October 13, 2024
Truth to be told, I take certain chances that the sheep will behave themselves. Yesterday, on one side of their new paddock, a small portion didn’t have electric twine set up yet. As they entered their newly offered pasture, I held my breath. Moments later, they were just steps away from passing that “bare” spot. However, one sheep spied and noticed the lack of electric twine. That’s when half went under the barbed wire. The other half were on their way to visit the water trough inside the new pasture; however, once the majority went under the wire, the minority followed.
I debated on whether to chase them with the truck but drove it next to the red gate between us. Then I pulled out my usual trump card. Alfalfa pellets. I hollered, “Come on,” and rattled the feed sack(they were about a football field length away from me). Half the flock rushed toward me, the other half still racing each other to “greener” grass. So the timer was ticking, I rushed with Dixie toward the escaping half before the cooperative sheep cleaned up the pellets inside the designated pasture. Dixie’s one awesome outrun got the sheep turned around, and then her very next choice was to totally leave me. I coaxed her back to me, and put a lead on her. Fortunately, the two halves of the flock merged inside their assigned paddock, and only four still needed to get there. It took some fancy footwork to get those four in, holding onto Dixie with the lead. (This time I leave the take away to you.)
