[Jacob-list] old ewes and muscovies

[MarmontJacobs at aol.com]

Gordon,
        We have scores of muscovies here - and very good cakes (eggs!!!) and 
roast duck they make too as well as eating up the flies - but you are right 
the fox enjoys them too. We imprint ours to come into the barn at night 
during the winter which improves things greatly, but does mean that the 
lambing pens are full of duck nests, and the lambs love to chase them...
    Our old Hackwood ewe is a 1994 model who has been retired for two years 
but has still managed to lamb both years (and lambed as a shearling before I 
had her) She has kept her head down most successfully since having mastitis 
in 1998 (cured by antibiotics and goat lard massage - yuck!! - strange people 
around here) by quietly producing singles...until twins this year. The ewe 
lamb was raised separate but within sight of her mother for six weeks with a 
triplet and a quad for company. The bottle lambs then joined the flock, and, 
you've guessed it she was straight back on mum, the others never bothered.
    Trisha
    Marmont Jacobs, Norfolk, England