How are our fuzzy friends progressing? Overall, I’d say that they’re all benefiting from a having their mothers’ milk all to themselves, as they’re mostly growing like weeds. BadHorse and Todd are approaching weaning weight already and will be separated by early May. Crazy.
BadHorse is incredibly handsome guy. I am in love with his straight back and meaty structure. I want to use him in the fall, but I’m realizing that I would be using him on three unrelated ewes, four fairly closely-related ewes (three half siblings, a half-aunt) and his own mother (who would need to meet up with a different ram). I don’t think that the little BFL I’ve chosen can handle 8 ewes his first time, so I’m trying to think of another plan.
Todd. He’s a charmer, and he’s as soft as can be. This guy can’t get enough attention. He’s adorable for the moment, but the sad part about bold, intact rams is that he’s likely to be a dangerous adult. We’re keeping that well in mind. Todd and his sister, Swift (born last year) give me complete confidence in Bobolink as a brood ewe.
In contrast to Todd, Mr. PeanutButter is, well, another argument in favor of letting Timberdoodle move on from the flock. He has amazing, impossibly fine wool that simply will not endure this climate (too much moisture will lead to fleece rot). He is lean and scrawny, and his growth has been overtaken by two lambs who are significantly younger. He also has a hunchy, arched appearance that he shares with Fake Thomas Jefferson, below. They are bouncing and pooping normally and aren’t cold, so I think they just have weird legs. His characteristics are a reminder that I need to calm my search for fine wool in favor of meat and production characteristics, sometimes.
And this guy. This guy is the go-to lamb for handing off to visitors. He will come and sit on your lap. He will tolerate being held for quite a while. But he is hilariously and impractically tiny and growing only incrementally. As Matt puts it, “he is his grandfather’s son” (Cinder is his sire and grandsire because I didn’t have another option at the time), so I’m just glad that his mom is getting practice mothering.
Phoebe is that wild, sassy, daredevil friend you had who didn’t mind if she got in trouble. She’s very shy around people, but will probably get gradually friendlier. When I take the flock for a walk on the newly growing pasture, she seems to be challenging all of the other lambs to races and boinging competitions. Though her fleece is a little rougher and coarser, she’s nearly perfect in all other respects. I’m leaning strongly towards keeping her, and making peace with a wider variety of fleeces in my flock.
And with apologies for the blurry picture, Chickadee wins the cuteness contest, hooves down. She’s friendly and wonderfully soft. As awkward as it is to say as a devoted non-sentimentalist, I feel a little bit of Agnes in Chickadee. Her friendly curiosity and appearance both remind me of my dear friend. I’m really excited about this attractive little gal.
