Loss Happens

Today I decided to let the ewes into the small grass pastures to graze.

Upon returning from opening the fields, I walked through the shelter and discovered something I've never encountered before, a premature lamb, deceased. My guess is that it was stillborn.

I set about identifying the dam, and spotted her without any difficulty as she hadn't passed the placenta.

She was a young ewe, 11 months old. She bred too early and for reasons unknown to me, couldn't sustain the lamb. Perfect but for the obvious need to develop yet a bit more. I think another two weeks might have done it, but such was not to be.

So, one goes out in the morning to do what is expected to be routine chores and never knows will one will find. 

I finally was able to capture both Ebonys' and Cadens' lambs to my satisfaction via digital camera for dummies ( just kidding ) and I am posting now. I hope you enjoy them.

Regards,
Kathryn

All lambs pictured are for sale upon weaning. Please contact me for details.

Ebony and her ewe and ram lambs

Cadens' ram lamb

Cadens/ ram lamb

Cadens' ram lamb



Ebonys' ewe and ram lamb

What's funny about this is that the lambs are two young to begin to eat yet they mimic what mom does in preparation for the coming day when they can. Too cute!

Over due lamb pics

Head,socks, tail pattern with panda eyes.

Caden and her lambs - 3 ram lambs



Amelia making sure its safe to take the new lambs outside.

Yes, sheep can count, and Amelia is, just to make sure they are all there.

The weather is rain once again. Windy too.
Ho Hum.

I am waiting for the flood gates of lambing, and its like sitting on a boiling pot. It never seems to get to the boiling point. All these ewes are holding onto lambs.

Bridgette looks like she could be the next to go. She could have quadruplets in there, its hard to tell with a full fleece.
I have only shorn one ewe so far as the weather keeps bouncing from warm to cold.

Ebony had twin head,socks,tail black lambs and did very well for a first timer. She has a ram and a ewe. Amelia has two rams and a ewe and Caden, three rams. 8 lambs so far, 6 rams 2 ewes. 3 white, 5 black hst.

Interesting so far. I have two greys,  a brown, and three more blacks along with the rest of the white ewes to lamb and I'm curious to see if I'll have spotted lambs this year. That pattern is always fun since it can manifest in so many different ways.

Sorry for the lack of pics, but the lambs simply will not co operate. I'll keep at it though, until I get something presentable.

Regards,
Kathryn

Monday - Can't Trust That Day?

Quick check in here folks, before the day begins to unfold.

Sun lighting up the trees across the road as I type this and figure out how to proceed today.

Looking out on the ewe pasture I see one or two ewes that could lamb today so you can bet I'm not going anywhere and have the oven timer set for regular intervals to remind me to look in on everyone. I hate to miss a lambing if I don't have to. I like to witness so I know who was born first, who was breech, if anyone, who was last, who struggled and who passed the placenta. Not being there means I don't always get that info and it leaves blanks in the lambing history along with unanswered questions.

The youngest lambs of Ebonys' have made it through the night and my goal today is to shear both Ebony and Caden now that I don't need to worry about them being in late gestation.

We'll see how the shoulder holds out as the day progresses. Thankfully it seems to be mending and each day I get more pain free use of it. Last night I actually was able for the first time in weeks, to lie flat to sleep. Thank God.

Okay, I'm off and will keep you posted as the day unfolds.

Regards,
Kathryn

The Joint is Jumpin'

Caden this morning, and her daughter Ebony this afternoon.

In between watching Caden and her lambs, letting Amelia and her lambs out to graze for the first time and figuring out how we will do shopping and chores, we look down into the main shelter and hubby declares, " what the heck? Theres' a lamb down there! ". So closer inspection reveals it is Ebony, a two year old black ewe - daughter of Caden and grand daughter of Amelia.

Sure enough she had a HST ( head,socks,tail ) black ram lamb. New to the experience she was doing fine until our presence caught the attention of the rest of the flock who immediately set upon us in hope of grain, and proceeded to inspect Ebony's lamb, throwing her off her game just a bit.

