Weaning The Lambs

First off sorry I've been rubbish with the blog lately - I've been so busy it's unreal! I'll make it up to you I promise! 

The lambs are getting big now and it's time to think about having some for the freezer and selling a few. To make it easier on myself and the sheep I decided it was time to wean them and last week I moved them all on to a small field so they could eat it right back. The plan was for the lambs to go on a fresh patch and the ewes to go back onto the dry bit so they could "dry off". 

Separating them up

 It took ages to get them in as I had to drive them through a patch of fresh grass to get to the pen - they weren't very keen! Even with my three helpers I thought I might not manage it at one point.
I then drenched all the lambs (for worms) and separated them from the ewe.

My helpers on Friday evening

 I don;t think the ewes were too impressed to end up back in the bare field again but it won;t be long before they have fresh grass. The sheep didn't make as much fuss as I thought they would with weaning this year, I remember growing up there would always be one mother and lamb that would do anything to be together.

The ewes seemed quite pleased not to have lambs butting them for milk any more.

 Well when I checked them in the morning I discovered I spoke too soon. One lamb had found his way back and was looking rather pleased with himself, I did doubt myself and thought maybe we'd missed one when we were sorting them.
I was more than a little annoyed as the last thing I wanted was to get them in again. It had to wait until Sunday morning anyway as I had work to go to on the Saturday.

The lambs on their own for the first time. 

Sunday morning came and I made a new pen, rounded up the sheep on foot and then carried a 35kg lamb across the field on my shoulder, swearing the whole way (the girls weren't with me) to put him back with the other lambs. I then go back to the house for breakfast come outside again afterwards and see the lamb trotting across the field. I felt like shooting him! I managed to catch him then carry him across the field again, this time finding new swear words, as he decided to struggle the whole way and gave me a few bruises as thanks. This time I checked the fences and found where he'd got through, I guess I was lucky more hadn't gone with him!
By the way anyone who wants constant exercise try keeping sheep!

The bare field for the ewes to dry off on

Hopefully the ewes will dry off alright on this field and the lambs have already found their way to fresh grass in theirs and seem quite happy.
Does everyone else (who has or had sheep) wean their animals before they sell off the lambs?