DeAnn,
I do have to agree somewhat with Diane Wright on the crook--but also disagree. It is going to depend somewhat under what conditions you use your crook. Apply thought to your usage conditions before choosing.
You will notice that the crooks sold by Premier are intended mostly towards sheep in big commercial operations. These workers are accustomed to hooking their sheep from quite a distance--usually from outside or from the top of a tall fence or chute; thus, they are quite long. She is right, they are next to useless inside of most barn stalls and certainly in my very narrow, now-enclosed calf shed.
In addition, they are meant to be used on the larger, WOOLY sheep. Thus, unless you are really handy with that leg crook--not to mention whether that animal is _not_ "hopping" mad & trying to go airborne as you catch its leg--it is almost certainly not going to hold a lamb and might not hold an adult. The really small metal leg crook for goats, sold separately, is what you need, particularly if you intend to hook lambs' legs (I'd suggest using a neck crook for lambs, however).
My advice to those who are choosing a crook under usage conditions like mine--but probably have many more animals than I do, as I will always have a small flock--where you are catching your hair sheep inside the pen in fairly open areas, to get a wooden neck crook and buy the separate metal leg crook, and add it to the other end. If you are very short, and particularly if expecting to be working in close quarters, consider knocking the length of the wooden crook down a foot. This combination will give you the best of both worlds.
We got our first crook, the one Diane doesn't like--the bright blue leg crook--just a month ago. I happen to be very good with it, but no one else is...which is lucky because I am only 5 ft tall and the crook is _at least_ as tall as me! I put the grain out & hook the animals for doctoring as they--especially the ram!--are distracted by food. I can hook an adult at the ankle--whereas the older lambs I catch by the thigh & let the knee stop the crook. Then I rush in and catch it by hand and do what needs be. DO NOT depend on that crook holding the animal, as it will hop & fly loose.
There is no reason BTW, Diane, that you could not paint your blue crook a different neutral color, such as brown. That would probably catch your animals unawares.
I would like to get my husband a crook for Christmas. I've got the
Premier 1 catalog and can't decide which would be best - the leg or neck
crook. I had originally planned on the neck but in reading about them
in the catalog, the leg crook sounds like it is more versatile (for
lambs and sheep). My concern is that BB's legs seem so fragile -
couldn't a leg easily get broken w/a leg crook? Any thoughts would be
appreciated.
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