KATAHDIN HAIR SHEEP_LAMBING

[@debbeasher-k4764]

It’s a beautiful area. The sheep & lambs are lovely! The music is calming too. I’m glad I stumbled onto your channel.

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed!

[@Luvtallhorses]

I just got my first three ewes pregnant to a Virginian Tech Study ram. Very excited

[@VictorianRoseSoapCo]

Looks like Spring has arrived!! Thankful for the Sunshine and warmth!

[@Farmalleric]

Just found your channel enjoyed watching we are hoping to get sheep after we move

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

So glad you are enjoying our channel! I hope you can get sheep! I for sure recommend Katahdins if you can!

[@_Hannah_Stephie]

Just found your channel! Love it!

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Thank you! That means so much! We are just starting out so it's been a lot of learning!! :)

[@cindycalahan3092]

Beautiful sheep/lambs. I'm down to 4 Katahdin. Decided it was time to retire from breeding and now have them as pets.

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Thank you Cindy! Oh wow! that's not many

[@raeanndodge3594]

All so sweet! May I ask what you do with all your sheep? Do you raise them for milk? Market? Meat? These are not for wool am I right? You are a busy girl!🐑

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

I sell most all my lambs local, to others wanting to get started in Katahdins or else add to/improve their flocks. And we keep a few wether lambs to raise our own Organic lamb.

[@debbeasher-k4764]

Good questions

[@dsobba]

Thanks for sharing. We just had our first lamb yesterday! You mention being located in the PNW? Would love to be able to connect with you at some point. We are located in Whatcom County up near the Canadian border. Thank you……Danny

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Danny, Exciting! I LOVE this time of year!! We are in Southern Coastal Oregon

[@kevingoleman5544]

I just started raising Katadin I April. I got 4 pregnant ewes and they had 6 lambs in May. I love these gals. They are so easy. Happy to find your channel I have a lot to learn. Thank you.

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Congrats!! They are really amazing sheep!!! Feel free to reach out with any questions! We on our 20th year with Katahdins!! And only love them more as the years pass!

[@krisslumsden6880]

So glad I found you! We are thinking of starting with Katahdins next year. We live a little inland from you, but still on the coastal side of the mountain and was worried about lots of rain in the winter. Do you have a newsletter/waiting list, etc.?

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Hi Kriss! That is great!!! I have a Facebook page, and I have my waiting list there! If you can write me there and tell me what/how many lambs you would like. I will add you to my list! The Katahdins do SO well here in our wet PNW winters! They are the very best breed I have found ! North Fork Ranch Hair Sheep @FB facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057346973439

[@intothenight9256]

Im so happy to have found your channel. Ive recently considered raising Katahdin sheep for their parasite resistance qualities and really love your introduction of a Painted Sheep for color in some of your flock. Absolutely stunning! Did you introduce a PAINTED RAM into your flock of Katahdin Ewes? Theyre so cute! And what are the pros and cons of this crossing? And do you ship to the northeast?

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

I started with a Painted Desert cross, so never had the purebred. I wanted the coloring (which I got!) But wanted to keep the polled(naturally hornless) Katahdin, and also I just love the Katahdins so much! So there isn't a whole lot of Painted Desert, or Dorper blood in my flock, they are mostly Katahdin. Though the color still stays pretty well! My new Brown and white paint Ram, he is full /Registered Katahdin. The Brown & brown paints are a Katahdin color. The Blacks /& Black Paints are from the Painted Desert and/or Dorper. I have not shipped before. But I imagine it would be possible. The crosses are great! I actually like crossbreds, as they tend to have highbred vigor. The only thing I work to stay away from is too much Dorper blood, for our super wet PNW weather. the Dorper are not very parasite resistant, and they don't have good hooves. They tend to get hoofrot badly in my wet area. I didn't have purebred Painted Desert sheep, so I don't know how their hooves are.

[@intothenight9256]

@@NorthFork-Ranch I appreciate your detailed reply it's very helpful as I get ready to embark on this journey when I relocate to the homestead in another 18 months. IMHO you are a great ambassador for Katahdin and their crosses. Thank you for your incredible videos that not only teach but very entertaining as we get to see your beautiful property and animals. God bless you!

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

@@intothenight9256 Thank you so much!!!!! Wishing you all the best!! And feel free to reach out any time with questions! God Bless!!

[@darlenehensley3963]

Ii just got my first sheep last week. I found this very reassuring. Thank You!

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Congratulations Darlene!!! I'm so excited for you! I am sure you are going to love them! Also let me know if you ever have any questions I might be able to answer!

[@darlenehensley3963]

Thank You!

[@louisaholman3838]

Im happy to find your channel.

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Thanks so much!

[@luketilley9137]

New subscriber here! I've been looking into getting a few hair sheep and i was told Katahdin crossed with Barbados blackbelly are the perfect homestead sheep? Have you ever crossed them? Need all the help I can get. I know absolutely nothing about sheep. Great video, Thanks 🙏🕊

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Hi Luke! That is exciting! I think you will LOVE Hair sheep! As for the cross, I haven't been that impressed with what I have seen of Blackbelly. I haven't had them personally, but someone I know has. And they seem to be a skittish breed, without much meat/muscle to them...so dont see a real good reason to add the crossing. I like a little Dorper crossed into the Katahdin just for a bigger, more meaty sheep. A the bit of Painted Desert I crossed in (only some of my flock has it) I did for adding coloring) If I were you, I would go straight Katahdin..... or Katahdin with no more than 1/4 Dorper. But also depends on where you live! As Dorpers seem to do fine in hotter drier areas. Hair Sheep are really easy! If you have had any livestock in the past, you should do just fine. Also feel free to ask me any questions you might have! I would love to help if I know the answer!

[@stoamnyfarms]

He would definitely be one of my future breeding rams.

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Thanks! He is growing out very nicely! I will be making another video soon as the lambs are 3 months and just starting to go to their new homes!

[@annekern2829]

♥️🙏♥️

[@spoolsandbobbins]

Great video! We have similar crosses. You spend a lot of time bonding with the lambs. Shouldn’t that be dedicated to the mom? Do you ever have issues with moms rejecting?

[@NorthFork-Ranch]

Thank you! I do spend some time bonding! Most all of my Momma's are really tame and bonded with me, so they dont mind me being there with their new babies, and it helps the lambs to get used to me when I'm there just after they are born! So in 20 years, I can count on one hand(or pretty close) the amount of rejected lambs. One year I had two Moms have twins and each reject one! that was shocking! But I figured out why. At that time I had them locked in a barn at night, the ewes both lambed in with the other sheep....all it takes is a lamb walking away and getting mixed with the flock, and some times the mom wont take it. So now I almost always let them lamb in the pasture where they can get away by themselves, OR if its bad weather I will have only a few moms in the barn, or else put the close ewes in a stall by themselves. room is very important! The other times was like if a ewe had triplets, or only milked form one side (mastitis damage) that I have had a reject or else had to take one for there to be enough milk..