Testicular Housekeeping

It was time.  Our three lambs had finally reached the age where the nuts were starting to make them nuts, so they had to go.  (The nuts, that is.)

Friday we made a cram-them-in-the-dog crate run for the vet, and they were happy to set up shop in the parking lot, thereby skipping the farm visit fee.

First was Bronx, the eldest.  He is a single, out of Secret.  He was born black, but as you can see, clearly possesses the fading gene.  A look at his horns and you can see why there was no way we were keeping him intact.   That tight curl is going to be somebody else's maintenance - he is up for sale.

Then the twins, Brooklyn and Broadway.  Brooklyn has a nicely developing set of horns, probably going to be almost perfect, so we kept him intact for another month to see if any buyers want him to come fully "loaded".

He is black, and shows every indication of staying that way.  Here's a top view of the horns...

His brother, Broadway has been smaller and more gentle from the start, and while that is endearing, I don't believe in giving anyone the opportunity to create miniature Shetlands.  Besides, his slow growing horns don't look all that promising in terms of development, so *squish* went his chances of becoming a father:

You can see, he has already had a run-in with somebody/something that took off the tip of the horn.  Here is a top view and you can see the "full" horn at the top of the photo:

He's laying down, because frankly, he's sore.  Not that I blame him a bit.  Although the burdizzo method leaves no open wounds to attract flies, just the thought of all that crushing makes even ME wince.  DH can't even stand to watch....I do this vet trip solo.

They all got CDT and rabies - mostly because next week they are going to "farm camp" (as we are calling it) to be decorative backdrop for Liberty Ridge Farm during their Fall tourist season. Rabies is required of all animals going to this type of "zoo" setting, and because it goes to the public record, I could not do the shots on the farm, they had to be administered by a vet.  The other three sheep that will be "rented" out besides the lambs are all getting their shots next week, literally on the way to the farm for dropoff.

We will have three left here - the ram, Leonidas, and two wethers, Jack and Alexander.  Besides reduced chores for us, the rent-a-sheeps earn some $$, save us more $$ on hay/feed, and hopefully attract an interested fiber artist who wants to add some/all of the lambs to their flock.  Keeping fingers crossed!