Welcome back everyone!
So you might have noticed in some of my previous sheep photos, and particularly in the one I'm posting today, that some of my sheep have blue butts!
WHY do they have blue butts?? you may ask.
Well, some have orange butts.
You might roll your eyes at this point and ask: WHY do they have coloured butts at all??
Well, I'll tell you. It's because I'm snooping on their sex lives.
Remember Booster the ram from a few days ago? Well, he was wearing a small article of clothing, similar to a girth strap on a horse's saddle, that had a marking crayon attached to it (kinda like a big, soft wax crayon). When he and one of the ewes in his harem got physical, a smear of crayon gets left behind to show me, the breeder of the sheep, which of his ladies he has made very happy.
It helps me track due dates, so that I can be prepared for the arrival of their mutual offspring and assist if necessary. It helps me know who likely is NOT pregnant, and separate them into a different feeding program, or prepare them for a second opportunity to spend time with the ram so they can have a lamb at a later date. It helps me know which ram is the father of each lamb, so that I can track their performance and make decisions one which lines of breeding I want to select replacements from.
Booster wore blue this year, and my other exotically attractive Heinz 57 ram, Badger, wore orange.
So. That's why they have colourful butts. Cuz I'm just creepy like that I guess!
In other Tanglebranch news, I managed to get all the rest of the deck boards on today.
Hopefully the stairs can get done tomorrow, and maybe get started on the railing!
Also baked and processed another 14 pumpkins. Pumpkin overload around here, man. There's 6 ripe ones left, and the same amount that are still greenish, they can wait until after Halloween.
So until tomorrow, followers! Me and my pass-the-screws-to-build-the-deck helper are ready for bed!