In no time we had the matter settled. Ebony is currently in her private jug with both a ram and ewe lamb. Both are black HSTs and seem to be doing well. Mom is getting the hang of it.

In the meanwhile Caden is resting and the lambs are cuddled up to each other napping.

And it's only 1:50 p.m. Still plenty of time left for a few more....wish me energy, and easy lambings with no loss and no mishap.

Todays' total so far is 5 - 1 ewe, 4 rams, 1 white 4 HST black.
Total to date - 8

Thank you Lord!

Regards,
Kathryn

Triplets for Caden!!!!

You may know that a painful shoulder injury has left me sidelined these last few weeks, which is why the regular communications have ceased.

Between the pain, fine tuning the medication, and being unable to use my right arm at all, there hasn't been much for me to do but sleep, take meds, sleep and see the Dr.

These last few days have seen improvement in pain and some return of the use of my arm/hand and I've been slowly returning to the world of the living.

With an eye on the ewes for any signs of impending labor, I moved Caden into her new digs, and reoriented Amelia and her lambs to another shelter. Yesterdays' observations of Caden told me to expect lambs, but by nightfall other than some early signs, there was nothing to indicate imminent birth. I suspected she would lamb overnight. Experience has taught me this is more like early morning hours.

I also moved one of the first timers - Elvyra- another of Amelias' daughters, into a jug of her own out of the windy rain, but didn't see sure signs of lambing. This move was more of a case of "better safe than sorry" though I'm sure she will lamb over the next few days.

With dawn's early light, I saw Caden with a white lamb, and donned the clothes/boots/jacket/gloves to go see.

What a girl! I love this ewe!
Three brand new, good sized lambs, more or less dry, on their feet and seemed to be familiar with the location of the teats alluding to having already had that live giving first swig of moms' milk.

One white ewe, one black ewe with panda eyes, and one black ram with panda eyes. So beautiful, all three. Looks like the white ewe was the last because she still seemed to be drying from the birth. All alert, looking fine.

Caden herself seemed to be showing them to me, so proud. A usually stand-offish ewe, she gave kisses and wanted rubs and scratches which she readily got for a job well done.

My brown ram Andy, is now a proven breeder. I'm so pleased with him, Caden and their offspring.

I'm so glad it was only three. Last year she had five. Three is good. :-)

Elvyra is still holding quietly.

The day is rainy, gloomy and raw, my shoulder aches, but Thank You Lord for this abundance of fine,healthy new life.

Pics later!

Regards,
Kathryn

First Names of 2014

I am nursing an injured shoulder, and unfortunately keyboarding seems to be the thing that sends it into a frenzy so I will keep this short.

We have settled on names for Amelias' lambs and they are:

Lamb #1 - ewe lamb - Glynis

Lamb #2 - ram lamb - Glen

Lamb # 3 - ram lamb with dark nose and hooves - Guthrie.

The day is wonderfully mild and sunny, with yesterday being the removal of the lammy jammy from Glen. He had all day to acclimate to being without and despite 29 degrees last night came through with flying colors so it looks as if any intervention on my part from this point forward is unnecessary.

The shoulder is holding me back a bit but tomorrow we will be moving Caden up to her new birthing area, Amelia and the lambs will move into a different area, and we will see about getting Caden a haircut prior to her lambs arriving on Monday. Hopefully she will be the only one lambing but one or two more could join her, we'll have to wait and see.

Regards,
Kathryn

Caden and her 2013 lambs

First Stroll in the Sunshine

This afternoon, the temp rose to about 35, with sunshine and in places it felt warmer. By 4 p.m. most of the snow is gone and we're back to green grass again but the ground is muddy.

I decided to let everyone get some fresh air and Amelia opted to be cautious, first sticking her head out to take it all in.

 

Slowly she called the lambs to join her and they haltingly left the safety of their shelter to be by her side.

All in all ,they had about 20 minutes outside to absorb the sunshine and feel the cold breezes, take in the new sights, sounds and smells, and then return to the comfort of the well bedded shelter.

