[The Chicken Lady]

The day is drawing nearer. My first two sheep are ready for slaughter. My brother-in-law came to look at them yesterday and said they would be ready in two weeks. Now is the big test - do we go through with it or do we become veggie and keep geriatric sheep As we have got the hang of keeping sheep I am getting five Ryelands next weekend - these will be my breeding stock. My freezer is nearly empty ready for Minty and Skippy and I have plenty of mint sauce ready Will let you know if I go through with it 

[pigsatlesrues]

I look at it this way - you eat meat (at the moment) you like lamb (at the  moment) so with your lambs, you know them, you know how they have been fed and you know how they have lived, they have been happy and  contented.  Better to eat your own home reared lambs than buy an anominous one with no history.

Good luck with your decision - it is always difficult the first time and it doesn't necessarily get easier, but with the right mind set you can learn to accept it and enjoy your meat.

Kate 

[cazz67]

 :pig:Hi I had my first lambs slaughted at the begining of June and I felt awful when they went, but they had a good life and they tasted wonderful.

[carole]

How was it chicken lady, totally agree with Kate, you know the life they had and I am sure they taste beautiful, by the way what breed?

Carole

[The Chicken Lady]

Skippy and Minty were Gritstones. They were two sheep that I purchased from a local farmer to practice on!!!! I had them last November and other than trim their rear end and give them some beet pulp shreds they cost me nothing else other than totally fencing the field they were in as they seemed to think that they were goats and spent most of the first six weeks on next doors fields. I got them back from the butchers a week last Monday but could not bring myself to eat any of the meat until Sunday. We had roast leg of lamb for Sunday lunch and all the family - including my daughter who did not eat lamb - said it was the best they had ever tasted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We finnished the leg between four of us. I have now got six Ryelands - five ewes and a ram. These will be much better as their legs are too short to jump! I intend to breed from these. I will ask the question later about when to slaughter as I am a bit confused as to the best time to do this. At the moment I just want to sit back and enjoy and think about the lovely pork and bacon due around September!! We also have Dotty who is something or other and we have hand reared her - she will always be a pet.