When checking our Castlemilk Moorit sheep (7 ewes and 1 ram) this morning I could only see five in clear view, on getting closer to the flock I did a quick head count...six...seven...eight....nine....nine!!!! Is that a lamb? ......surely not...too soon, like way too soon, that lamb looks a couple of months old!!! What is going on?
Small, skinny, big ears and now it's running off like crazy!!  On checking all the possibles-straight legged hare, small deer, it does appear that a Muntjac Deer had decided to join our flock for the morning (pictured below).
It was approximately the size of a large skinny cat or small skinny dog and very similar in colour to the sheep, but had strange ears and I don't think I saw any horns/antlers.
Colin had been making a noise yesterday and I put it down to the wind and some ewes that have taken to sitting on the other side of the brook from our field, but no, it must have been our visitor!
Unfortunately no camera to hand at 7.30am so have posted a 'general' picture instead.

October the First and time for Colin to mingle with the girls.  A little early?
Maybe, but no complaints from Colin! We find that if the sheep are put together in October, then lambing will commence from mid-March, allowing for better weather and if really harsh then we will lamb inside. The Castlemilk Moorit breed seem to like a few weeks of courtship before the intensive breeding begins!
Both of last years ram lambs are now sold and we have just two ewe lambs remaining- they are now keeping our Jacob lambs and Golden Guernsey Goats company.

Now a couple of months old, Lucy is growing nicely- already feeding on concentrate food (given the chance), grass and hay as well as her milk, she has really grown well. She is handled on a daily basis and her favourite thing in the whole wide world is to chase around like at mad thing at dusk and 'help' to get the geese into their house! This usually involves standing in front of the doorway just as they are about to enter, or chasing them around the house a couple of times before dashing accross to the other side of the field and running back to pull at the back of the herders trousers with her mouth, as they finally shut the door on the geese!!

Into September and we have now said a tearful goodbye to Brookfield Ella the Llama who is going with Elaine to Scotland later in the year but is currently boarding near Elaine in Cheshire with Richard at Hillview Llamas.
Brookfield Fergus a Castlemilk Moorit Ram Lamb has also left for pastures new and is now resident Ram with a Castlemilk breeder in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

We have also added  two Castlemilk Moorit Shearling Ewes to our flock - Queenie and Quorn  bringing our total of breeding ewes up to 7. After a short quarantine period, they have now settled in with the rest of the flock.

September also brought the arrival of Buddy a young llama gelding we decided to buy as a companion for our young and weaning llamas. Buddy by name and also by nature! A glance at the picture will reveal his rather peculiar ears. Buddy was born in the winter and as a result of some incredibly cold weather and a mum that should have known better, he unfortunately lost the tips of his ears to frost bite!! He has been with us for several weeks now and is settling well and has started halter-training which he has taken to very quickly and easily.