Despite the lamby jammy on the one little ram lamb, they are all well, vibrant and doing what 48 hour old lambs do. So far, so good.

Regards,

Kathryn

 

 

Almost 48 hours old

Well, the triplets made it through the horriddly wet, cold, windy and snowy night.

As I went out to feed Amelia I had no idea what to expect but they were all alert and moving about.

Later when I went to check again I found a little ram lamb lying all by himself away from the others, shivering so I determined it was time to bring him in for some warming up measures.

Amelia was not happy when I picked him up, let alone as I walked away from her. I would classify her as a fiercely protective dam. She is a good ewe in that regard.

So, I brought little man inside, and attempted to get some lamb replacer in him but alas I am not good at teaching lambs to use the bottle. I get frustrated with the nipples and then fool with making the opening bigger which leads to a too big opening and lambs that get too much too fast.

By far my best solution is a syringe ( minus the needle of course ) as this allows me to insert it easily into the mouth and slowly release the formula. The lamb didn't get huge quantities but I wasn't looking to fill him up, just to get him some energy to go out and nurse from his dam.

Next, I dug out the old sweater stash I have and fitted him with a lamb jammy. Childrens' shrunken wool sweaters work best for this but anything really will do. His fits nicely and I'll post a pic this afternoon - I just don't have enough hands right now to do all I need to do and take pics as well.

No names as yet, but I'm sure by the weekend they will have their official names. That's hubbys' department and he usually comes up with some good ones.

Caden is the next to lamb and will have her lambs by Monday. I'm disgusted with this winter weather we're having but thank God that Amelia had a beautiful day and first night to have hers, and from the forecast, Caden will as well. 

After Caden, it will be a rush of ewes to lamb perhaps even on the same day, then a lull and then another rush.

I love lambs, and lambing but Lord it is exhausting and I'm usually happy to see it ended, though a wee bit sad too.

Then there is always next year. :-)

Regards,
Kathryn

Caden - Amelias' daughter is due on April 21st. I predict triplets.
She is bred to Andy - a brown ram. I don't know what to expect for color so it will be a surprise.


 

20 Hours Later

I checked on the lambs and Amelia off and on all day, and they seemed fine.

The weather forecast was for rain, so I made sure that the shelter was fortified, and around 7 p.m. gave one last check and headed in for the night.

Within a half hour a hellacious downpour complete with high winds hit and wreaked havoc for about 15 minutes. It was the closest thing to a tornado I've seen, and I was glad to see it pass.

I can attest to the fact that here on our little mountain, the weather is turbulent to say the least. I've seen drops in temperatures as much as 50 degrees in 12 hours or less, as well as rises of the same amount, snow, ice, sun, wind,hail, freezing rain, calm,sun and snow again all in a matter of an hour, and then the cycle repeated itself. I would not be the least surprised to see snow in July here one day.

This morning's feed/water/ check-in revealed three wide awake and active lambs, and their dam seemed to be fine as well. Momentarily. I thought about letting them out but the ground is wet and rain is immanent and I didn't want to risk it just yet. They are cozy and dry so I'll leave well enough alone for the time being.

Sadly, tonight the temps will drop to 20 or lower and snow is on the menu. I'm debating lamb coats as the temps won't go about 35 during the day and will stay low for the next three nights before climbing up again.
Currently I'm leaning away from the coats for a variety of reasons but we'll see as the day unfolds .

The next ewe due to lamb is Caden on the 21st. She also looks like triplets this year and I hope to shear her before the blessed event. Demi will be close on her heels, followed by the others in succession over a period of weeks.

As much as I love lambs, lambing can be exhausting.

More pics this evening.

Regards,
Kathryn

First pics of lambs - fresh outa the wrapper ( so to speak )

First One - Ewe Lamb

Second One Still Attached

Thing One and Thing Two

Third one - ram lamb



One baby already tuckered out, two honing in on milkkkkkk. :-)
 

Looks Like Triplets for Amelia!!!!!!!!!

