The Woolly Patchwork Sheep Sanctuary

Bleatings from the Woolly Patchwork Sheep Sanctuary

Welcome to another newsletter and a big welcome to all the new sanctuary family members who’ve joined us in the last few months.

We’re well on our way through the winter months now. It was all going quite well until recently. We’d had a pretty dry time through most of the winter. November saw Storm Arwen arrive which brought down several trees on the farm and took the phone line out, then the New Year saw Storm Barra blow through without too much damage. Recently though we’ve had 3 major storms in the space of a week – Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice and then Storm Franklin. Although we survived relatively intact, it’s left the farm completely under water thanks to days of torrential and unrelenting rain. We’re very fortunate that we have good big sheds to accommodate all the animals in comfort and warmth should the weather throw its absolute worst at us. Roll on spring, better weather and drier fields!! Now the storms seem to have passed, there is plenty to sort out – branches down, rattling panels and slates on roofs etc. to be secured.

December saw mineral feed blocks going out in the fields to keep the sheep supplied with essentials once the grass had stopped growing and nutrient value was low to nonexistent. They love their blocks, which can be seen by many brown noses covered in molasses.

As it was so dry through December, I was able to keep the younger flock out at nights until Christmas. Then it became a daily routine of out in the day and in at night for feed and haylage. The daily workload really ramps up then with pen cleaning, muck spreading, water buckets to fill, hayracks to fill I will be in the shed working most of the day.

In the last newsletter, I reported that Kiss had been diagnosed with a glaucoma type eye problem. She had a course of steroid eye drops which seems to have settled her eyes for now. I keep a close watch; she has had a sore eye on a couple of occasions but nothing like the problems previously and an eye drop quickly administered if I see an issue settles it straight away. So I’m hopeful that it’s all been caught at an early stage and will not be too much of a problem for her.

Both Kiss and Kohl continue to improve in their general health and appearance. They are a pair of characters, Kiss being the ringleader and Kohl a very willing accomplice. Always looking for mischief!

Sadly, as I knew, this winter would be a winter too far for some of the really old girls. After several health hiccups throughout the last couple of months, our darling old Pixie became increasingly frail. She finally gave up, being too frail to support herself when standing and I knew it was time to let her go and rest. She was born here on the farm and passed away peacefully in my arms on 7th Feb, aged 17 years.

A sweetheart of a sheep, a twin to Purdy who we sadly lost 2 years ago. Pixie was never any trouble throughout her life. She loved the camera, she was the biggest poser. I miss her greatly but she will always be part of the land here and never ever forgotten. RIP little Pixie 2/4/2005 – 7/2/2022

Just 2 weeks later, on 22nd Feb, our beloved old matriarch Pebble tottered out for a bite of grass, came back indoors and then sat staring into space. I knew she was looking to greener pastures. I spent the majority of the day sitting with her. She was quiet and in no distress or pain and passed peacefully in her sleep just before 7 that evening with me by her side. She would have celebrated her 18th birthday the day after she died. Like Pixie, she was born here on the farm. Pebbles Mum – Bramble – was my first ever sheep, so Pebble held a special place in my heart as Bramble’s lamb. As tough and wiry as they come, she’d outlived so many others. My vet often joked that Pebble would outlive us all. Bless her. RIP Pebble 23/2/2004 – 22/2/2022

Kelly our girlie with the thyroid tumour has been having some homeopathic treatment.
It’s early days to know if it’s having any effect but I feel it’s worth a try as from a veterinary point of view nothing can be done to help her, so although this is in no way a cure, it may aid in stabilising the tumour or generally detoxing and helping her in that way. Kelly is 11 years old so not young or particularly old but I would dearly love to be able to give her more years as she appears in good health in all other ways and is bright and happy although she has lost a tiny amount of condition this winter, but I’m hopeful she’ll regain that once the Spring grass comes again.

We’ve just had our latest payment from Easyfundraising – a wonderful
£46.43 this quarter! A big thank you to all who’ve signed up and raise money for us in this way. If you haven’t already signed up and you shop on line, there are 6000+ retailers who are in the fundraising scheme, including Amazon.co.uk where we have our wishlist!
It costs nothing and takes 2 minutes to sign up at easyfundraising Please support us if you are able.

Thank you to all who are so generous with Amazon wishlist gifts and donations. This is such a massive help in caring for all these wonderful animals. As they increase in age, their needs become more. I try to keep vet bills to the absolute minimum but medications seem to constantly increase in price. Feed has rocketed in price this winter. Your help and support enables me to give the girls and boys the very best quality of life that I can and for that I am incredibly grateful to you all for your ongoing support.
https://amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/20FEIF88VWC3B

And don’t forget that you can get an Easyfundraising donation from Amazon (so long as you activate the donation before you order – I have added the donation reminder to my computer so I never miss out).

Let’s hope the worst of the winter weather is behind us now and we can look forward to spring and brighter, longer, warmer days.

Much love,
Caroline & The Baa’s xxx