Baymule’s 2021 Lambing

[Mike CHS]

You aren't making the mistakes that we did. We raised the two bottle lambs separately except for being with Maisy and to this day, Princess is a loner and we haven't figured out if she thinks she is a dog or human or some of each.
She goes with the flock but she is always a bit further away from them than all the others.

Sentry just makes you smile for all of the right reasons.

 

[Baymule]

We do the best we can, making mistakes and taking our lumps and bumps along the way. I am so grateful for this forum and the wonderful people here, that words cannot express my gratitude.

 

[thistlebloom]

Good dog Sentry!

 

[farmerjan]

So glad that Sentry is doing so well, and his health has seemed to plateau to where he can manage what he wants and needs to do. I so hope that Sheba learns from him too. But he is doing what he feels best and what he knows is what you want and respect the most from him. Bless you for doing what you have done for him.... he is paying you back in the best way he knows how....

 

[Baymule]

I have never tagged sheep until last year. I always sent lambs to slaughter or I kept ewes for breeding. I registered for scrapie and got my tags, we took 3 to auction last year. Tagging has never been a big deal. I knew my sheep and recognized the lambs.

Well THAT has changed! I suddenly realized I had a butt load of WHITE lambs. Now what? Tagging the colored ones was easy and I tagged the last 3 births of white lambs. But for the rest..... I squirted blue food coloring on a white lamb when I saw him nursing his mon. Today I tagged the colored lambs, the blue spot lamb and all but 3 of the white lambs. I just waited for them to nurse and grabbed them. Only 3 more to tag. I think from now on, I’ll be tagging lambs when they hit the ground. Duh.

 

[Baymule]

Look at Sheba! Quietly working.

This was so cute! 2 lambs asleep in the wagon where I put hay, and Frimplepants looking up at me.

 

[farmerjan]

That is why @Baymule I used to try to tag all calves as they were being born. It is hard to figure out which black calf goes to which black cow when they have been born within a week of each other.... and it is easier to tag them at less than 24 hours old when I could catch them between my knees and hold them and grab an ear and tag.... then I got to where I could "sit on them" if I could catch them on the ground asleep, and could get them tagged that way. But the last 2 years I just have not been able to do it. DS tries to tag some as he checks them as they are calving.... so that helps although he misses some. Still, it helps to know some of them that are matched..... So now we get them tagged and then I will watch to see what # calf went on what # cow, to match them before they get moved out to summer pasture; so that we get the right pairs moved together.
I can tell some of them, just different "shades of black"... and like you, any that have a little spot of white or are black white faced so I can identify them. But when there are 20 black ones it can be interesting. And catching a 100+ lb calf is a little more strenuous than a lamb..... anything we don't get in the first day or 2 will get done when we run them through the chute before they go out to pasture.

 

[Baymule]

Creep feeder is working. The bigger lambs go in and eat first, then the smaller lambs. I give Tiny and Reject their bottles in there to encourage them to eat the feed. They are in this picture, facing away from the feed pan.

 

[farmerjan]

You're doing something right..... they look right about the size of the others.... that is real good for bottle babies. Dam raised babies always do/look better than bottle babies simply because they get to eat when they want, all they want. So hats off to these 2 looking pretty darn equal to the rest.

 

[Baymule]

You're doing something right..... they look right about the size of the others.... that is real good for bottle babies. Dam raised babies always do/look better than bottle babies simply because they get to eat when they want, all they want. So hats off to these 2 looking pretty darn equal to the rest.

THANK YOU! That is a lovely compliment. The lambs in the picture are the bigger, older by a week or two then the rest. We have enjoyed them, they are so cute. They are also a lot of work, we have more in them in milk money than they are worth, but we weren't about to let them die. They are healthy and growing. Tiny is even catching up to her sisters, she was the runt. Hope she keeps growing!