Once I’ve finished making my after-supper sheep, I do the last walk around the croft getting everyone in.

The ducks and hens have usually put themselves to bed by then.

And I shut their wee door, do a quick count – 5 brown, 3 black hens and 12 ducks.  They all squeeze in fairly affably and luckily there have been no ducklings this year so that is a god-send.  I don’t want anymore.  It’s a tight squeeze anyway.

 

Then I shut the big hen-house door and wish them all a very good night.  I worry if anyone is missing and will go out of my way to find them, carrying them into their house for the night.

Next up, is the sheep if I find them waiting at the field gate.

Again, they know the routine.

I leave this gate open so that Dahlia and Gussie can also come in if they want, but they usually don’t arrive until breakfast time, preferring to live in the field. They are hill sheep, after all.  The field shed is open for them if the weather gets too bad.  The others go to bed in the stable. Lambie’s bed-time is a strict 10 p.m. and they all have their own spot in the shed.

There are haynets for the ponies in the red-lit containers which are sometimes eaten overnight or not  They can make their own decisions.

And then I look at the sky to quickly check if there is anything worth photographing before I go inside for the night.