Baaaa, Baaaad Lamb Ralph

When our “City Chickens” left last week. I was able to get Ralph the lamb outside and I was over the moon. He was getting ready to climb over the sides of the playpen in the back porch, really needed a place he could get some exercise and sunshine. 

He is getting more exercise, but it is coming at the chagrin of the chickens. He has decided that they are his playmates and he should be able to chase them and play with them whenever he is out of his pen. 

When I feed Ralph at noon, I also let the chickens out of their run to free-range the rest of the day. It has turned into a scene of pure chaos. Ralph heads for the chicken run at a speed equaling a sprinter. When he goes through the gate the chickens scatter in pure terror. That scares Ralph and he tears out of the run like a tiger is after him. He runs back to me only to run back and repeat the scene all over again, and again, and again. Eventually all the chickens manage to make it out of the run and so he has to change his tactics. 

He will spot a chicken near the cabin, or anywhere else in the yard and off he goes. The chicken takes off and he is right on its tail feathers. The poor chickens don’t know where is safe anymore. It is a good thing I don’t leave Ralph out of his pen all the time. After he has a good run, I put him back into his pen and the chickens have the rest of the afternoon to spend eating bugs, weeds, and whatever else they can find. 

What Ralph really needs is another lamb to be his buddy. It is hard on herd animals to not have a friend. There may be one shortly, the neighbor says he has one more ewe to lamb that looks like a land whale, he is suspecting that she will have three. If she does one of them will come be a partner for Ralph. I hope it works out that way, if not though, he will be alright and as soon as he is old enough to wean, he will go in with a whole herd of sheep. Then he will have lots of friends and my chickens won’t be subjected to abuse by a sheep. 

Mustard Glazed Carrots

2 pounds carrots, cut into ¼ inch slanting slices

3 tablespoons butter 

½ cup water

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Place carrots in a 3 quart pan. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender-crisp. Drain any liquid from the pan, and stir in butter, mustard and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until carrots are evenly glazed