Guest pax Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I was wondering if Premier sells extra fence poles, because yesterday I thought I was pounding a pole into the ground, but what was actually happening was a rock was pounding my fence pole spike back up into the pole, with my able assistance. I was browsing through the catalog and found this item. "The Deck Chair". I know I can be silly but that sheep just looks like she's waiting on her latte while her manicurist does a little touch up. (Don't worry, sheep purists, I will not be buying my girls deck chairs. But I may start serving them a Pimm's of an evening.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 These are cool- the only caveat I was told, was that some sheep really hate these-so they fight like the dickens, and also, you want to be quick because their guts are in a non-normal position, and it isn't really good for them to be like that too long... Julie I was wondering if Premier sells extra fence poles, because yesterday I thought I was pounding a pole into the ground, but what was actually happening was a rock was pounding my fence pole spike back up into the pole, with my able assistance. I was browsing through the catalog and found this item. "The Deck Chair". I know I can be silly but that sheep just looks like she's waiting on her latte while her manicurist does a little touch up. (Don't worry, sheep purists, I will not be buying my girls deck chairs. But I may start serving them a Pimm's of an evening.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Actually, i have one and it's a great thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 We have one too. I must say that generally, the hair sheep we've owned squirm & kick more than the wool sheep we've owned when they are on their butts/backs or in the chair. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Nice. You sold your sheep to a bad home that won't buy them their own deck chairs. They have come down in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 We'll see what you're thoughts are about this chair after you've trimmed feet. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Dude. I have an ex-husband for a REASON. He does the ponies, certainly he can do sheep. Right? Tell me "right". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 LOL! Forget sheep! I want one of those for my dog!!! Would make trimming nails so much easier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyO Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I have one also. Good for a few sheep by myself. I agree with Mark that the katahdins squirm more and hold them self stiffer than the wool sheep. Occ get a sheep leg stuck thro the net, chair is adjustable length, width and you can always wrap more of the netting around the lower struts if you have small sheep. Was at a friends and used a sheep chair that did not have the netting, it was more like a sling, with nothing on the sides. Sheep kept falling thro the open sides, there was no way to make adjustments on it. Bought an old turning table just before I got sheep, for $50. It is great!!!!! Last time I tipped a sheep to check feet, I had about 50 sheep pushed into a corner with a dog, tipped the wrong sheep first, then got the right one, hoof trimmers just out of reach so took one tiny step towards it (with sheep firmly between knees) stepped on a small rock and fell over onto hip, sheep still firmly between legs, startling 49 other sheep, with me yelling to the dog "Let them go! Let them go!" He was still trying to hold all the sheep to me! Realized I still had sheep between legs and I wasn't getting up with it there. Went for my bone density scan the next day, they asked if I was having any problems, said to them "Well, if I didn't break my hip yesterday when I fell on my hip with a sheep between my legs, I guess I'm not having any problems" They had no idea what to say to that! Nancy O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Ok, you guys, I am sorry if it seemed I was making judgements on a good piece of equipment. Truth be told, I just got a big giggle out of the sheep's demeanor. I mean, look at her. If that's not the epitome of "to the manner born" I don't know what is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Ok, you guys, I am sorry if it seemed I was making judgements on a good piece of equipment. Truth be told, I just got a big giggle out of the sheep's demeanor. I mean, look at her. If that's not the epitome of "to the manner born" I don't know what is. Yes, she is quite relaxed. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Most wool sheep are that relaxed when turned over even if not in a chair. Though it does take the wool off the ground. You could breed select by "turnability" when the shearer was here last spring. Romney or Romney/longwool cross - turns over with one hand, collapses into a happy heap on its bum. Southdown - not quite a good, but nice when down. Hair/Wool cross - slightly stiffer. Hair sheep - Kathadin or St Croix - turns over ok, bounces to feet in same turn. Dorper - turns into one piece of steel and does not turn over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippin's person Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 LOL! Forget sheep! I want one of those for my dog!!! Would make trimming nails so much easier! I just want the Pimms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I've tried these a time or two and found it was much more work to get the sheep into the chair than it was to just turn them over and hold them in the first shearing position and do the feet. Ditto for turning cradles, but at least those can be put into a race, if you get the right kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I had used the chair with the netting before (helping other people do feet) with few problems. Then a friend gave me a chair with the sling (solid) bottom. It worked fine for the really big wool ewes, but the smaller sheep were a bear, even if I adjusted the sling part either tighter or looser. I thought about replacing the sling with the net but never got around to it. I find I don't use it anymore and just turn them on the ground and trim that way. My back complains after a while though.... (Actually I should admit that I usually invite a few lucky friends over and we have a hoof-trimming party!) J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I agree that it's more work to get them into the chair than to get them flipped into the first shearing position -- funny how good they are at getting those back hooves caught in the netting. And if your sheep aren't pretty much all the same size you have to adjust the chair several times, and that used to