Sun 29 Sep

 Emily and I counted all 51x sheep. Around 6x with very messy back ends.

#188 seems no worse - no sign of fly problems.

Fence fine. Trough fine.

No concerns.

Saturday 28th September 2024

Huge apologies, but I can’t get down to see the sheep today. Something has come up last minute. 

Annette 

Fri 27th Sept

 Very cold and rainy today! Sheep were spread around the southernmost side of the field. I shook the bucket for some time, walking towards them all, 4 of them ran off, then one brave one approached and gradually the rest followed. I managed to get the brave one to eat a little from the bucket then spread the nuts on the field and another 5 came over. Progress!

I did notice that one of them was very dirty but saw no flies or evidence of blowfly strike - I wasn't able to inspect every single one as they were too spread out.

Sun 22 Sep

 Emily and I counted all 51x.

#188 has a very messy back end, with flies and it's nibbling its side. Called through to Jack in the grazing team (the first number on the contacts list next to this blog). I left a message on his voicemail as I don't assess it's urgent for today.

It would be helpful if there is a single on-call out of hours number to ring in case of emergency - I'm not clear which number to call from the list. 

3-4 others with messy back ends, but no worse than before. 

Rest look fine.

Saturday 21st September 2024

 Checked on the lambs this afternoon, all 51 counted and spread out over the south westerly quarter of the meadow. All seem well, but still a few messy behinds. Water trough ok. 

One lamb walked over as soon as the bucket was seen and 5 others came to join in quickly after. Quite a few more showing interest, but not yet braving it. No wildlife spotted today.  

Annette 

Friday 20th September

 All 51 were spread out alongside the railway line side of the field following a pretty heavy thunderstorm. I couldn't find the bucket so took my own and I did get baa's but couldn't get them to run towards me like last years used to! Will try for a longer period of time next time.

Wednesday 18th September

 51 counted, spread across the field in groups. One lamb had got into the central section again, but ran back up to the top and got out easily.

There was more interest in the bucket today, with many coming up closer to see what I had for them.

A few messy ends but all moving well and no problems seen.

Monday 16th September

 One of the sheep had gotten through the fence between the fence and hedge (on the side that seperates from the other field). It was able to fit between the lower two rungs and get back into the field with some encouragement, but those gaps might need to be blocked with some chicken wire or something..?

In good news, a bunch of the sheep seemed to clock on to where I was going as I went to the green bucket and started following me. Mildly concerning at first, but definitely less scary that being followed by cows.

All 51 sheep present (once the 51st came home), and water trough all fine.

Sun 15 Sep

 Emily and I checked the sheep and counted all 51x. 

5-6x have very messy back ends, but the sheep all seem ok in themselves.

There was limited interest in the bucket. There's half a tub of nuts left.

One of the sheep was within the fenced division protecting the hedge between the between the two fields. I got it out and stretched the strand of wire over the poles at the northern end of it, to discourage them from trying again.

All good. Trough fine.

Saturday 14th September 2024

 Lambs checked this afternoon all 51 counted. Fairly spread out over the meadow in 4 groups. Small lamb with a group of 5. Noticed 4 messy behinds, but no flies today. 

 Took a couple of handfuls of sheep nuts in the bucket and 4 lambs came over after about ½ an hour to check out the bucket and were rewarded with the sheep nuts. Another 5 came over to observe before joining in. Water trough working. 

 Saw 3 roe deer, a red kite, a large group of swallows flying at the top of the main meadow and 2 (according to the Collins Book of Birds) Reed Buntings. 

 Annette

Friday 13th September

All 51 sheep looking fine on an absolutely beautiful sunny morning! Seem to be much more spread out than last year's flock. I wasn't able to shake the bowl unfortunately as I had my dog with me so hopped over the fence alongside the railway while she was waiting. Next time!

Monday 9th September

 Late posting because of work and life and all the chaos, but all 51 present adn correct on Monday evening. Had difficulty with the padlock at the front of the field, I can never quite seem to get the numbers lined up just so, but managed in the end. 

Didn't know about nuts at the time, but walked around the sheep anyway and got them all to move - no limping or struggling as far as I could tell.

Wednesday 11th September

 A lovely sunny breezy day. The lambs were spread all over the field, 51 counted. The small one was in a group with others. No problems seen.

Tried them with the bucket and feed as requested. A few were interested but most just ran away. Will have to persevere.

Monday 8th October staff check

All lambs accounted for and water running. As previously highlighted some lambs with messy backsides still. I've informed the grazing team.

I've brought some sheeps nuts and placed them in the race between the two fields. If you have time please take the bucket, shake it and call out 'come on'. This is to train them to come to the bucket, at first they won't come so leave a small pile of nuts on the floor from where you've called from and over time they will approach and then chuck some nuts in the ground for them as they approach.

Please let me know when they need restocking, don't overuse the nuts, few hand fulls each time. Hope to refill every other week.

Thanks :)

Sun 08 Sep

Emily and I counted all 51x

4x with very messy back ends. One of them (pic below) had a small number of flies gathering on the messy fleece. It didn't seem unwell. I couldn't get close enough to read ear tag, but it has a normal curved left horn and a shorter straight right horn.

The smallest sheep was separated again and seems to be struggling a bit - nibbling at its sides occasionally and has a few flies settling around its horns.

Neither seems urgent enough to call out the grading team today, but I think should be monitored over the next few days.

Trough fine.

Saturday 7th September 2024

 Checked the lambs this afternoon and all 51 counted. They were spread out over the meadow, but none on their own. I did notice 2 messy behinds. Water trough full and valve working. One roe deer spotted  

Annette 

Thursday 5th Sept

 Lambs are present and well. Will get a bucket down soon so we can start training them. Trough working. Miserable day so no one around!

Thanks all,

Sam

Wednesday 4th Sep.

 51 lambs counted, spread in small groups across the field, looking content and all moving well.

No problems seen.

Monday 2nd September

 All 51 counted, no one seemed to be limping or in any particular distress, grouped in pods of 5-10 throughout the field. Water trough full of water.

A couple of dirty bottoms, I didn't count exactly how many, but it was few enough that they stood out. I took a picture of one of them for reference.