Lamb Count at 17, with two more to go

Cooley

Lambing has been going well so far, with some firsts this year. I'll run down the chronological list and then hopefully add some photos, though it's a challenge to take good photos in a garage, especially when there is 5 inches of fresh snow outside and a howling north wind so you don't want to leave too many doors open.

3/31 J.J.- twins, ram lamb died of possible PEM, ewe lamb is moorit (brown) with white markings, named Avoca

4/4 Pamela-single ram lamb, small, moorit, had to be bottle-fed first two days because Pamela's udder is so horrible, think this is her last lamb.

4/4 Splash, this yearling ewe gave us a large black ram lamb.

4/6 Cocoa, second lambing, Cocoa gave us a moorit with lots of white facial markings, named Cooley.

4/6 Fiona, twins, one ram, one ewe, both moorit. The ewes name is Erin Go Bragh.

4/10 Scar, twin ews, one white, one moorit. Tillamore Dew is the white ewe, Tyrconnel is the moorit ewe.

4/11 Jacobs, twin rams, both black with white head markings. The least flashy lambs she has ever had. One is substantially smaller than the other, but both doing well.

4/12 Darla, her first lambing, while Nate and I were both at work. She had the white ram all dried off and fed when I got home. Kohen was very bummed that his favorite girl's first baby was a ram, we are leaning toward wethering him for a pet for the boys, hence, he received a name: Jameson.

4/12 Emma, first lambing also. Single black ram lamb.

4/15 Poppy, single ram lamb, moorit in color.

4/15 Northwestern, single, huge legged ram lamb, more on this crazy story later.

4/16 Shrek, twins, one moorit ram, one white ewe, the ewe is named Shanahan. I had to seriously assist- as in hands dirty, get in there and help. The ram lamb was coming out nose only (normal presentation is nose with two front hooves. Nate held her head and I was able to hook a finger around each leg and slowly ease it into proper position. Once his position was good she delivered him in two minutes. Scary, but happy that I was able to help.

4/16 Time, single ewe lamb, black with krunet. Had to try and help on this one too. Nose and one hoof. Poor Time was straining and nothing was happening. Being a first time mom, and small, I was not successful in getting the second leg lined up, but had to slowly help Time deliver this huge baby. We did so without much damage to Time, though I don't think she likes me much right now.

So, the lamb stats are as follows:

-18 lambs, 17 alive

-10 rams, 7 ewes.

-4 white, 4 black, 9 moorit lambs, with lots of white head and facial markings.

Northwestern (1/2 Jacobs, 1/4 Shetand, 1/4 Suffolk) just doesn't want to be a mom. She gave birth to a large ram lamb on Friday, while Nate and I were both at work. Kohen helped me move babe and mom to a jug, I knew right away that there was an issue because Northwestern didn't follow her baby like most of our ewes, I had to lead her. The lamb had been licked clean and had nursed, but she still wasn't showing much interest. My suspicions were confirmed when she jumped out of the jug and tried to escape. This happened multiple times over the next 12 hours, even though we increased the height of the jug walls. She would only let the lamb nurse when I held her still. We ended up tying her and have been supplementing him with some saved milk from Pamela as well. The corner might be turned, this morning she was visibly upset and noisy when I took him out to give him a bottle. Hopefully a couple of extra days in the jug will firm up the bonding.

Annafleece and Marie have yet to lamb, and neither looks too close. Cornelia is the only remaining ewe, a yearling, and she does not look to be bred. My hope now is that our weather returns to spring so that this snow melts and everyone can be put back out on pasture. Speaking of pasture- the pigs have done a number on the big pasture with their rooting in the soft mud, They are very happy to be exploring. Well, until the snow came. Lyle was not excited to get up yesterday, wander out of the shelter and encounter all the snow. He looked around, and headed back in to lay down. The girls were a bit more adventurous, Gwennie was running and jumping with the snow.