10:59 I stepped out to check on Amelia who was in the shed - clearly and to my surprise, in labor. Three white lambs - two rams and a ewe.

Its now 11: 23 and I'm in to get some supplies and jot this down. Pics to follow after I'm sure everyone is nursing well, and mom is okay.

Yay!!! Lambing season 2014 has commenced at Fossil Creek Farm!!!!

Amelia - Haircut

 Yesterday was gorgeous, up in the 60's.

Everyone enjoyed the sunshine, but were hot with the fleeces on.

I finally couldn't stand watching Amelia anymore and used the hand blades to shear her. She was much more comfortable afterwards.

Lana wanted to be shorn too, but daylight was fading and I only got a small portion done around her neck. I'll try to finish her today.

Problem is...tomorrow night will be rainy and down in the 20's. Not a good temp for sheep with no wool. That is why I used the hand blades vs. the electric shears which would have cut closer and faster.
Amelia will still have enough wool and lanolin to help protect her against wet and cold. And of course they have the little run in shed which is deeply bedded for them to burrow down in.

I expect Amelia to have her lambs on Friday. After removing her fleece, I thought I'd have a better chance at predicting how many lambs, and I always waffle, but I still think triplets.
Could just be twins though. Either way I'll be happy.

More than how many, I'm looking to see if they are colored or white. While I hope for spots, I'm betting on white. Again, we'll see.

With a hefty appetite, and a friend for company, Amelia is doing well, feeling more comfortable and just soaking up the milder weather.

What to do with her fleece??  Oh the possibilities and its the first one of 2014, too!

I hope the weather forecast is wrong about those 20 degree nighttime temps. I really want to shear these sheeple soon.

Regards,
Kathryn

Amelia - Holding

Amelia is enjoying the milder temperatures, her new space and the company of her companion, Lana.

She gets rations twice a day of whole corn/ soy meal / minerals and some choice second cut hay to provide the nutrients both she and the lambs need.

Plenty of water and fresh air are also available and she rests or moves about as she feels inclined.

She is in good health and fine spirits, with a hefty appetite.

Positioned in a small area behind the house it is ideal for me to keep a regular watch for any signs of deviation from the regular behavior. As I go about the chores of housekeeping, weaving, and fiber business, I can look up and quickly get a visual on her. This all but ensures I will know when she is in labor and be present as the lambs are born.

Unless she decides to have them in the middle of the night. Not to jinx myself, but she has had all of her lambs so far, during the daytime, and so hopefully this will be no different.

Can't wait, can't wait!!!   Its like Christmas, birthday, Valentines Day and Anniversary all rolled into one.  Woo Hoo......hope the weather holds :-).

Regards,
Kathryn

Corrigan - The Sire of Amelias' Lambs

 

Treble Cleft - Corrigans' Sire

Lana - Corrigans' Dam
 Corrigan is standing at right.

Amelia was bred last winter to Corrigan.

The ram is an important part of the breeding process in that 50% of the genetics the lambs receive will come from him.



The bloodlines of both Corrigans' dam and sire are very strong and long established lines, known for excellent maternal instincts, prolificacy, docile temperaments, among other traits.

Corrigans' sire carries for color and possibly spotting. His dam has yet to throw anything but white lambs, so I'm guessing she is genetically completely white.

What has me puzzled about Corrigan is a lone dark spot just above his shoulders on his neck. I often forget he has it, considering him to be a white sheep, but that spot says otherwise. Technically, it says he is a piebald ram, meaning spotted.

This is his first breeding and I chose Amelia for a few reasons, the least of which is the hope of bringing out any spotting Corrigan may possess. This could be the difference between whether he stays here a few more years, or is sold this spring.  His personality is very gentle and quiet, affectionate without being over bearing. Coupled with Amelias' similar personality perhaps the lambs from this pair will also have the same personalities.
Corrigan is on the heavier boned side, while Amelia is more refined with lighter bone structure. Personally I like both types, and so the lambs will be pleasing to me with either body type.

