An Ovine Recovery Mission

We are the proud (well...I am very, very proud; Ian has yet to be convinced) owners of three beautiful Shetland sheep.

Thrilled - can you tell?

Not convinced - can you tell?

Yesterday Dad and I went over to Wolfe Island near Kingston to purchase my very first hobby farm-sized flock - a mama sheep (called an ewe) and her two three-week old baby lambs, one ewe lamb and one ram lamb.  We are still debating on names so I will introduce our new additions properly once a decision has been reached.

Shetland sheep are technically dual purpose animals (wool and meat); however, if you know me at all, you will know that these lovely beasts have found their forever home.  There will be no lamb chops here!

Lots of lamb.  No chops.

They survived the two hour car ride home like troopers.  I can imagine that it is not particularly fun being stuffed in a dog crate (on loan from my brother) lined with straw inside a UHaul trailer bumping up and down on the 401 highway.

Grandma, Liam and our Shetlands.

We stopped to check on them at the halfway point when we turned onto the 416 highway and you should have seen the stink eye the ewe gave us.  She was not impressed!

Yikes!  That is quite the look!

Upon our arrival we attached a dog collar and leash (on loan from Charlotte - their necks are the same circumference) to our ewe to "lead" her gently down to the barn.  Yeah, right.  She was having none of it.  Dad had to pick her up - all 70 lbs of her - and carry her like a huge baby from the trailer to the barn.

Ian and I had no trouble carrying the lambs.

Though there was a lot of "baaa-ing" - I am not sure we want to know what they were saying!

The sheep did not stay in the barn long at all.  Lickity split they were out in the paddock munching grass and exploring their new surroundings.  It was funny to watch:  step, step, munch, chew, swallow...step, step, munch, munch, chew, swallow....step, munch, chew, chew, chew, swallow....and repeat.

As expected the lambs stayed close to their mother and at dusk they all voluntarily put themselves to bed in the barn.  What more can you ask for?  I have the best sheep ever.

I am a shepherdess - how cool is that?!  Ovines are devine!