We just got dumped with 2.5 feet of snow in 24 hours. It is the most beautiful time on the farm - a true Catskills winter wonderland. But it is also a logistical nightmare for sheep keeping. As the snow finally eased, I went to shovel what I’m gonna call "sheep chutes" in the paddock. While they’re all very happy to be outside again at least for a short while, my back is less so.
We’re a small flock with an equally small management system and barn space. This means running the ewes/lambs and the rams/sandman separately is a challenge, made more so in this weather.
At this time of the season though it's necessary for a little longer so everyone gets the feed they need and the boys don't "bother" the ewes or lambs.
We’ve got the back two thirds of our shipping container shelter sectioned for all the girls including those with lambs. While Sandman and the rams have access to outside and the space at the front to shelter. While the lambs are little we do this every night and on nasty weather days, which this sure was!
The girls hate not having the option of the barnyard, even when the nor’easter is howling around them. They ‘escaped’ twice early-storm just to see what's what. Thankfully not for long once they felt the wind. No big issue for the ewes with their woolly sweaters but the lambs always follow and they simply don’t have long enough legs to be anywhere near this much snow!
And, of course, one of our ewes got sick just in time for the storm. We're still diagnosing and providing meds [it may be mastitis but we don't think so, it may be just a sore on her teats] but she’s lethargic and needs constant checking and attention. In addition to the separate sections she now needed a jug at the far back of the container with her twins… who, of course, I started to bottle feed as supplement mid-nor'easter. All in a days work!
It's now clear our farm was bang at the center of the highest snowfall. I've just got back in from shoveling the barn yard again post storm. The ewes now have some of the main yard for hay and fresh air, and the boys have a freshly shoveled space at the back of the container. Again, don't let my smile betray you – pray for my lower back.
This week would normally be a great advertisement for lambing later in the year, but the March/April weather systems over the last few years have been wildly unpredictable [last year I was tackling ewes overheating in April!] so it feels there's no perfect time.
Everyone seems to be happy enough for now with their 4ft banked sheep chutes and cleared spaces. The good news is the twin lambs are now finally taking some bottled milk and seem more alert today, and the sick ewe is up and about and eating/ drinking better. You can tell they're all pining for spring as much as we are though.
The other bonus factor is that our barn stayed fully intact during the Nor'easter and barely swayed post-renovation. I'd be lying if I didn't mention we were slightly concerned about the weight of 2 ft of snow on the roof. But we're all still here and standing strong!
Jen.
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