Uncategorized – Page 117 – Sheeps and Peeps Farm

Keets on the Move

June 3, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

The keets moved into the barn this evening. Thanks to Terry for the great new brooding box complete with perch! Barn cat and the lambs are fascinated with the ‘peeping’ and keep peering into the box trying to figure out what these strange, new inhabitants of the barn could be.

Sheeps and Peeps and Keets?

May 24, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & Peeps1 Comment

We had a very successful hatch. Out of 39 eggs, 24 hatched, 2 of those didn’t live, and 3 of them went down the road for the neighbor’s great-granddaughter.

Add to them the 24 pullets ordered, plus the 2 extras they sent, plus the 1 free rare breed chick included and: hmmm . . . guess that makes 46 chicks!

It is amazing how the shipped chicks can survive the two-day trip in their little box right after they are hatched.

All arrived safely and are doing well.

Ok, 46 isn’t enough. We have to add 9 French Guinea keets.

Obviously, we have a very musical living room right now with 3 boxes set up as brooders.

Barn Cat Play Time

May 24, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

Everyone is enjoying the warm spring weather. Kismet especially enjoys feeding time. While all the mamas are at the feeders, he has the opportunity to ‘play’ with the lambs. Eventually the lambs tire of the ‘play’ and gang up on Kismet, who then (wisely) heads to the barn!

Another happy customer

May 23, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

Just could not resist posting a picture of this beautiful shipment of roving, shipped out today to Chestnut Ridge, New York.
We hope our customer enjoys spinning this fiber as much as we did preparing it.

Coopworth X Border Leicester roving, hand-washed, picked, carded and gently pulled; two-year old ewe, Athena.

Sunday blending

May 21, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

Today was an experiment in blending – beginning with hand-washed, hand-picked natural colored Coopworth X Border Leicester from one of our two-year old ewes, Athena.

Then we added yearling mohair locks that we purchased at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

The blending process began with the Coopworth-Border Leicester being run through the drum carder then we layered the picked, mohair locks.

After carding and blending and carding and blending (four times) we ended up with these very silky and lustrous spinning batts. Beautiful!

Where’s the Peeps???

May 20, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

We have had several inquiries about the peeps part of Sheeps and Peeps Farm. Where are they?? Well, we haven’t hatched out any eggs since last spring but have had some, saved from our layers, in the incubator almost 3 weeks now:

We took out the automatic egg turner, increased the humidity and ventilation yesterday:

And also have 24 assorted layers coming the first of the week from Murray McMurray Hatchery (www.mcmurrayhatchery.com ) Then a few surprises on reserve at the local Southern States store. More on that later. . .

Curley’s Lambs

May 16, 2007July 6, 2017 Sheeps & PeepsLeave a comment

We got two beautiful lambs today from our romney ewe, Curley. These were somewhat unexpected as we didn’t intend to breed her this year. Someone must have jumped the fences over and back after breeding season was officially closed. I say somewhat unexpected because she prolapsed about 10 days ago which brought to our attention (via Jonathan’s MSWF phone call) that she did indeed show other signs of pregnancy. So, retainer in, we were anxiously waiting with no idea how long the wait would be. (Surely not July — we knew a ram got in when the fences were down during the ice storm) So, this morning at feeding time, the new lambs greeted me. What a relief for us all!!

A black 11 lb 3 oz ewe lamb:

And a 12 lb 8 oz white ram:The little ewe had some entrophin but the alligator clips are doing the job and should come off tomorrow. We are so excited to have 2 more healthy lambs.