Makin' Changes

I bought 3 ewe lambs a week or so ago, and picked them up today. 2 are Blue Faced Leicester, one is a Blue Faced Leicester/Wensleydale cross, and all 3 are lovely. The ram pictured here sired 2 of them. Very handsome, don't you think? 

This Blue Faced Leicester ewe is mother to one, and I love her intelligent eyes and bright expression. That's a jacketed black Wensleydale behind her. His fleece is being protected for hand-spinning.

This is the mother of the other Blue Faced Leicester lamb and is standing in front of a Blue Faced Leicester/Wensleydale cross wether. He was a triplet, and I have his full brother standing in my pen. He was never castrated, and I plan to use him, not only on my Cheviot ewes in the Fall, but on the new BFL ewe lambs as well.

And here are the new arrivals. The 2 lambs in front are the Blue Faced Leicester lambs, and the one behind is the BFL/Wensleydale cross. I have segregated them for now to ensure they're good health and that they settle nicely. Eventually, I'll have them out with all the ewes grazing tall grass in the big field.

For me, sheep are a bit like crayons in a box. When I was a kid, I always had a favorite color or two, and that would change to something different over time. I have gone through many breeds of sheep trying to find the right combination of what works in my climate, what works for dog training, and any other utility that I can incorporate. Leicesters and Cheviots are my favorites for adaptability and dog work, but I am getting more and more interested in fiber production, so I'm making some changes. It's a process...