Chunky Monkey gang

Quin did his first official bit of work with me yesterday. Second bit today.
We got all the ewes and lambs out the field, walked them the 300 metres up the road and down into the yard. I wormed everybody and then weaned lambs off there mums. Then quin took the ewes back down the road to the fields. All went really smoothly. He got a bit over enthusiastic when sheep were moving away from him up the road but overall he excelled himself.

I seperated the ram lambs from the ewe lambs. Left the ewe lambs in the shed overnight as i didnt fancy moving them on my own. Got the 3 big rams up into the yard to worm them. Rocky is exceptionally awkward to get into the yard and alays gives me the run about. Whilst you dont want a young dog getting challenged by a full size ram, Quin did go after Rocky, nipped him a few times on the legs, amazingly Rocky got the message and then ran straight up and into the yard.
Turned ram lambs out with the 3 senior rams.
I enlisted extra help today from a friend as i wanted to foot trim the 3 senior rams, and to assist with getting the ewe lambs across three fields today. It was the right decision with the ewe lambs to get help, they were stressed from not being with there mums and although calm with the dog working around them they were just not going exactly where we wanted. Quin saved our legs running up and down the bank herding them, sometimes he over worked them which caused some extra work but he did well. He got so tired by the time we were half way across the second field, so me and the helper had to move them the last bit on our own. Quin just laid down puffing like a steam train.

Ive got 3 small batches of sheep that we can play with each day now. So im hoping Quin will continue to excel in his training. Our last two training sessions with the trainer have really boosted my confidence to work him around my sheep.
 
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I'm so glad to hear he's doing well after that little overenthusiastic blip, and its probably a good thing that he worked hard - I find it teaches them to pace themselves eventually.
 
Oh dear, not a good day. We had our 6 monthly tb test for the cows. Vet was back to read the results. Unfortunately one of the calves has tested positive. Ministry have acted quick and rung this afternoon to arrange collection day.
I was really hoping we passed as i am needing to sell a few on to new homes. Not now. Cant sell anything till we pass 2 clear tests which will be at least 4 months minimum. We dont have enough grass to keep 12 head. So im now going to have to make a decision whether to send some to slaughter. We can apply to the ministry for a movement direct to slaughter.
None of the cows are back in calf either so the longer we go without getting a bull we risk the cows all sealing over and going infertile. Some of the nicest cows for breeding are the older ones, two are also my favourites so its going to be a horrible decision if we dont go clear and i need to send them to slaughter. We risk 6 though becoming infertile. Thats most of the herd. My next steers for beef are not ready for beef till next year. I was hoping to sell one lad on and just keep the one. I might have to send them a year early if i can find buyers for beef boxes. Maybe even buy in a bull to get the cows in calf but that would be another mouth to feed.

Lots of thinking and planning to be done over the next few months before we get into the depths of winter.

In the meantime i will have to deal with a very stressed out mum next week. She will have to come in the shed next week for a couple of weeks to dry her milk off asap to stop mastitis when her calf gets collected. No grass or hard feed which promotes the milk, instead just hay.
 
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Got a text yesterday morning to say a dog was in the field harassing the rams. Went and checked couldnt see any blood or injuries. Last night i go to feed the rams and ones missing. Walked the field and found him laid down under a tree. Clearly been there a while and stressed based on the shit that was running out the rear. Managed to steer him across the field and back up to join his mates in the yard. He didnt want to eat tea. Hoping being reunited with his pals would help him overcome his trama. This morning hes laid out in the field near the yard all on his own. His mates had gone off on there own down the field. I steered him into the yard to eat some hard food but he wouldnt.
Tonight he was laid in the shed all by himself. No attempt to get up. Dont think hes been out in the field at all as he looks very sunken in. Like a sheep that has been starved for 36 hours. He looks very subdued and not happy at all. Hoping if his mates hang around in the shed overnight with him it will help support him, but I dont give much chance right now, think he is going to die from shock and starvation.
 
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Just had a phone call. Two dogs in the field chasing the sheep. Neighbour witnessed and jumped over into my field to try to scare dogs off. Confirmed dogs belong to another neighbour. One was the same as on Sunday.
Poor boys were scattered across the field. They headed back to the yard when i was down talking to the neighbour. So i walked up to check if they were all there and if i could see blood. Apparently dogs were right on the tails of the sheep. One ram lamb missing, the same one that was missing sunday. So i had to walk round the field to find him. Herded him back up the field and into the shed with the others. The poor boy looked at me and froze like a rabbit in the headlights when he saw me.

