Shearing has started

Shearing has started slowly here. I am using a combination of handshears, electric shears and scissors. I've done 2 little rams (Ferris & Benjamin) this past weekend and Quinn who rooed earlier this winter are done except their britch wool on their upper legs. Here they are sporting their new haircuts. They have been put in a pen together away from my bigger rams, so I can feed them some extra food. Being smaller they don't get enough food with the bigger rams.




Benjamin (spotted white and grey fleece), very nice and soft.







There was some fighting when I put Quinn (who convalesced his broken front leg in the sheep barn with the girls) in with the other 2 boys. Ferris was fighting him for 2nd position, Benjamin being more dominant in 1st place in the group. Ferris wouldn't give up and neither would Quinn. Bloody heads and horns. First I made them silly little visors out of stiff felt tied around their horns with ribbons. That sort of worked for a day, but they would still butt heads when they went askew. The next day, I tied up Ferris with a dog collar and leash and eventually he calmed down and accepted Quinn into the group. They will occasionally butt heads "just for fun or show", but it doesn't get nasty. Its just to maintain order. Now they are all getting more food and access to grass in the backyard.

Quinn (left) and Ferris (right)
Quinn is a White Katmoget with slight fawn/brown spotting. Ferris is a light Moorit with little or no spotting.