Spring at the Black Sheep has been even wetter and muddier than usual this year, but at least our wetland area is flourishing! We’ve just moved the cows to their summer paddock and it lifted everyone's spirits to see them tossing their heads and prancing through the new grass.
The days are becoming longer and lighter, enabling us to fit in sanctuary projects alongside routine animal care tasks such as parasite control and hoof trimming. Regular hoof care is essential to prevent our cattle, horses, sheep and goats from developing painful conditions such as hoof rot and lameness. Wild goats tend to roam in hilly and stony areas, wearing their nails down naturally. However, as most domestic goats live on softer ground, we need to snip off the extra growth before it causes pain and inflammation. Mary Ann, one of our gentlest goats, is especially patient while we tend to her feet.
The days are becoming longer and lighter, enabling us to fit in sanctuary projects alongside routine animal care tasks such as parasite control and hoof trimming. Regular hoof care is essential to prevent our cattle, horses, sheep and goats from developing painful conditions such as hoof rot and lameness. Wild goats tend to roam in hilly and stony areas, wearing their nails down naturally. However, as most domestic goats live on softer ground, we need to snip off the extra growth before it causes pain and inflammation. Mary Ann, one of our gentlest goats, is especially patient while we tend to her feet.
We’ve been busy shearing the sheep – we give them a trim just once a year in late spring to keep them comfortable during sweltering summer days. Most types of sheep have been bred so that their wool grows continuously rather than shedding naturally. If not shorn, sheep are prone to flystrike, wool blindness and heat exhaustion. Heavy matted wool can also impede their blood circulation, a potentially dangerous condition. We employ professional shearers so the work is completed quickly, with minimal stress.
Removing the excess wool exposes ticklish winter bodies and most of our sheep appreciate a back rub to relieve the itchiness. As their delicate skin is susceptible to sunburn, we ensure all of our animals can rest in the shade. The photograph below features Bartholomew, one of our senior sheep, modelling his new summer haircut!
Removing the excess wool exposes ticklish winter bodies and most of our sheep appreciate a back rub to relieve the itchiness. As their delicate skin is susceptible to sunburn, we ensure all of our animals can rest in the shade. The photograph below features Bartholomew, one of our senior sheep, modelling his new summer haircut!
The new kid at the sanctuary
We’re delighted to introduce Marshmallow, a tiny orphaned goat who arrived a couple of weeks ago. A kind person discovered her nestling up to the cold stiff body of her dead mother and notified the local vet who contacted us and we picked her up. The wee kid quickly learned to drink from her bottle of formula and suckles vigorously. On sunny days we let her play outside under supervision and she bobs around happily in the long summer grass, her head dancing like the marshmallow flowers she was named after.
We’re delighted to introduce Marshmallow, a tiny orphaned goat who arrived a couple of weeks ago. A kind person discovered her nestling up to the cold stiff body of her dead mother and notified the local vet who contacted us and we picked her up. The wee kid quickly learned to drink from her bottle of formula and suckles vigorously. On sunny days we let her play outside under supervision and she bobs around happily in the long summer grass, her head dancing like the marshmallow flowers she was named after.
Animal updates
You may recall that Mushroom, a large and mellow grey rooster, accidentally broke his wing in September. After surgery, he spent weeks in a cage while his broken coracoid bone slowly healed. Eventually we were able to unlatch the cage door and release him back into the rooster orchard – a very special moment. He’s thoroughly enjoying time with his companions and is now carrying his wing normally, so we feel optimistic that he has fully recovered.
You may recall that Mushroom, a large and mellow grey rooster, accidentally broke his wing in September. After surgery, he spent weeks in a cage while his broken coracoid bone slowly healed. Eventually we were able to unlatch the cage door and release him back into the rooster orchard – a very special moment. He’s thoroughly enjoying time with his companions and is now carrying his wing normally, so we feel optimistic that he has fully recovered.
