Last week I found another victim candidate that needed rooing. Since I started rooing sheep this year, I just can't seem to keep my hands off the sheep when they are losing fleece all over my pastures. The spinner, knitter (and now...weaver~sort of) in me gets all twitchy when I see perfectly good neck wool laying in the dirt!!! It doesn't matter that I have bags of wool in my garage, roving and yarn in my stash room, there's just something about the waste of fine fleece that makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle.
Bee Sting was innocently rushing to some grain we had put out for the pregnant ewes, and since she's not friendly, I had to nab her when she wasn't expecting it. I knew I wouldn't get another try, but I didn't need it, I grabbed her and got started with rooing.
Color me surprised when I realized that her entire fleece was going to come off in a sheet!!! In 10 minutes flat, she was bare naked, and free, only to have the entire flock hound her relentlessly because they no longer recognized her. I don't think she will forgive me anytime soon. :)
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| Bee Sting after her plucking. Give her a set of antlers and she'd look just like a deer. |
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| Bianca and John |
I'm looking forward to the day when I can leave her in with the sheep and not have to put her back into her own pen when we aren't around. But, the time that she is out with John and the sheep is getting longer and longer. I'm very pleased with this little gal.
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| Bianca during a rare calm moment |
I've never had a fleece roo off all in one piece. Beesting really looks GOOD! I may just have to start plucking on the two girls who are left here in the Bluff Country.
ReplyDeleteBianca is getting SO BIG! Don't you get a kick out of all the ferocious growling and posturing that the 'senior' dog has to do when a new pup comes on board?
Bianca is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDo your sheep sleep in a four sided barn? I keep thinking about rooing Comfrey but am nervous it is to cold at night. Am I being silly?
If Comfrey has started her new coat, she will be fine. And, no, my sheep that are roo'd are not in a 4 sided barn. They have access to shelter and hutches and if they are chilly, they go inside, but that's rare as they are perfectly comfortable outside. I have a sheep that has some fleece rooing from her back excessively due to lambs using her for a jungle gym and I have put off removing her fleece because she barely has any new growth yet and I think she would be a popsicle if I roo'd her now. :)
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