Counting Lambs

[Sheepshape]

This is the 'Year to Top all Years'. After awful cold and snow, we have had incessant rain. I'm hearing stories of folk who have lost lots of ewes as well as lambs. It's raining hard again tonight. I have additional problems with a very ill 92 year old mother who lives 2.5 hours away and other difficult family issues, as well as awaiting surgery myself.

On a positive note it's no longer so cold, I only have one ewe to lamb, and the rest are generally looking OK, especially given the circumstances.

Ewe (Tufty) who is rejecting her lamb is still resisting and is still restrained by day, and all are smelling strongly of menthol. Poor little Becky is eating extremely well and has not sounded anywhere near so distressed today. Her minute lamb was feeding from her whilst she was eating her ewe nuts and biscuits, is a good bottle feeder, and appears to be a born survivor. I'm not sure mum understands what is going on at all (I think she suffered brain damage during her own birth) Joint ill lamb is back inside having suffered a relapse, but is again responding well to treatment.

I think I'll bake a cake and open a few bottles of wine.

 

[Baymule]

I think you need that cake and wine! LOL LOL

Sorry that your mom is having troubles and is so far away. Do you have siblings or other family that is near her? And you are waiting on surgery....I hope you are not suffering and in pain while you wait. And with all this going on you still have to deal with a hard lambing year. Big hugs to you. I'm sending brownies with chocolate chips and pecans in them and a bottle of Texas wine. It's my favorite!

 

[Sheepshape]

I'm sending brownies with chocolate chips and pecans in them and a bottle of Texas wine. It's my favorite!

i'm seeing and tasting this with my mind's eye....it's 6:00a.m...but...why not?! Just about to go down to the lambing shed to start the feeding round, and, you guessed....heavy rain.

Thankfully my brother lives nearby my mother and is dealing with trying to find a suitable home. I just feel I should be there to help him.

My pain is under control, thank goodness, and I will be otherwise fighting fit by the time my surgery date comes. Over here in Wales that can be a heck of a long time!

I'll take some lamb pics. later....at least they look good.

 

[Sheepshape]

So, I've decided enough is enough for the ewe who has been harnessed for 6 days and still won't accept one of her lambs. She is now mine and the ewe is out with the son she recognises as hers.

I have taken the tiny scrap of a ewe lamb off Becky, too. Becky was known to be visually impaired, and my hunch that she was also brain damaged (probably starved of oxygen at her unwitnessed birth) seems to heave been borne out. Becky never even acknowledged the lamb and was very distresses by its attempts at feeding. I led Becky back to the 'dry ewes' field.....she followed close on my heels, with never a look back to the sheep shed.

The two 'abandoned babies' bleated furiously to start with. I tried them in the lamb pen.....they were bullied there....so I placed them in an empty 'lambing pen'. Half an hour later they were curled up fast asleep like siblings. they haven't cried for their mothers since.

Whilst collecting silage I heard the unmistakable sound of a ewe in labour from the 'dry ewe' field. There was another very slim-looking ewe lamb, Lisa, clearly pushing. A little help and she delivered a huge ram lamb....swollen face, purple tongue, meconium stained, but very much alive. She licked him off and followed me up to the lambing shed. It seems that the neighbour's ram had also paid her a visit. I'm hopeful that this birth will be AOK. (Arielle died, Becky didn't realise what had happened.....so, hopefully third time lucky).

I'm finding out my camera.

 

[Sheepshape]

Here's a couple of pics.

Primary lamb pen

Lisa with her lamb.....she didn't bother to clean him up too much!

 

[Wehner Homestead]

I’ll like the pics. Wow! You’ve been through the ringer. things become less eventful and more settled!

 

[Baymule]

Neighbor's ram gets around doesn't he? Maybe the neighbor should be paying lamb support? Contributing milk? Taking those late night feedings?

 

[Sheepshape]

Neighbor's ram gets around doesn't he

He certainly does....I'm thinking of taking him to court for child support.

 

[luvmypets]

He certainly does....I'm thinking of taking him to court for child support.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

I’d seriously consider financial losses. You’ve lost one ewe, added several bottle babies that need supported, and a questionable ewe that you didn’t intend to expose was also taken advantage of...