Injecting and moving the sheep

We have been catching the sheep when we can, as they come up to the hay or maize, and injecting them with anti parasite stuff (treats for nose bot, liver fluke and various other things). We did Mrs Jacob,but not the others back in September because we suspected she had nose bot as she was sneezing and sniffling lots, but we are bad sheepy owners and haven't got round to the others until now.
It is quite difficult to do as catching them in the first place is difficult - except for Mrs Suffolk, Mrs Jacob and Tyson who will come and take grain out of your hand. Once you manage to grab one it is quite a struggle to get it on it's back, and then managing to get the needle in the right place is tricky. It is meant to be sub cutaneious in the neck, but we have ended up doing it under their 'arm' on some as the wool is too thick on the neck to tell whether the needle went in or not.

2012 lamb (female)

Tyson (the bison - he looks like a mini bison...)

Mrs Jacob

 Poor Tyree (who is the smallest and cutest of the sheep - born spring 2012 so will grow a bit more but will still be small) went a bit wrong after her injection and has had a limp for a couple of days. It seems to be improving and she is running around fine, but it is a shame and we feel bad as she is a sweet little thing - and also very shy, perhaps this isn't going to help.

We took the opportunity having caught her to move her back in to the field that we call 'The Orchard' (although there are only a few apple trees in there at the moment, and some of them have been killed by Mrs Jacob and offspring), we tried to catch Col (the little ram) who is going to live there with her, but couldn't as he is a frisky little bugger. So we put one of the other 2012 female lambs in there with her to keep her company for now.

2012 female Ouessant lamb - about to have injection

We still have 3 sheep to inject. We have managed to get one of the ones we want to 'put in the freezer' which means it will be ready after the 28 day withdrawral period. So there are the other 2 'freezer lambs' and the remaining 2012 female ouessant lamb (who could possibly be a ram when we come to inspect her, not quite sure yet) still to be done.

We now have 3 separated for fattening in one enclosure, 2 female ouessant in The Orchard and the remaining 7 in another enclosure. The plan is to move 2 more of the 7 to The Orchard and see how that goes (ie see whether there is enough grass in there for them to live their for a reasonable period without having to keep shifting them around)

We still need to eartag them (except a couple who came with eartags) and will have to go through the whole fun of catching them again to do that. Darn. Perhaps after they have lambs (assuming they do) or as we catch them for slaughter depending on their destiny.