Crazy Cluckers Katahdins and Poultry Farm

09/03/2026

Keep your poultry healthy!

08/29/2026

Balling on a budget?? I got you! 😉 😘

08/27/2026

Let’s get ready for baby making!! 🕺 💃 💕

08/25/2026

08/23/2026

How did our first year showing hair sheep at the fair go? And was Jordan Bastien sad to see her market lambs go?

08/23/2026

This girl! She won Supreme Champion in rabbit showmanship (winning the chair, which we now have a matching set of 🤭) and that impressive rosette for Grand Champion Overall Pen Management. I’m one proud mama!

08/23/2026

Today we took a load of culls to the sale. I've had a couple discussions about culls with different people.

Here's the deal, a cull is a cull is a cull. If that ewe did not produce for the current owner, she won't change.

Some of the ewes being sold today would be fine to produce more lambs for someone. However they did dumb crap, lost a lamb, couldn't keep track of lambs, left a lamb, got out, didn't shed, fought the dogs, feet not wearing correctly (we do not trim feet) in general ANYTHING that made me take a second look at them. The AW's are a shedding sheep, they better shed.

A couple had poor weaning weights from prior years, they dropped below THEIR performance records. There was no real reason, maybe she is just over raising lambs, maybe the sire did not nick with her, don't know, don't care, they are gone.

We have sold bred ewes in the past, they were not culls, I could show past production records.

Unfortunately, the future is hard to predict, we have always been straight forward about that. One reason I don't like selling bred ewes, there can be unforeseen issues.

In short, do not be buying what someone deems a cull in their system, she will still be a cull in your system. Ask point blank why they are culling them.

The harder you cull the less you will cull, in time. If you make excuses you will always be making excuses. Do not keep your problems.

There seems to be a lot of average sheep out there. Don't let the show terms fool you.

If you have 1 ewe doing exceptionally good things, set that as your benchmark. Cull to that, don't accept slackers. They cost you money.

08/23/2026

That’s a wrap for the 2026 show season! The UP State Fair is a terminal sale, and our Katahdin Hair Sheep wether was sold for GOOD money! We were honestly hoping to just break even on our first year, but Jordan Bastien surpassed that! I’m so dang proud of her for what she’s accomplished.

Yes you’ll be seeing our stock next year, hopefully in the market classes as well as breeding classes. Just because something is different, doesn’t mean it still doesn’t hold merit. Taking every class is not our goal, but showing the community something new sure is. Sharing our passion with people is our goal. Representing the breed is our goal. And bettering ourselves each year is our goal.

Thank you to Sunny Valley Farms for donating hay for during fair week, and for supplying us with high quality roughage for our stock to thrive off of year around. You help us make great things!

We’ll see you guys next year. 😎

08/20/2026

It was nice to see a Katahdin out there in the ring and actually be able to compete against the wool sheep. Maybe one day they won’t get the weird stares from people. 😉 🤭 Don’t be afraid guys, they’re just sheep! 😂

08/20/2026

Jordan and I were talking a few days ago about how livestock showing has changed over the years. I spend a lot of my time saying, “back in the day”, and boy does that feel strange. 😬

“Back in the day” I remember when the minimum weight for market lambs was 60 pounds. Now it’s 90 I believe for our area, but some parts of the country are tipping at 110 pounds! Even 30 pounds on a lamb is a huge difference! Nowadays they drug test the top three market lambs, I wonder when they started doing that? If anyone knows, drop it in the comments!

The point is the trend seems to always be bigger and better. These animals are dang power houses of rippling muscle. Does doping happen in this industry? Absolutely! But getting caught will cost you a lot more than just a fine.

In specialty shows, the minimum weight for hair sheep is 60 pounds. Our market lamb weighed in at 130 pounds. He gained 27 pounds in the three weeks between our two shows. He was absolutely gaining more fat at the end than we’d like, but we’re also trying to push him like we would a wool lamb. Their body makeup isn’t built the same.

It has been a blast seeing a hair lamb in the ring with wool lambs. It really is like trying to compare apples to oranges, and I can’t imagine how tough it is for judges to put the two against each other. I can promise you’ll be seeing another Katahdin in the market ring next year. I wouldn’t be opposed to entering some in the breeding classes too. 😉 It’s safe to see you’ll be seeing more of us.