Fleece on Corrigan is a nice lock structure, with a staple length of 4 - 5 inches. His fleece is not consistent from head to toe, but has a range of long, wavy locks to finer, crimpier locks and I like that diversity.

Corrigan is a quadruplet, having two sisters and a brother. Amelia was a twin.

Amelia had a Badger Grey dam and a black sire. Her twin brother was Badger Grey. So far, she hasn't given me any Badger Grey lambs, and may not ever.

Corrigan - 2013

Freddie - Amelia's sire ( whom she favors a great deal )



Tipper - Amelias' Dam

Tipper is owned by Sweetland Hill Finnsheep in Chenango Forks, N.Y.


At this time I am beginning to get excited about the pending babies. It won't
be long before they are here, and as usual I have done and re-done the due date
several times. A few days ago I ran the calculations over in my head and in a panic thought
that I had given myself more time, calculating the due date as the 14th. Afraid that the lambs were actually due on the 9th I went into a frenzie of activity, then redid the calculations.
I discovered  that it is exactly the opposite and the lambs are due on the 18th, not the 14th so I have
an extra four days, God willing.  Even at that, its only 7 more days, and I'm praying for stable weather, day time lambing and being able to witness the lambs as they are born. Fingers crossed!

Regards,
Kathryn



 

 

Amelia

Amelia and her first lamb Barrett

Amelia and her twins Cady and Caden

 

 Amelia is taking it easy these days. Getting up mainly to eat, and then returning to her comfy spot to lie down and chew her cud.

I moved her and a companion - Lana - into their new digs for the next few weeks, so that come lambing time Amelia will have ample shelter from wind and rain and a good chance at keeping her lambs warm should I not be there when they arrive.

Amelia is a black Finnsheep, born in March of 2008. Often a black sheep looks brown, but they are indeed black which is very evident once the fleece is removed and you can see past the weathered tips of the wool locks.

Somewhere back in her lineage there was a brown ancestor, but I don't expect that color to manifest through her as it is a recessive gene and only likely to manifest if a brown ewe is bred to a brown ram.

Amelia carries for spotting which is a fun pattern in sheep. I hope for spotted lambs this year from her, but since the sire of the lambs is white, and its unknown if he carries for spotting himself, we'll see when the lambs arrive. White is dominant in sheep, and often over - rides the other colors, and even if the lambs are white it doesn't rule out the possibility that they themselves carry for spotting.

At six years old, Amelia has had 1/2/2/3/4  or a single lamb for her first lambing, twins the second time, triplets the third and quads the fourth.  In six years, she's had 12 lambs which isn't alot for a Finn ewe and an average of 2 lambs per year.

Lana, her companion at the moment, is 8 this year and came to me as a mature ewe having lambed before. She has had 3/4/3/3/2  and I know she had triplets the year prior to my purchasing her. I'm not sure what she had before that, but what I do know is that she's had 18 lambs at least.

At this time I have four daughters and a son from Amelia. All of her daughters will lamb this year, and it will be fun to see what traits get passed on. Amelias' oldest daughter is Caden who has lambed twice with 2/5. That is a good start. Seven lambs in two years is an average of 3.5 lambs per lambing, and that is a decent rate.

Having a Finn ewe that has a singleton is not the norm, though it is possible with first time dams. Most have twins and some have triplets and up for their first lambing.

Trying to predict how many lambs a ewe will have is tricky, but a fun time for me. It is complicated when they are in full wool, rather than shorn. And it depends on whether the lambs will be above average size or below at birth.
Based on how Amelia looks at the moment and knowing that she consistently has large lambs I suspect she will triplet this year unless for some reason she has little lambs.  What is certain is that anything is possible!


Regards,
Kathryn

5 Days - The lambing supplies

Amelia in 2012 with the second lamb of triplets. This one is a piebald ewe lamb, which is still with the flock and due herself in a few weeks.

While the ewes usually have the lambs without any help from me, I have a fairly well - stocked lambing kit.

