Donate Now!

Donate Now!
Buy a membership or koozies to help!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Home on the Remains

This year is starting to look like the year of the death for the Neophyte Homestead. This time it was an adult sheep that I found dead in the barn.

To be honest I know very little about these sheep. What I do know is that they were severely neglected. The ones that were born on the previous owners land were malnourished to the point of stunting their growth.

I harped on the previous owners about the food choice. She was feeding them goat scrub, this stuff was so bad that I wouldn't have fed it too my own goats. When I took over caring for them on the previous owners property I feed them dairy cattle quality hay. Soon I discovered that the water troughs that they supplied had holes in them. They couldn't hold water. I slowly started moving the sheep over to my property, with permission. I fixed one of the trough so it could hold water. Then got a phone call chewing me out for neglecting the sheep. I was flabbergasted! I was improving the health of these animals. Not only was the feed she was giving them horrid, they were in a small pen standing and sleeping in 2 feet of fodder and manure. I was doing the best I could for them in the situation they were in. I had most of them moved, but the remaining sheep and donkey were to go to someone else that she said could take better care of them.

Because of their neglect, the donkey had hoof root and fevered. She was put down.

The sheep born here on my homestead are already close to the same size as their mothers, and should be larger once fully grown. You can see the abuse in the other sheep.

But you can only do so much after years of damage. Hopefully we will lose no more because of the neglect. We have had them less than a year, and it had taken months to get them to sustain a decent weight.

The sheep that died had a daughter, she is close to the weening age, and seems to be doing just fine without her mother. She is the most popular girl in the lamb sect. Racing all the boys through the fields. She is healthy.

I enjoy watching the lambs race and play.

We named the bull calf Yogi. I keep forgetting to mention that. Yogi the Bull.

8 comments:

Lisa said...

Oh Phelan, I am sorry for your loss...who in the world would accuse YOU of neglect? they didn't know you, obviously but some people! I am of the ilk that you eat animals, I am no tree hugger...but you DO take the best possible care of any life you choose to take responsibility for! I am so glad you got these sheep, their lives and health will be dramatically improved! I can't wait to see what you do with them...next thing I know, you will be making yarn! and your play on names? LOVE THEM! They make me laugh every day!

Tim Appleton (Applehead) said...

That goat crap they were being fed may have been too high in copper.Just a guess though. Sheep have a low tolerance for copper and goats need it. What did you do with it after you skinned it?

Judy T said...

So sorry for the loss of the sheep. It sounds like she lived the end days of her life with peace and being loved. Good for you.
Judy

SkippyMom said...

"Well, if you can do better come on over and take your damn sheep back."

She wouldn't have. Although I am surprised they haven't come to claim the babies [to sell]. People. Sometimes.

Sorry for your loss Phe - but at least she had at least a year of a good life.

Phelan said...

we buried it. meat not usable.

Skippy, we did start to bring them back, that's when I got another phone call about why I was doing that. She didn't want them.

Anonymous said...

We take in rescue animals also, and often it's too late to reverse years of damage. Thank you for giving her a good life the last bit she had. Don't give up, you are doing the right thing for the animals, even with the pain involved.

HossBoss said...

People who willfully neglect any animal should be subjected to whatever misery(ies) they inflicted on the poor animal ...for a period of time equivalent to that which the animal endured. I know 'society' would never stand for that ...cruel and unusual punishment arguments would abound ...but I say tit for tat. I'm sorry you lost the ewe but glad to hear the lamb is healthy and thriving.

Jane said...

Sorry for the loss,some people don't appreciate anything. Glad the little ewe is doing good. Blessings jane

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...