A couple of months ago we noticed our gentle older cow Struan seemed sore and stiff. Our vet believes she is suffering from arthritis, so we are trying to find a treatment that relieves her discomfort. We were rather worried that it would be difficult to medicate her as she is very shy, but we soon found that she will swallow a pill quite happily when it is hidden in a crunchy slice of apple. We should know soon if the latest medication helps her to move more freely.
Giving medication is never a problem with the pigs, as they’ll eagerly swallow anything that looks like food! We provide our pigs with a variety of donated fruits and vegetables, supplemented with pellets to help our older animals maintain condition. We’re grateful that we can feed them plenty of healthy, palatable food that would otherwise be wasted. Sadly, thousands of tonnes of nutritious food are discarded every year in New Zealand, food that could be enjoyed by humans or animals. Our capitalist economic system encourages companies to produce and stock excess food products so that shelves always look full, while discarding any fruit and vegetables that are not impeccably formed. Teapot, however, thinks that his pumpkin is perfect!
Food can stimulate your brain as well as your taste buds. In the image below, Comfrey is enjoying some blackberry branches, which have been carefully arranged by our volunteers as an enrichment activity for the goats. We spread the thorny stems around their enclosure and on top of the playground to encourage them to climb and stand on their hind legs. Blackberries are rich in fibre and in nutrients such as vitamins A and C. Positioning the tasty branches at different heights throughout their paddock enables all the goats to participate, without the smaller goats missing out on their share of the fun.
Dill and Basil
A flash of fluffy grey fur in the long grass – that’s our rescue bunny Dill bounding through the paddock to play as the moon rises. Rabbits are crepuscular animals who are active at dusk and dawn, napping in their burrows during the day and night. Our rescued rabbits Dill and Basil are constant companions who snuggle softly together on cooler days. They live with their brothers Sage and Clover in our secure predator-free paddock.
A flash of fluffy grey fur in the long grass – that’s our rescue bunny Dill bounding through the paddock to play as the moon rises. Rabbits are crepuscular animals who are active at dusk and dawn, napping in their burrows during the day and night. Our rescued rabbits Dill and Basil are constant companions who snuggle softly together on cooler days. They live with their brothers Sage and Clover in our secure predator-free paddock.
In the wild, rabbits live in warrens composed of breeding couples. Bonded pairs enjoy cuddling and grooming each other and help each other remain calm in stressful situations. While generally we recommend matching a female bunny with a male, Dill, Basil, Sage and Clover have lived together since they were rescued as tiny orphaned kits. All our bunnies live in pairs or groups and we enrich their lives with plenty of toys and stimulation. We make our own simple yet effective rabbit puzzles by enclosing small cubes of peeled apple in toilet paper rolls or in a snuffle mat. Bunnies have an excellent sense of smell and love the challenge of tracking down the hidden treats once their sensitive noses detect a whiff of fresh fruit.
A pig’s best friend is a rooster
Many animals enjoy the company of other species as well as their own. Instead of perching with the other roosters in our chookhouses or in the orchard, Hakuna and Matata choose to sleep near their pig friend Trotter. He is a very placid and happy pig and they seem to feel relaxed in his company. Even when it’s raining, we are likely to find the two brothers roosting contentedly on Trotter’s fence.
A pig’s best friend is a rooster
Many animals enjoy the company of other species as well as their own. Instead of perching with the other roosters in our chookhouses or in the orchard, Hakuna and Matata choose to sleep near their pig friend Trotter. He is a very placid and happy pig and they seem to feel relaxed in his company. Even when it’s raining, we are likely to find the two brothers roosting contentedly on Trotter’s fence.
Unfortunately we’ve had to cancel our first open days of the season due to rain and mud, but we have scheduled three open days so far for 2023– 14 January, 28 January and 11 February. Please let us know which date you prefer and we’ll book you in! We will be organising other days too, so do follow our Facebook page for updates. We are hoping for clear sunny weather as spring mellows into summer.