The sheep are once again kinda unhappy with me. See I got this new toy, something I am still not sure why I never picked up years ago to be honest. I used to use one when I lived up in South Dakota and worked the livestock auction barn but for some reason I just never thought about using one here.
Yes I bought a shepherd's crook.
Believe it or not the thing works like a charm except for one problem.
The entire flock has now stopped viewing me as a magical food source provider and benevolent bi-pedal demi-god and decided I just might be a top tier predator after all.
I been practicing the old hook activities on a few of the yearlings and now they don't trust me at all. Before last week I could walk up to about 99% of them and give em a pat or scratch their ears and they barely cared I was there. If I entered the pasture most of them came running to see what was going on and if I wanted them somewhere else all I had to do was tell em to "come on" and they came.
Not anymore. Especially if they see me carrying that crook.
I guess I am going to have to just carry it all the time so they can get used to it.
The crook really does make catching individuals much easier but you better be prepared to hang on tight when ya get em hooked. I haven't searched very deeply for any instructional videos or articles but what little searching I did do turned up next to nothing that didn't tell me everything I already knew by looking at the thing. Hook sheep pretty much sums it up. I am still worried I could hurt one of them though but so far I got the hooking part down pretty good and can even unhook em pretty quick if I decide they are too wild. It seems important to be choked up on the shaft as much as possible so they have little room to run after getting hooked.
I will really be able to see how it works when I sort out the slaughter yearlings next week.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!
jeesh! yer a monster hooking up little sheeps like that! bahahahah! i bet you look like some old shepherd guy with your crook - couldn't help myself!
ReplyDeletesending much love to my nutbag brother! your friend,
Toothless Joe
Kymber - I really was afraid I might crush their throat or something but I guess it's designed to not do that because so far no dead sheep.
DeleteI prolly do look like some old shepherd guy though.
I have one of those things, it came from Palestine, I say that because it is so old that it predates Israel. We never had sheep and it would have been no good for goats as they only understand a club. If I ever get tractor girls like you, I might use it on them if words won't work.
ReplyDeletebahahahahahahah! oh bahahahahahaha!
DeleteHmmmm I never thought of using it on the tractor girls. They might like it though.
DeleteDoes that make you a 'hooker' now? hahaha Sorry, I'll go back to my corner.
ReplyDeleteWe've been thinking of getting a chicken-sized one. I've heard they work pretty good, too.
Behave yourself! ;-)
hobo - I guess it kinda does :)
DeleteThe guy at the orchard uses a big fishing net to catch his hens.
I hear lacross sticks work for chickens.
DeleteExile1981
I use a pool skimming net on a really long pole!
DeleteI got one a few years ago to use with the Alpacas after watching a video of some-one using it to catch them our boys were pretty wild then, got dragged around the field once it has been collecting dust since, the Alpacas come when called now it might come out of retirement as we are getting into sheep
ReplyDeleteDawn - To be honest I am not sure I would want to use it on the full grown ewes. I thought the crook part was a bit small and I am afraid of crushing their throats. The yearling whethers however have not suffered any ill effects from me using it on them though.
DeleteI want to get goats when we move, im guessing a crook would be useless for them but I like the idea
ReplyDeleteI buy various sized dog collars from the dollar store and put them LOOSELY on each goat. Makes them easier to catch and helps to tell some of them apart.
DeleteI had a dog collar on that goat someone gave me for a while until I found her a nice goat home. She was well leash broke so I imagine it would work well as long as they weren't pastured in heavy brush.
DeleteI bought a sheep hook last year to help Lester out with catching the sheep? He only used it once, and said that it was waste of time. He prefers to grab hold of a sheep by the fleece, which is rather difficult to do once they are sheared!
ReplyDeleteVera - I have seen a ewe get her skin ripped a bit when grabbed by the wool so I try and not do that on the big ones when they are wild. It works well with the smaller ones though.
DeleteI'm intrigued by the comment that lacrosse sticks work for chickens. I may need to try that out. I would imagine it takes some muscle to crook a sheep.
ReplyDeleteLisa - I wouldn't want to do it to a big one. So far the yearlings I can mange with only a mild jolt.
DeleteTo be fair the guy was using the lacross stick to scoop little chickens up and using it to pitch bigger ones over the fence and back into their enclosure.
DeleteExile1981
PP,
ReplyDeleteBahahahahaha!!!!! Love Hobo's quick mind :P
Watch out there PP, your sheep may have bigger plans for you when you come to sort them out with the crook.
Sandy - All they do now is run when they see the crook :(
DeleteGreat tool. I suppose it would be with a few thousand years of R&D behind it. Sounds like you are doing it right. Once caught keep up that upward pressure so they don't back out. Also, I've used it as ram defense. If they are staring you down and beginning to back up for the charge, Face the ram, place the unhooked end on the ground in front of you between their front legs or if they have started towards you get that end between their front legs. Their chest catches the crook and it makes a ramp which lifts them and redirects the charge.
ReplyDeleteWhat great comments :)
ReplyDeleteFun times with the sheep and a hook. Maybe they will adjust and not run away at some point. Sort of like when the in-laws show up, eventually you get used to it.
I find a crook is only any good while they're feeding, otherwise they're wise to me! I remember being so desperate to catch one once that I used a lasso with some old rope. It worked though but must have looked funny to anyone watching!
ReplyDelete