deter me from using it. But I won't hear a word against my turntable! It's probably true that it's more work getting them into the turntable than flipped onto their butts, but with more than a few sheep the benefit of working standing up rather than bent over is priceless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I've used (or have been privileged to be the lucky friend invited to help) both methods - both in the chair and turned on their bums. With the netted version (haven't used the other) of the chair they do somehow seem to manage to sneak their feet into all the wrong places, and if the sheep are different sized you'll do some adjusting... but once they're in the thing they're in it (uh, usually). It was quite a hassle in some cases to get them in the darned thing though - I swear it was a conspiracy. With them on their bums my back does eventually begin to ache, but it's faster and less work to actually get them into position. For me it was half dozen of one... but then again I'm not talking about hundreds of sheep either. I suspect my feelings would be apt to change with higher numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I have turntable envy... My Cotswolds outweigh me by 50-100Lbs. They're super mellow, but man, turning them over gets painful after a bit. I love my deck chair. The hair sheep vs wool sheep is interesting: It's my Kats & Kat crosses that go floppy when tipped. The cross-bred (mostly Coopworth) wool ewes are the kicking, flailing, steel rod types! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I'm with Bill - I just don't get along with gadgets like this. I had someone show up once with one of those gambrel restraints so we could do hooves and worm some sheep he was buying. They were his sheep, so I let him do it his way. We did one sheep that way, took us frickin' half an hour to set her up and then it was really bizarre doing the trimming with her lying flat like that. After that I took the next one, popped her up on her butt, and did all four hooves while he was drawing up the worming stuff. Five minutes. Now, if I were by myself, I couldn't have done the old ram we finished up a couple of weeks ago, without some help or a gadget or something. Though I'm not sure how I could have got Handsome up in the chair. But if he stayed once there, that would have helped. He's so long in the body and big around, I literally can't get my arms down to his hooves if I'm standing behind him. And he came here with his hooves so overgrown we had to take them back in four different sessions, one month apart. Probably if I were alone I'd have to invest in a turner. Or keep much smaller sheep. But my current market is for sheep as big as possible so I'm glad I'm not alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 You know, I know a person who schedules clinics, suspiciously at the same time she needs to do things like feet, shots, etc..... Of course at the end. Hmmm. Perhaps you all should think about this.... Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Watch Debatable Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Most wool sheep are that relaxed when turned over even if not in a chair. Though it does take the wool off the ground. You could breed select by "turnability" when the shearer was here last spring. Romney or Romney/longwool cross - turns over with one hand, collapses into a happy heap on its bum. Southdown - not quite a good, but nice when down. Hair/Wool cross - slightly stiffer. Hair sheep - Kathadin or St Croix - turns over ok, bounces to feet in same turn. Dorper - turns into one piece of steel and does not turn over Border Cheviot: fights, squirms, thrashes like gangbusters. Actually, my terrific shearer has a good handle on my BCs, but let's just say they're not, um, his favorite sheep of all time I can restrain one of my ewes [on her feet] and hold her very still, if I set things up right, but you couldn't pay me to try to rassle one of my Border Cheviots into a chair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I love this little guy. I wonder if he could be added to the smilie options? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Oops, posted to wrong thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 When I had a barn of 450 ewes to do before they could be turned out to pasture (and stop eating expensive stored feed), we found ways to get it done ASAP. It's sort of like they say about shearing -- it's only the first 10,000 that are hard. After that you get used to it. But I think that foot trimming is a lot easier. Three of us could go through a pen of 50 ewes in less than half an hour. Working on my own, I got to where I averaged about a minute and 15 seconds per sheep. Rams are tougher, obviously. They often require tying with a sheep shank to keep them from fighting too much. Julie, Regarding having a bunch of "help" around when working sheep, I've always found that it's far from a time saver. It's like the mechanic's sign: "Hourly rate: $50. If you watch, $75. If you "help:" $100. The only sheep handling job that I like help for is one other person when I'm vaccinating lambs. I pick them up and set them on the rail of the panel and the other person gives them the injection under the skin of the inner thigh (or vice versa). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I like help doing tatoos. I mix the numbers up easily. someone to load the numbers is of immense help. It also prevents me from pricking my fingers, then inking them, and ending up with semi-permanent inky spots on my fingers. Because of the jerking around and all the back and forth with the doo-dads, I like help with any tagging or tatooing, though I can do either alone if I need to. Extra hands are always nice, I think, and girl talk while doing chores makes the time fly. My husband has learned to go find something else to do when the girls show up to do sheep chores! Inexperienced help becomes experienced help very soon, I've learned. Any help is appreciated but I think it's worth the investment to get willing people "broken in." I remember how hard it was to get people to show me stuff when I first started. I remember people making fun of my mistakes (sometimes publicly) and that didn't feel very nice. And I remember how cool it was when someone finally DID start taking Patrick and me, under his wing, so to speak. Of course, the only thing about being free with time and advice is then your friends get their own farms/sheep and you hardly see them anymore. Of course, once I have my toy truck back I fully intend to start showing up at THEIR places to trim hooves, etc, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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