Been and vented at the neighbour who the dogs belong to. We shall see what happens. They gave me a few excuses and told me it was the neighbours boundary fence they got through into, so i told them straight your dogs your responsibility to keep them fenced in your garden even if it means you putting another fence infront. I however have seen and walked passed there dogs twice this week out loose on the road and there is in fact a hole right next to there main gate which there dogs can easily fit through to get onto the road. I suspect they have then gone through into another neighbours garden which isnt fenced and then through to the bottom of my field. The one neighbour witnessed where they ran back to to get out the field.
They have been told ine isnt eating and if he or any other drops dead from shock or i need to take any for vet treatment i will be seeking compensation.
 
chunky monkey said:
Just had a phone call. Two dogs in the field chasing the sheep. Neighbour witnessed and jumped over into my field to try to scare dogs off. Confirmed dogs belong to another neighbour. One was the same as on Sunday.
Poor boys were scattered across the field. They headed back to the yard when i was down talking to the neighbour. So i walked up to check if they were all there and if i could see blood. Apparently dogs were right on the tails of the sheep. One ram lamb missing, the same one that was missing sunday. So i had to walk round the field to find him. Herded him back up the field and into the shed with the others. The poor boy looked at me and froze like a rabbit in the headlights when he saw me.

Been and vented at the neighbour who the dogs belong to. We shall see what happens. They gave me a few excuses and told me it was the neighbours boundary fence they got through into, so i told them straight your dogs your responsibility to keep them fenced in your garden even if it means you putting another fence infront. I however have seen and walked passed there dogs twice this week out loose on the road and there is in fact a hole right next to there main gate which there dogs can easily fit through to get onto the road. I suspect they have then gone through into another neighbours garden which isnt fenced and then through to the bottom of my field. The one neighbour witnessed where they ran back to to get out the field.
They have been told ine isnt eating and if he or any other drops dead from shock or i need to take any for vet treatment i will be seeking compensation.
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Bastards! I think you should seek compensation for your time to look after him and the emotional stress its caused, but def if there is a vet bill. Either way you should def make a police report, I know they won't so anything but just so there is a record if it happens again and you do need to claim against them.
 
One very upset cow in the shed. Calf was collected on Wednesday. She was trying to jump out over the shed doors and her moos have been very noisy. I had to put a tarp down so she couldnt see out yo deter her jumping. Udder is going down steadily so hopefully avoided mastitis. Hoping she can go back out with friends next weekend.

Dog chased sheep is very very poorly. Been syringing some energy formula down him. He couldnt stand up at all by Wednesday and i had to try and lift him up. He could only stand for a couple of minutes before shaking and then falling down. Remembered i had some rehydration tablets in the back of the kitchen cupboard. Only 7 years out of date. I added one to a litre of water last night. The lad clearly thought it tasted good as he drank it from a bucket. However it took me an hour last night to get it in him, he was clearly thirsty and kept putting his head in the bucket to drink if i put it in front if him. He wouldn't eat any food i offer though. I think it help him regain some strength though as he managed to stand himself this morning and i got him out into the yard for a shuffle around. It was only 10 minutes before he took himself back in the pen and collapsed again.
This morning i used another tablet and he drank half a litre but it takes an hour of patience. Hes not eaten anything since last Sunday now.
 
Feeling very upset just now. Poor lamb sadly passed away in my arms a short time ago.
A trip up to the hunt tomorrow. Only just got the bill for the one i had shot a few weeks ago.
Not quite sure how to broach telling the neighbours yet. They are very difficult people. Doubt they will pay me any compensation.
 
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Yesterday was teeth and jabs day for the boys. All was good. Just a quick rasp off. Billy has good teeth. Chunkys teeth are still solid enough the additional loose one last year doesnt seem to be causing issues so vet happy for it to stay.
Two very sleepy sedated boys.
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Told the neighbours this morning whos dogs were in with sheep that one died. I gave them a price, we shall see what happens regards payment.
Gone down to feed sheep tonight. Hurdles into my yard all bent. Bale strings snapped. Clearly sheep have jumped over them with some force. So im guessing chased over. Sheep poo evidence on concrete the other side of the yard. Two ram lambs completely missing. After establishing nothing in the vicinity. I take a walk out into the field. Completely dark so im searching with my headtorch. Right down the bottom of the field i find the two missing lambs. Theyd gone through 6 strand hi-tensile fence and in the 1metre gap by my neighbours post and rail next to there stables. This is in the area the two dogs went through last week. Clearly been chased through the wire.
With some difficult i stood on the strands to try to make a gap to get the two boys back through into the field. Then herded them back up the field to be reunited with there brothers in the yard.
Im suspecting neighbours dogs again.