First and foremost on the list are towels for drying off the lambs. The dam starts licking the newborn right away and while you might not think it, this dries the new baby off fairly quickly. But if she has three or four, she cannot keep up with the demand and here is where I come in. Towelling the lamb off vigorously helps to stimulate as well as dry it, and I feel better about the possibility of hypothermia being prevented.

The umbilical cord is severed as the new lamb hits the ground and the air causes it to begin to dry, but it tends to be a bit unsightly and messy, so I hasten the drying process by spraying Blue Kote on it. The usual procedure is to apply some sort of iodine product, but for me, Blue Kote is easy to carry, easy to handle and aside from not being able to narrow down the spray entirely to the umbilical cord, it works for me and is a staple in the kit. So for a day or two myself and the new lambs sport a little extra blue staining....no biggey.

The lambs, once cleaned get up and start trying to find the teat for that vital first nursing. Like with people, the cholostrom is the key to the early lamb survival. Full of nutrients and fat that help energize and immunize the new lamb, this first nursing is the most frustrating aspect of watching the new lambs. Their direction isn't so good, though their instincts are outstanding, so they wobble around, and get disoriented, often coming close to the life giving teat, but missing by fractions of an inch. Any attempt to guide the lamb usually ends up causing the lamb to have the opposite reaction, which is yet more frustration. For the most part, I go away for a half hour or so while the lambs and dam sort this all out and usually come back to find everyone acclimated and doing just fine. If not, then the consideration of a bottle comes up.

Then there is the passage of the placenta and making sure there aren't anymore lambs. This is fairly obvious, though sometimes you can be fooled. I've spoken with shepherds who have had the same ewe lamb twice over a period of days. First producing twins and several days later twins again. Luckily, things worked out, but basically anything is possible so its' best to be observant.

While I try to be present for every lambing, some of the ewes don't want me around and will have the lambs after I've gone in for the night or in the very wee hours of the morning. This has the effect of disappointing me and relieving me at the same time. Its fun to go out early in the morning and discover newly born lambs, clean, nursing well and being attended by their dam. Its' disappointing because I didn't get to witness first hand as each made their way into the world.  But, I can live with that.

Those ewes who are a bit stand-offish during the rest of the year, seem to understand that I am there to be of help and they relax allowing me to move about and intervene if necessary. In the past I've hoped it would be a life-long bonding moment that would forever change our relationship and the ewe would look at me with new eyes, as a friend. Not so much. They tend to revert after they sense all is well, and then sometimes try to stay between me and the lambs. Often the lambs themselves are friendly and curious though and that is a good character trait in a Finn.

Lambing kit:
Towels - check
Blue Kote - check
Scissors - check
Lamb snare- check
Esophygeal tube - check
Camera - check
Latex Gloves - check
Lubricating oil - check
Bottles - check
Lamb formula - check

Regards,
Kathryn

6 Days Left

Quiet here.

Yesterday was a dreary, cold, day with "wintry mix" type weather. Freezing rain was on the menu. Everything BUT warm and sunny. Sigh.

Mud prevails, and the sheep look awful, wet and bedraggled at this point. I can't wait to shear them as soon as it warms up.

Amelia is spending more time being quiet, which is expected. I will move her into her jug over the weekend. Then I will watch her like a hawk for signs of labor. The weather forecast is for warm and sunny days, and fairly warm - 40 or so - nights. I'll have the lamb coats ready.

Grass is coming up and the girls are practically eating it as it is still pushing through the earth. I understand that though. They cannot wait to taste the succulent shoots. Its been a long winter for everyone.

This will be the year of severe flock reduction. With 20 bred ewes and the potential for 40-60 lambs, I will be interested in selling all of the lambs and 10 of the ewes. I will also be parting with a number of rams as well.

 We are back to the consideration of selling meat from the farm. Still need to work out some details though.

If you are interested in purchasing Finnsheep or freezer lamb, feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer questions.

Regards,
Kathryn

Frankie - Amelias' boy from 2013.  Offered for sale as a yearling.

