Diary of a Sheep Dairy Farmer

Our first lambing group of the year has wrapped up and the results aren't terrible but I had an unusual amount of single lambs born. Today I talk about why this may have happened and what I think contributed to the resulting singles in my flock.

So far the lambing has gone smoothly, it's everything else that has been chaotic. Week one of lambing updates; what we're got, how we're doing and what's to come. Sorry this is a day late. For some reason my scheduling app did not work.

Lambing is right around the corner and it's time to get ready.  Here is a look into what I keep on hand for lambing season, complied over the last 10+ years.   Colostrum Milk replacer Electrolytes Portable blender Heat pad/cover/bed Blankets 8-way with CD&T Dewormer Syringes Needles RFID tags/tagger Tags for lambs/tagger Heat lamps/bulbs Rubber rings/bander M ear notcher Scale/harness Gloves Thermometer Scalpel Scissors Tattooing supplies Resuscitator Bottles/nipples Penicillin LA200 Dextrose Tuber Lube Prolapse harness Vet wrap/splints/gauze Wound care Corid EZ Milker Brix refractometer Suture kit Tooth file Lamb Tote/taxi Shears for crutching Molasses Orphan head gate Gallagher Phone Lamb records  

Today we talk about why I use terminal breeding groups with first time lambers.

New year, new me and new ideas! Welcome back to Diary of a Sheep Dairy Farmer and all the chaos that comes with it.  Today I will be talking about what happened in 2025 - why I disappeared, and what you can expect from me in 2026.  

Ever had a break out? Had more than one ram jump the fence and breed some ewes and now you're left wondering who's daddy? What are your options when it comes to finding out who dad is? What are your options when it comes to breeding those surprise ewe lambs later if you chose to keep them? Today I talk about some of those options available to you when your rams get loose in the flock and you don't know who is daddy to the lambs 145 days later.

I do not like bottle feeding if i don't have to, so if I have a ewe that could take a lamb, I will do everything in my power to get that ewe to take that lamb - even if it is not their own. Today I talk about how I manage fostering orphan lambs, or getting a ewe to accept her own rejected lamb.

Lambing is in full swing on the farm, so let's talk lambing "kits" and supplies. What's in your kit? What's on your supply list? What do you have that I don't have? www.youtube.com/@hiddenhollowsheepdairy My Lambing Supply List: Colostrum Milk replacer Electrolytes Portable blender Heat pad/cover/bed Blankets Covexin 8 Dewormer Syringes Needles RFID tags/tagger Tags for lambs/tagger Heat lamps/bulbs Rubber rings/bander M ear notcher Scale/harness Gloves Thermometer Scalpel Scissors Tattooing supplies Resuscitator Bottles/nipples Penicillin LA200 Dextrose Tuber Lube Prolapse harness Vet wrap/splints/gauze Wound care Corid EZ Milker Brix refractometer Suture kit

I am back for season two year two of Diary of a Sheep Dairy Farmer. Let's make this year a good one. Today I am doing a short-ish recap of what's been going on since my last episode and stay tuned for next week when I dive into lambing and all that it entails.

Ever wonder what makes milk sheep different from meat sheep? Today Becca outlines a few of those differences.  It is not a definitive list by any means but it is a start.

Breeding season is right around the corner for many of us. Today Becca talks about what it takes to keep a ram of your own, and some alternatives if having your own ram just isn't possible.

The question that seems to follow after You can milk sheep? Today Becca decides to answer with a few products that can be made from sheep milk.    

Today Becca talks about crossing breeding dairy sheep and why it's done. www.facebook.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy www.instagram.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy www.youtube.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy  

Today Becca talks about some of the controversial things she does on her sheep farm that work for her, may not work for everyone, but always seem to raise some eyebrows. Who else does some head turning things on their farm that works for them but others think they are strange for doing?

One again Becca let's you in on the mistakes she has made when drying off ewes and what has worked for her when drying off during milking and when she is just letting the ewes raise lambs.

Today Becca talks with Candice Christensen of Capped Mountain Farms about allergies, the benefits of sheep milk, and what goes on around Candice's homestead. To reach out and talk to Candice: email: [email protected]   To reach out and talk to Becca: email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenhollowsheepdairy  

Today Becca talks weaning lambs because that is what she has been doing and is gearing up to do some more of. She'll talk some do's and don'ts of weaning and let you in on the mistakes she has made over the years.

Today Becca talks about older ewes, reminiscing about some of her favorites on the farm and what you should be looking for in your older ewes that will determine if they should be bred and therefore milked.

Today Becca talks about how her spring lambing group went. What went wrong and what went right and how the numbers added up and compared to the late winter lambing.

Today Becca discusses out of season breeding. Why do we do it and how do we do it?

Today Becca talks with Olivia Fox from Crafty Fox Acres about her plans for a micro sheep dairy and her involvement in the North America Dairy Sheep Association. Come join us as we talk all things dairy sheep.     You can contact me at: [email protected] And follow me on: https://www.instagram.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy https://www.facebook.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy www.youtube.com/@hiddenhollowsheepdairy https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenhollowidaho   To follow Olivia Fox https://www.facebook.com/craftyfoxacres https://www.instagram.com/craftyfoxacres https://www.facebook.com/NorthAmericaDairySheepAssociation(NADSA)    

Today Becca spends a little time talking about what she looks for in a potential ram lamb. Since 99% of ram lambs born will be wethered, it takes a special kind of ram to make the grade.   Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenhollowsheepdairy Intragram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiddenhollowsheepdairy    

In the middle of the second go round of lambing Becca talks about replacement ewe lambs and what she looks for in a good milking ewe lamb.

Today Becca talks about milking. How do you decide when to start? When are you going to milk? What do you do with the lambs? I'll answer all these questions and more.

Today Becca talks about record keeping.  This always seems to be a hot topic, so today she'll dive into how she keeps her sheep straight and the flock on tract.

Becca is back from her lambing hiatus with the good, bad and ugly from her late winter lambing group.

Today Becca answers some of your questions from Instagram and Youtube

We are on the countdown to lambing, so this topic is on my mind .. lambing prep and supplies.

This week I talk about predators to sheep and what we as sheep owners can do about them with the limited resources at our disposal.

I think there is a huge misconception about sheep wool - the kind that is still on the sheep. Today I dive in and talk about why our sheep can be out in the elements without the issues we humans tend to have.

Today Becca talks about the culling process on her farm. Why we cull, what we are looking for, when we cull etc.  

Today Becca talks about what she does during January - the longest month of the year, and the coldest and the crummiest.  There are still plenty of farm jobs to do, it's just a matter of weather and ambition.

On today's episode, Becca talks about the four top dairy breeds in the US as well as a few alternative sheep breeds that can be used as dairy sheep. 

Becca talks about how she went from raising cattle to raising sheep and putting in a sheep dairy in southern Idaho.