The Unintended Keeper ( Diary of a keeping blagger )

[BenBhoy 4,706]

On 13/02/2023 at 11:37, Stavross said:

I said your just as weird as him

It definitely helps!! 

[shovel leaner 7,650]

On 13/02/2023 at 10:50, BenBhoy said:

Yeah some can, that's where breeding comes in, some folk like the breeze block no neck type = breathing issues.

They're #1 tup breed in UK but by no means perfect. They're popular for how they're lambs look on the hook, good muscling, very lean, good conformation. And they're good at passing those characteristics onto a cross bred ewe. 

Trust me Bernard, you don't want to actually engage me on a sheep conversation, I'm a bore!!!

An acquaintance of mine is as on tv the other night lambing his Texels . Aubrey Andrews , apparently he is a bit of an authority on them . He favours Texels because they are good for meat . Which is I suppose a good enough reason . 

[BenBhoy 4,706]

16 hours ago, shovel leaner said:

An acquaintance of mine is as on tv the other night lambing his Texels . Aubrey Andrews , apparently he is a bit of an authority on them . He favours Texels because they are good for meat . Which is I suppose a good enough reason . 

They are very popular. But lots of breeds are good for meat (terminal breeds).

I wouldn't call them jack of all trades, because they aren't that good(!) Like anything, you have to make compromise. There are breeds that are easier lambing but never get as well muscled. Breeds that grow quicker, breeds that grow slower. I think texel are so popular because they tick lots of boxes without being perfect in any one box - if that makes sense? I also think they have benefited from very good, Pro active society. And lot of people use them just because everyone else does!!

 They've grown on me, but when I had my own flock (and if I do again in next couple years) it didn't have any texel in it. 

[Stavross 15,570]

First day back up the shoot for a few weeks and it’s all settled down and looking like spring is on the way, I spent the best part of 2 hours cleaning the pens up and the shed where we have our elevenses, I filled my 2 feeders I keep running until the end of March and then had an hour walking around the piggeries smacking a few squizzers out the tops of the trees, it’s nice to have it back to myself 

whilst over the piggeries I came across a dead badger, I noticed some tyre tracks across the field and looking at where it was I suspect foul play

Over the past week I’ve mainly been up the sheep farm as lambing is in full swing, I’ve not been taking my phone with me, which has allowed me to concentrate on what I’m doing and it’s worked well, having had 3 over the past week, with a bit of luck I’ll be out for a doe over the weekend and I might have a go at the roost on my mates place, there’s a group of them there this afternoon and I was invited but the missus had some bad news today so I don’t think it would of been fair for me to bugger off out

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

How do you reckon the badger died Stav .

[Stavross 15,570]

13 minutes ago, foxdropper said:

How do you reckon the badger died Stav .

Not sure, it didn’t look like it had been ragged about, but where it was and the tyre track on the field say it wasn’t natural causes, maybe lead poisoning 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Things as rare as hens teeth here now mate after the cull .Lapwings coming back ,big flocks of golden plover and seen more English partridge here in the last 2 years than I have in the last 30 .

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Just now, foxdropper said:

Things as rare as hens teeth here now mate after the cull .Lapwings coming back ,big flocks of golden plover and seen more English partridge here in the last 2 years than I have in the last 30 .

Any Curlews your way ?

[Stavross 15,570]

26 minutes ago, foxdropper said:

Things as rare as hens teeth here now mate after the cull .Lapwings coming back ,big flocks of golden plover and seen more English partridge here in the last 2 years than I have in the last 30 .

The cull has done wonders for the ground nesters, it’s a shame it only came about for the spread of TB and nothing to do with protecting wildlife, there’s a hell of a lot around us and the cull never made it to us, if they had looked at it from a conservation perspective instead of a farming/financial one the countryside around me would be in a better place 

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Far too many here, cull in Derbyshire, and I think Leicestershire but not in Notts. Bloody pity. 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Hope you're Mrs is ok stav.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

12 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Any Curlews your way ?

Yes mate .Heard one go over the other night with that plaintive call .

[Stavross 15,570]

15 hours ago, Sausagedog said:

Hope you're Mrs is ok stav.

Yeah, she’s ok mate, had to have her pet put to sleep that she’s had for 15 years, so she feels like she’s lost a family member 

[Stavross 15,570]

Up to the shoot today for a couple of reasons, firstly to pay the land rent to the landlady and secondly to fill my couple of feeders I keep going, I’ve also started baiting a couple of spots with rabbits I’ve shot over the past couple of weeks in order to get the foxes used to coming to a couple of areas for a feed where there’s a good backstop and good cover for me about 90 metres away, while I was up there I had a walk around with the 22 and accounted for 3 more tree rats and 1 rabbit that all ended up on the bait pile, I’ve noticed a couple of good groups of hens with a cock each over the piggeries and along the edge of the oak wood so I’ll do my best with the predator control, as the wind got stronger and it started to rain sideways I headed back to the farm where the lad from forestry was waiting for me, apparently one of my feeders is on a historic burial mound and some archaeologist group are coming to have a dig and are not happy that I’ve been feeding on them, I’ve done them a favour as the birds have scratched it all up keeping the mound’s clear, there’s no pleasing some people 

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Tell the sad cnuts to feck off