 

7 Days and Counting - Naming Lambs

Amelia with four lambs.
 

Early on we decided to go with the alphabetical order of naming the lambs, a different letter for each year. This year the letter is "G".

What this does is allow us to quickly recall what year a lamb was born in, according to the letter. "G" means its 2014, and our seventh year of lambing.

Now I excel at a great many things, but naming more than three lambs, is not one of them. I run out of ideas, so this task falls to hubby who is very good at it. He will research the internet and coming up with several options, presents them to me for a vote. I can yea or nay the name, and usually know right away if it is a fit for the lamb in question. Once in awhile I'll have to think on it a bit, then decide.

Hoping to get an early jump on it this year, I've considered some "G" names and typically have come up with my three - George, Giselle and Gaspar. Then of course the popular Gretchen, Gretel, Georgia, Gabby, Gwendolyn, Garth, Gary, Geoffrey. Well, looks like a good start anyway. By the end of lambing season we'll be long out of these names since I think we'll have about 40 or more lambs when its all said and done.

We do also tag the lambs with a number, but calling a cute little lamb # 181 just isnt' the same at all. And they ooze personality which fairly demands identifying them with a moniker that captures that personality. Being a small hobby farm, we can be as hokey as we like and at times I carry it to the max. Naming is one of those times :-).

At any rate, I need three "G" names by next week. Don't know if they will be girl or boy names yet, but I should have at least six - three of each just to be sure. Interestingly, I just noticed that without hesitation I said, " I'll need three "...hmmmmm......intuition?  Could be. Guess you'll have to stay tuned to find out how good I am at predicting how many lambs a ewe will have. I think this year will be triplets for Amelia. Care to bet?

Regards,
Kathryn

8 Days Left

Although it's a matter of weeks now before this picture of summer pasture becomes reality, winter just won't let go yet.

 

So far today we've had drizzle, hail and high winds. Tomorrow the high will be 52 according to the weather forecast.

 

We can hope.

 

In the meanwhile, the girls are all doing well, and enjoying their grain rations with great relish.

 

Evening rations

 

At this time the girls are getting 20 pounds of grain daily.  The only time the sheep get grain is during the last four weeks of gestation and the first four weeks of lactation. I start by feeding a half pound per ewe per day for the first week and increase the amount by a 1/2 lb each week until the ration is 2 pounds a day per ewe. This provides them with the extra nutrition they need, since their ability to take in enough nutrition from hay and grass is compromised due to the space the lambs are taking up.

I like to mix my own rations, for no particular reason aside from enjoying it, and so they get whole corn, whole oats, soybean meal and loose minerals.  Plenty of water, unlimited access to second cut hay and whatever grass they can find at this point.  Healthy lambs start with sound nutrition for the dam, as does ample milk supply and rapid recovery.

My experience has been that once the lambs are born and the dam is nursing them, its as if their resistance to parasites is lowered and I find symptoms of Hoemoncus Contortus, ( Barber Pole ) worm within a short time frame from lambing. Once wormed, that seems to put the problem of parasites to rest and no further treatment is necessary.

Today will be a day for working on getting the lambing jug prepared. Cleaning out, rebedding and moving the two ewes closest to lambing are all on the agenda for the next week. Lambs will be here before we know it!

Regards,
Kathryn

Single digits - 9 days left for Amelia

So much to do and so little time.

With the cool temps prevailing and the ever present possibility of freezing temps and snow, I cannot yet shear the sheep, though both me and them are more than ready.

 

Once this rain has passed I will crutch Amelia and Caden, removing the wool from around their udders allowing for the lambs to have better access and less chance of inadvertently nursing on wool tags. Then as soon as it warms up and stays warm, I'll shear the flock. Until then, I'll shear as needed prior to lambing, one at a time.

 

The best shelter for lambing that we have has been used all winter by our flock of Rouen ducks, so I will ban them from it and set about cleaning it, and re bedding with nice, deep and dry straw for Amelia and the lambs to snuggle down in and stay warm.

