Took the opportunity to talk to her and gently give her neck a rub which was going down well .... then stepped over to go into the field and WHAM !   One of the ewes had head butted the new gimmer against my leg, smashing my shin against the cross post OUCH ..... that smarted a tad!!!

So .... lesson 2 ...... keep safety in mind - even with tame sheep

shetlandpaul

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2009, 08:50:25 pm »
you soon learn our pig did that once. it was really sulky we now only use the wide buckets. or those plastic rubberly things

PuBS

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • National
    • PuBSForum
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2009, 01:31:08 pm »
People get killed by tups every year.
never ever trust even a family pet style farm animal.
One of my uncles was killed by a Hereford bull which used to let us kids ride on his back - he took some hay into the bull pen and didnt use the safety passage. The bull was having a strop and just killed him. Was only when he didnt come in after milking my aunt went to look and they had to shoot the bull to get to uncle.
Nickcordery
PuBSadmin
www.pubs.myfunforum.org

countrygirlatheart

  • Joined Apr 2008
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2009, 07:16:39 pm »
Nick

How awful, what a terrible thing to happen, so sorry to hear about that


sandy

  • Guest
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2009, 07:23:03 pm »
Hang on...is th bucket still on her head????? I got home to find my patterdale Terrier (now dead) with a plastic dog treat jar stuck on his head like a space helmet, it was all steamed up, I got it off but had to laugh as well..he got run over a whilelater when he ran out of the house!!!!

sandy

  • Guest
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2009, 07:23:39 pm »
I am always warey of livestock especialy Cows!!!!

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2009, 11:23:42 pm »
When my bitch had pups last year I gave her an almost empty cream carton and off she trotted to her nest with it.  I went through to get it to put in the bin about 10 minutes later and it's just as well I did - the little bitch puppy had her head completely inside it and could only just breathe.  A few minutes more and she'd have run out of oxygen.  Just goes to show how careful you have to be with babies - I learnt my lesson that day too!
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: lessons learned !
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2009, 11:52:51 pm »
Oh dear, we do have some calamities with our livestock don't we?  Glad the bucket finally came off ok!!

Bertie my pet shetland sheep somehow got his leg through the handle of my plastic scoop which I had put down outside the door.  He was charging up and down the field, waving his back leg around, and sending the scoop further up his leg.  Every time I got hold of his leg he kicked like a donkey.  Somehow I held on to the scoop, turned it, worrying his leg was twisting, and it flew off up the field - not the leg, the scoop!!

The worst thing I did was one day when I fed the farm kittens, I must have forgotten to bring the empty food can out with me.  I went back in an hour later, which was not  my usual routine, but thank goodness I did.  One of the kittens had got in the tin, to lick it out, and it was stuck on her head.  She was running round the place banging into things.  I pulled the can off and her head was soaking wet.  How she was able to breathe I do not know. 

I never, ever leave a tin in there again.

 

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