Sheep in the backyard
Did you know we have seven lawnmowers? Here they are!
They do a pretty good job, although they haven't acquired a taste for certain weeds. We may have to actually end up mowing weeds, but they do a good job with the grass!
I think they were plotting their break out in this pictures...caught ya!
How's that door taste? Better than grass?
We haven't moved them fully out yet on pasture, just to the backyard for several reasons. We haven't set up good tight fence yet. And we've been having lots and lots of coyotes in our neighborhood. Since it's been so nice outside, we have had our windows open. And boy oh boy are coyotes loud at 1:00 in the AM! I looked out my window as soon as I heard them one morning and could have sworn they would be in our backyard since they were so loud. Jon even got on the four wheeler with a spotlight and shotgun to see if he could take care of a few. No luck, but it does make me a little nervous to put the sheep out by themselves in the pasture. We either need to get a guardian dog, put them with the cattle or bring them back to an enclosed area at night. But we all know our luck with dogs....
Why yes, that is a pool noodle wrapped around my dog's neck! Why in the world would a dog have a pool noodle around his neck?
So, he doesn't rip out his new stitches, of course!
Hopefully this experience will teach him not to mess with a heifer who has horns....
My wife, a fiber artist, read a blog entry from a sheep farm a few months back about how pasturing cattle and sheep together can be mutually beneficial . . . I think this is the post: http://www.fiberfarm.com/2011/12/a-really-good-argument-against-being-careful-what-you-wish-for
I need to pull the bulls out and as soon as I do, I'm going to put them with the sheep and see what happens. Should be interesting...
If I can get them to bond, we could try a full-time flerd (flock-herd)! The trouble is, if it goes wrong all my sheep become coyote food.
I'd really like to move towards the Flerd idea but I still might get a livestock guardian dog (LGD) anyway. Just to keep the dang coyotes away. For the sake of the pigs, sheep, ducks, chickens, turkeys and everyone else.