This is Kelly. Kelly is the only Sheltering Pines Jerome lamb born here this year. Although very nice in every way---lovely conformation, fleece--Kelly had a problem. Kelly was way to friendly. So along with his fellow flock sons he was wethered. Kelly hasn't forgiven me yet. He isn't wild but he looks at me with reproach, instead of running into my arms like he used to. I have to tell you this breaks my heart. When Kelly was just a few days old he learned his name and would come running. We conspired together to get his flighty mom into the barn for the night. I would simply carry Kelly to the barn and she would be forced to follow. Kelly loved this, because if I carried him, he didn't have to get his little hooves muddy. Kelly's mom is a goose. She is somewhat tame, but being a mother has evidently initiated all her flight responses. She dotes on her boy and he pretty much calls the shots. If he is hungry and his mom has strayed, you can hear him screaming for her. He has a very distinctive high pitched scream. Sometimes I think he can carry a tune. He works at it.
Once he is weaned I expect that Kelly will like me again. He isn't wild, and he is curious, so I think when Mom isn't there to tell him to run for his bloody life, he will be the friendly little fellow he started out. I know he will make someone a wonderful fiber pet. After all it's me he is unhappy with. I wonder if I could hire someone to come in and do all the future 'bad stuff'?
3 comments:
Well you know how I do things. Michael is the "bad guy" who catches them, worms them, trims their feet and shears Bert and Ernie. That way I get to be the "good girl" and give them treats and play wit them. :)
And by the way, Michael doesn't mind being the "bad guy", for which I am very grateful. :)
Janna
We had ram lambs last year who were doted on by the DH while I was recovering from the surgery. Not good for rams, so they were wethered. One thinks he should be a dog and live in the house, even though we have no dogs. His brother is one who just is mellow but as there is nothing outstanding about him, he may end up (shhhhh....) in the freezer.
I would still be picking Kelly up and carrying him around. :)
I could haul 'em all to the vet and have it done, but it seems kind of hard on them to have to go through all that too, just cause I want them not to be afraid of me.
You are right Kathy--even though the rammy lambs are often the friendliest it is hard not to baby and love on them too much. It's just easier to wether them here, unless they are something special.
Tammy
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