Tomorrow im going to move the lambs into the 10 acre field they will be further away from where dogs are getting in but that field runs parallel with the public footpath so in some ways is worse.
Ive got a spare energiser so at the weekend im going to disconnect the fence where the dogs are going through from the rest of the field, so its just 100metres stretch and im going to stick my spare energizer on it to make it hot. If its only a short stretch powered up that might have enough zap to give em a good shock.
I know the fencing hasnt been working as well recently as theres overgrowth that needs clearing off but theses dogs need to be stopped. Ive got no proof that todays incidents were the neighbours dogs but im mighty suspicious.
 
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chunky monkey said:
Told the neighbours this morning whos dogs were in with sheep that one died. I gave them a price, we shall see what happens regards payment.
Gone down to feed sheep tonight. Hurdles into my yard all bent. Bale strings snapped. Clearly sheep have jumped over them with some force. So im guessing chased over. Sheep poo evidence on concrete the other side of the yard. Two ram lambs completely missing. After establishing nothing in the vicinity. I take a walk out into the field. Completely dark so im searching with my headtorch. Right down the bottom of the field i find the two missing lambs. Theyd gone through 6 strand hi-tensile fence and in the 1metre gap by my neighbours post and rail next to there stables. This is in the area the two dogs went through last week. Clearly been chased through the wire.
With some difficult i stood on the strands to try to make a gap to get the two boys back through into the field. Then herded them back up the field to be reunited with there brothers in the yard.
Im suspecting neighbours dogs again.

Tomorrow im going to move the lambs into the 10 acre field they will be further away from where dogs are getting in but that field runs parallel with the public footpath so in some ways is worse.
Ive got a spare energiser so at the weekend im going to disconnect the fence where the dogs are going through from the rest of the field, so its just 100metres stretch and im going to stick my spare energizer on it to make it hot. If its only a short stretch powered up that might have enough zap to give em a good shock.
I know the fencing hasnt been working as well recently as theres overgrowth that needs clearing off but theses dogs need to be stopped. Ive got no proof that todays incidents were the neighbours dogs but im mighty suspicious.
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I would be absolutely fuming! And I’d be round there telling them they need to replace all the damaged hurdle’s because they’re not cheap now days and remind them that you are within your rights to shoot the dogs if you catch them again. I wouldn’t worry too much that there’s no proof, their dogs have been seen on more than 1 occasion recently and now it’s happened again and in the place they’ve been coming through. 🤬🤬🤬
 
Chunky had loads of flies on him last night. One lot up behind the front leg in the elbow area and on the other side up in the arch of the back leg. Neither extremely visable if you cast your eye over. But obvious with all the flies buzzing round i naturally looked underneath. Both areas look swollen.

I have a feeling that what ever happened with the sheep last Thursday also involved the horses.
Both horses were stressed, particularly Billy, but i put it down to witnessing the sheep getting chased and the horses were running short of grazing in the cottage garden but seeing those wounds last night im wondering if the dogs got in with the horses and chased them about. Billy would have run but Chunky is so bombproof that he would have likely stood there and just lashed out if it got too much. He did seem lamer as well over the weekend which i was giving him extra bute for but maybe its because he was sore from wounds. Both places are in areas where i have seen sheep wounds from dog attacks so i think there is a strong chance chunky has been bitten.
Ive purple sprayed, and applied various wound creams and ive stuck his fly rug on, not that it covers the areas but hopefully it will deter the flies a bit.
 
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The flies are horrendous! Hogan's got a sore bit under his tail, which I think was the flies
 
Another dog attacked my sheep tonight just as it was getting dark. Couldnt get to the sheep till gone 9pm as we were trying to get hay loaded. Wasnt the neighbours dog this time. It was witnessed by a neighbour and as he went to see what the commotion was in his field, the guy managed to gather up his dog and ran off. He knew he had been seen so that is just pure cruel. Leaving my ewe stuck on its back, trapped in the fence it had been run into. Ewe has cuts on both ears one is a wide 2 inch laceration behind her ear. Looks quite deep to. Couldnt see much in the pitch black by headtorch. She was too frightened to be caught. So i aimed purple spray in the direction of the ear and fired. Im wondering if it would need stitches. It will be to late by tomorrow as the skin will start dying back though. Although it had bleed it had stopped by the time i got there. Im going to have to run all the sheep home tomorrow to extract her. She'll have to stay in the shed till its healed. I would just put a headcollar on and walked her up the road to the yard but the headcollar would be right over the wound so its means running all the sheep home so i dont have to manhandle her and accidentally catch the wound.
Interestingly when i went down the little gate latch was off. There are signs on the gate asking people to latch it. Its undone many evenings just before dark when i go to check the sheep. Im wondering if this person who ran off is also the person leaving the gate open regularly.
Think my neighbour got enough of a look at the guy and the dog to identify him again. He also knows the dogs name as the guy was calling it.
 
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