The day-to-day running of Fleecehaven is carried out on an entirely voluntary basis by Emma and her Mum, Anne; it is very much a full time labour of love, dedication and selflessness.
Typically their day begins at 7.00am when an initial check of the flock is made. During the summer months this usually involves a walk around the fields as, weather permitting, the sheep leave the sheds to graze as the sun rises. However, during the winter the majority of the sheep have a ‘lie-in’ and, once the storm blinds are lifted from their shed, can be found snoozing until mid-morning!
Once all the sheep have been checked it is time to attend to those with special medical or dietary needs before the remainder of the flock are fed. During the summer months it is only the older sheep who struggle to maintain condition that are fed, whilst during the winter the entire flock is given a small quantity of concentrate to help them maintain their body-weight once the grass has lost its nutritional value. Those sheep that eat more slowly, or who are put off by the general hustle and bustle of feeding time, are fed separately whilst the majority are fed from a series of troughs around the perimeter of the yard. In addition to concentrated feed, hay and mineral licks are freely available to the flock throughout the year.
Once fed, the majority of the sheep usually head off into the fields for the day unless it’s raining, in which case they very sensibly decide to have a duvet day! Once the flock is outside, the daily ritual of ‘poo picking’ begins! This involves the removal of clumps of dung from the flock’s straw bedding and, during the winter months, in excess of 8 feed bags can be collected on a daily basis!!! The bags are loaded into Emma’s quad bike trailer and then emptied out into a dung trailer. This is taken away on a regular basis by our local agricultural contractor and spread onto local fields as natural fertiliser. Once cleared of dung, the sheds are topped up with fresh straw to ensure that a clean and cosy bed awaits the flock when they return to bed. Their hay racks are also replenished – during the winter months the flock can munch their way through as many as 10 bales of hay a day! A similar routine is undertaken in the stables where our older, poorly or special needs sheep are housed. During the winter months this can be quite a difficult task as the day light hours are short and the sheep are reluctant to go outside if the weather is poor. Although not ideal, it is sometimes necessary to try and work around the sheep, as they can be quite stubborn and make it perfectly clear that their sleeping and hay munching will be interrupted by nothing, even if it is for their benefit!
As the day progresses there are other jobs to attend to. The yard is swept and hosed on a daily basis to ensure hight standards of hygiene and there is usually a stable or two which needs to be completely mucked out, which is no small task! There are always sheep needing to have their feet attended to, especially when the weather is wet and they get mud stuck between their hooves which causes an infection called strip; usually cleaning their feet and spraying between their toes with antibiotic spray sets them right. This can be quite a strenuous job though, especially with some of the heavier sheep that weigh in excess of 100kilos! Alongside the daily chores there is also the obligatory sheep tickling and treat feeding to be done. Most of the sheep enjoy a digestive, shortie or oatie biscuit washed down with a piece of fruit and they all enjoy having their tummies tickled and their ears scratched.
As the afternoon draws on a small number of the sheep receive a second feed of concentrated food and those with specific medical needs also require further treatment. During the winter months heat lamps are switched on in the stables for our elderly or poorly sheep and, as the sun begins to fall, the main flock returns home. If the weather is poor, storm blinds are lowered down in front of the main sheds to keep the flock cosy and warm and stable doors are hurdled over or shut for the older sheep. It is often long after dark before the final chores of the day are completed, the sheep once again settle down for a night of warmth and comfort and Anne and Emma make their way into the house for a little bit of rest before a new day dawns.
