Incredibly Rugged Icelandic Sheep
August 14, 2009
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Pictures of our sheep          
after the  dog attack  
  
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    When we began planning the leap into the  Icelandic
sheep adventure, we had no idea what lay ahead for us.  I
bought a book that had plenty of information on sheep
illnesses and problems ranging from foot rot, to pink eye, to
weak lambs, to lambing problems...To say the least, it was
enough to make me a bit uneasy about the undertaking from
the start, but I was told that Icelandic sheep are different
from other breeds of sheep.
 What we ended up with was
nothing like the books had described.  
I have told so many people over the years how few problems
we have had with our Icelandic sheep having illnesses or
any of the 'usual' sheep problems.  It's just amazing how
truly sturdy they are.  We have had our Icelandics live
through so many freak accidents and just thrive after they
manage to recover from the initial injuries.  Several of our
sheep are permanently damaged because of injuries, but
they go on each year to lamb, raise beautiful babies,  and
produce a wonderful fleece as well as enjoy a semi-normal
life with the rest of the flock.
We have
never had a case of pink eye, or foot rot, and
lambing problems are so rare that I don't lose any sleep
during lambing season due to worry, nor do we regularly
visit the barn at night during lambing.  We don't have weak
lambs, or lambs that can't figure out where their dinner
comes from or how to get it once they find it.
When I attempt to describe how rugged the Icelandic breed
is, I will always be able to remember how very few people
thought our sheep would live after the dog attack on our
farm in Feb. 2008.   My brother happened to arrive at our
farm as we did that morning and when we started carrying
sheep to the barn, he just couldn't imagine any of them
living.  When the vet arrived at the farm, he described the
scene as looking like  'a battlefield'.  He sure didn't act like
there was a whole lot of hope for most of them.  The man who
hauled the sheep to the vet. hospital didn't want to charge us
full price till we saw if any of them lived.  
Although we did lose one ewe, and we had many
miscarriages due to the injuries, surgeries, trauma, etc... the
other 7 ewes, who had been mangled beyond words,
eventually survived and are doing well in the pasture to
this day.  Yes, Mazi lost her back leg.  Surprise and Clairie
both have joint damage that shows up from time to time in
the form of a limp and swelling in the legs.  We have anxious
nights even with the addition of several guard dogs to this
day.  But, I know we were very, very blessed that we had
chosen a breed that is known for its hardiness and
determination to live through and beyond what anyone
would believe possible.  I am completely sold on the rugged,
determined Icelandic sheep breed.