 

The general rule for lambing is, as many lambs as the ewe has, she should stay that amount of days in a separate pen, known as a "jug" away from gen pop ( general population ) to allow the lambs and her to bond and acclimate. So, two lambs, two days, three lambs - three days and so on.

Some ewes don't need so much time, knowing perfectly well who their lambs are, and where they are at all times. New, first timers can benefit from the ability to focus solely on their new babies without the dynamic of other sheep.

It's not uncommon for a pregnant ewe to steal a lamb from a new mom, taking over and treating it as her own. No real harm is done but the pregnant ewe has no milk and so isn't a good choice for the lamb. We've had this happen once, and were able to sort things out quickly and without mishap.

 

The grass is already shooting up and tender blades are everywhere if still rather short. By the time Amelia's lambs are ready for general population, it's very likely we'll have some pasture and the rich, lush nutrients so important to the recuperation of the ewe and growth of the lamb will be plentiful.

 

Thank God we have said Good Bye to winter.  As life quickens all around, regeneration and restoration are under way, bringing fertility and abundance of plants, animals and  birds.

We're processing the maple sap now and I expect to hear the peepers and the wood frogs very soon.

Can't wait!

Regards,

Kathryn

Waiting patiently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia - 10 days left to lambing time.

 Today as I walked out to greet the girls, they were all at the hay feeder, but came running when they saw me. Amelia however, had been laying down. The best she could do was get up. She was content to stay put while the others checked out the prospect of food rations.

Yesterday was a pleasant enough day, weather wise. Sunny, but cool enough still to be comfortable working outdoors.

Today is going to rain. Not something I look forward to because of the mud and generally yuckiness of a mess it makes, nor the flooding in the streams and brook, but 'tis the season of April showers and such, so what must be must be.

Amelia has been bred to Corrigan this year, and I am curious to see what we get in terms of colors from her lambs. The last two years she was bred to Panda, a spotted ram, and she produced spotted lambs both times. Corrigan is white but I suspect he carries for spotting, and this breeding is a test to see whether we might get spots from him.

Amelia herself is black. When bred previously to Corrigans' father Clef, she gave white lambs each time. Clef is white, but I don't think he carries the spotting gene, Corrigan on the other hand, has one solitary spot, so that would suggest he does carry the gene. We will see in about 10 days!

Shortly after Amelia has her lambs, her daughter Caden will lamb. Caden gave us five lambs last year. Four white and a black. It doesn't appear to me that either Amelia or Caden will have as many this year. I'm guessing triplets for both. 

Amelia with last years' lambs. Annie is curious and looks on.
 

 

Corrigan

Let's keep fingers crossed that the weather gets warm and stays that way long enough for the new lambs to get acclimated. Makes life soooo much easier :-)

 

Regards,

Kathryn 



 

 



Countdown to Lambs 2014

Spring is here, though still a bit reluctant it seems. That's okay with me, I'm not ready for hot humid weather just yet.

Winter was a bear but we came through it with flying colors. I'm glad to see the back of it at last.

March 31 was a raw day, wet and cold, and felt like an official start to mud season. Goodbye to treacherous walking conditions for both man and beast, Hello to slippery, sticky mud.

Hay stores are low, but the grass is at least visible if not yet standing at attention and seeking the rays of the sun.

April 14 is the due day for our first lambs of 2014. Amelia will be the first ewe to lamb this year.

Amelia with 11 days left before lambing.

Don't you DARE take my picture now!
 

So, each day I will post a picture of her progress until the lambs are finally here.

Last year she gave us four - two rams and two ewes. This year I'm placing my money on triplets. Amelia has large, large lambs and is an excellent, very protective and maternal dam who loves her lambs and keeps them close to her at all times.  She is friendly, curious and extremely attentive, trying to read your expression when you talk to her.  She is calming and a wonderful companion as I sit with her on the warm days, watching and learning about sheep behavior while the lambs finish their preparation for the outside world.

I hope you enjoy this journal of our 2014 lambing season.

Regards,
Kathryn