First off, let me state for the record that sheep are stupid. I mean, really really stupid. They have two states of existence; dull acceptance and blind panic. Both can be used to your advantage.
Our endeavor to relieve five sheep of their coats started off by clearing out a space next to the barn of anything that might spook them, and cause them to run the other way. This included a blue kids table and a bunch of lawn chairs (apparently they don't believe in lounging). We needed to get them from the lower field into this enclosure, without one of them bolting away from us. If one bolts, they all do. We needed to make them bolt into a very small enclosure we had made out of gates within this larger enclosure by the barn. This is where the taking of coats would begin.
First we went looking for them. They are easy to spot (in short grass), as they are large and all various shades of dirty white, which stands out quite well against green grass. At first they were wary of these four sinister looking tall things approaching them. We formed a line behind them and just started to walk up the field.
Blind Panic!!
We managed to get them through the first field, through the small opening in the fence (and close that off, in-case of boltage), and into the larger enclosure. At this point we hit a snag. One kept going around the back of the barn, which of course meant they all followed. We chased them in circles a couple of times, which was quite entertaining. Watching sheep blindly attempt to jump over a clump of nettles and not really make it...I leave it to your imagination.
Finally we had them all in the small enclosure. At this point Caelie and I just watched, having no experience with shearing or handling sheep.
It is an interesting process. You start at the chest and work your way down, and then go around to the other side. When you are done you have a fleece that is all one piece (well, unless you pull it all apart). The sheep barley struggle at all once you have them. They just sit (on their bums with their front feet hanging dejectedly) and let themselves be relieved of their coats.
At one point, one of the sheep was on it's side (having it's side fleece removed) and it saw a piece of grass within it's reach. So, of course, it had to sample that tasty morsel. Here I am, watching a sheep be sheared, and the sheep decides it will have a little lunch while it gets a haircut.
All five sheep got the extensive hair-cut as well as a manicure/pedicure (to keep their feet healthy in the wet weather). They also got a dose of insect repellent on their necks to keep them safe from a type of fly that burrows into their skin and lays it's eggs, which kill the sheep when they hatch. When they are fully sheared the look like they are made out of foam. It is the strangest thing, the fleece left on them looks exactly like white stiff foam (ya know, the stuff you can carve and make props out of).
When we let them out of the enclosure they all ran to the bottom of the top field and hid in the tall grass till we left. All you could see was their little ears.
We all went home smelling very sheepy!!
Our endeavor to relieve five sheep of their coats started off by clearing out a space next to the barn of anything that might spook them, and cause them to run the other way. This included a blue kids table and a bunch of lawn chairs (apparently they don't believe in lounging). We needed to get them from the lower field into this enclosure, without one of them bolting away from us. If one bolts, they all do. We needed to make them bolt into a very small enclosure we had made out of gates within this larger enclosure by the barn. This is where the taking of coats would begin.
First we went looking for them. They are easy to spot (in short grass), as they are large and all various shades of dirty white, which stands out quite well against green grass. At first they were wary of these four sinister looking tall things approaching them. We formed a line behind them and just started to walk up the field.
Blind Panic!!
We managed to get them through the first field, through the small opening in the fence (and close that off, in-case of boltage), and into the larger enclosure. At this point we hit a snag. One kept going around the back of the barn, which of course meant they all followed. We chased them in circles a couple of times, which was quite entertaining. Watching sheep blindly attempt to jump over a clump of nettles and not really make it...I leave it to your imagination.
Finally we had them all in the small enclosure. At this point Caelie and I just watched, having no experience with shearing or handling sheep.
It is an interesting process. You start at the chest and work your way down, and then go around to the other side. When you are done you have a fleece that is all one piece (well, unless you pull it all apart). The sheep barley struggle at all once you have them. They just sit (on their bums with their front feet hanging dejectedly) and let themselves be relieved of their coats.
At one point, one of the sheep was on it's side (having it's side fleece removed) and it saw a piece of grass within it's reach. So, of course, it had to sample that tasty morsel. Here I am, watching a sheep be sheared, and the sheep decides it will have a little lunch while it gets a haircut.
All five sheep got the extensive hair-cut as well as a manicure/pedicure (to keep their feet healthy in the wet weather). They also got a dose of insect repellent on their necks to keep them safe from a type of fly that burrows into their skin and lays it's eggs, which kill the sheep when they hatch. When they are fully sheared the look like they are made out of foam. It is the strangest thing, the fleece left on them looks exactly like white stiff foam (ya know, the stuff you can carve and make props out of).
When we let them out of the enclosure they all ran to the bottom of the top field and hid in the tall grass till we left. All you could see was their little ears.
We all went home smelling very sheepy!!
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