Monday, April 20, 2009

2009 Lambing (part 2 - Bridget)

We are now on the tail end of lambing. Pun intended. We have one and possibly two Ewes to lamb. We have 20 lambs so far.

It is interesting to watch the different personalities develop. We have Evie -a bottle lamb who loves to play with the Border collies and follows Jen on all her chores. She was rejected by Cybil who only loves Lucy her other twin. Then there is Nike a black ram lamb who was one of the triplets born to Nan. He too loves human company and stands out with his black fleece doted by streaks of white. The crybaby of the group is a white Cheviot born to Daisy. She has a ba on her that could shatter glass! And she has a whole lot to say.



The last two Shetland lambs Anya and Gabe are incredibly small. Little Anya only weighed 4 lbs when she was born. She looks more like a puppy than a lamb. In contrast is Zeus. He is a signle lamb born to Lemara (a BFL). He is 13.5 lbs and has the most interesting fleece-almost a gray saddle over black fleece. Lemara showed us that it is possible for a BFL to have a single rather than multiples!



And the lamb races have begun! Right before dusk seems to be the favorite time... And they are off bouncing, leaping and jumping in clear abandon!

Yesterday after everyone got wormed and their vaccinations the went out into the pasture. Mothers temporarily abandoned their babies for the fresh grass and the day was punctuated by the panicky calls to mothers from confused lambs. Everyone eventually finds their family and when the all gather back in the lambing shed in evening it is a true easter scene

The mothers install their babies between themselves and the wall and the little heads peak over their mothers back as we do the last check of the sheep for the night. It is a peaceful scene that belied the drama from earlier in the day.

One of the non-pregnant ewes went postal and decided she was going to try and steal a baby of her own. She attacked several Ewes who had lambs. Nora was hero of the day as she herded the crazed Ewe back into the lambing shed. Jane has been confined and is awaiting trial for her felonious behavior...it doesn't look good.

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