Jerry was on vacation last week

So, no blogging got done... )o:
But, we did have a good week. We started out on February 28th with a lambing clinic at Wellscroft Farm. http://www.wellscroft.com/ The first two pictures show an interesting (to me) hay and grain feeder, and a mineral/salt feeder. David had about 150 black and 10 white lambs at this point.


There were about 85 of us who went to the school first to get the slide show and lecture. This is the 2nd clinic I've gone to, and Jerry's 3rd, in the 15+ years we've been raising sheep.
Here David is showing how a lamb should present when being born, and one of many possible malpresentations.

In the following pictures, he is demonstrating tubing a lamb. Something we've only done once.

And then he is showing the different types of nipples.

Lambs love the Pritchard teat ( http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=32&cat_id=12 ) as they don't have to work so hard to nurse from it. They don't like the black stiff nipple ( http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&mscssid=AAK9FGBGE50F9N9ARFCPJ21WBR177G76&pf_id=11652&area=sheep ) because they need to work for the milk.

We have a lamb that we are supplement feeding. He would not use the black nipple as he did not have the strenght to suck from it. So, we have him set up with the Pritchard teat. But, we are not feeding him. He feeds himself from the bottle held in place by an adjustable bottle holder that my husband built back when we had triplet bottle babies.

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And then Sunday, we went to a Sugar River Spinner's meeting. Since our group has grown enough to warrant a bigger meeting spot, we are using the local Methodist Church.

My husband and Tom Connary are spinning together here at the meeting. I thought it was interesting that one spins left handed and the other spins right handed. The men spin the way their wives do. (o; Guess who taught them.

I thought Pat's lacey fingerless gloves were interesting.

Now, I did not get my camera out in time to get photos of everyone present before people started to leave. It was watching Jerry and Tom spin that caused me to bring out my camera.

He was on vacation 9 days and not a lamb was born until Sunday the 8th at 12:30 AM. Susan, a Dorset/Romney X Shetland, had a ewe and a ram. Again she had a 10# and a 13#. This time she did in on her own. But the 13# is yellow/orange, so she must have had a tough time of it. I will take pictures later today, before we put on ear tags and band the tails. If I can get rid of some of my adults, I can keep the ewe. When you see her, you will understand why I want her.

TTFN. Off to enjoy the snow fall.

Just like home!

Skirting has started!

http://eweifarmfleece.blogspot.com/

What a week!!

We started lambing February 13th with twins born at 3 pm. Valentine's Day morning, a single at 12:53 am. February 17th was busy with twins at 1:30 am, singles at 4:30 am, 9 am, 3 pm and 8 pm.
Wednesday was a gorgeous warmish day, so Jerry took advantage and cleaned the barn. At not a lamb was born. Isn't this Murphy's law? He has the day off and it is a nice day...
The next day, the 19th, we start in again...2 singles to 2 moms starting at 5:30 am. And then it gets quiet for a few days. These are all Cornelius' babies by the way.

Stormy sleeping with his half brother, Curtis. Julius is old and cold, and John is staying out of the way. A random lamb that let me pick it up and snap its picture. Sorry about the blur. See that pink Dorset nose?

Victoria (polled Dorset) and Candace (Horned Dorset). The last two to deliver on the 17th.

Jerry cleaning the barn.

Lambs hiding form the flock.

The ewes were in the center aisle and overflowing into the rams pens while Jerry cleaned.

The manure pile grows.
The ewes and their lambs are let out after the barn is cleaned. This is the first day that they are allowed out after lambing.

Jerry is patting Moose. Poor thing is huge and uncomfortable. (She delivered 5 days later.)
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John's babies are finally arriving. He and Cornelius were put in with their girls the same day.

Shauna has a single 10# ram lamb, Monday the 23 at 4 am.

And Moose has a 10# white ram and a 14# black ram at 10:30 pm, Monday.

Jerry says that the white one is not the smartest tool in the shed. He cries a lot. But, his mouth is warm and his belly is full. He sleeps oddly.

Cornelius still has 6 left to 'pop'. 4 we know are pregnant. The other 2 have until the 17th of March to deliver.

John has 4 more of his to deliver. We know that 2, possibly 3 are pregnant. The other has until the 7th to deliver from him and the 17th to deliver by Cornelius.

So we are at 4 ewes and 10 rams, 3 sets of twins, 3 black and 11 white. And all of our ewes look great!

Off to enjoy the sunshine!! Have a great day all!

And I leave you with the lambs in the creep.

Also, Heifer with one of her twins think that it is a great thing to stand on mom. It is a good thing we coat our sheep. (o;

And then there were 7..........

Heifer-Dorset X BL/Jacob. 2 ewes born at 1:30 this morning.

Keira-Dorset/Romney. Her first lamb, a ram, born at 4:30 this morning.

These two are half sisters.

Rachael-Horned Dorset. Her second lambing, one ram at 9 am this morning.

A three pack lambing jug. I hope they slow down for another day or two. I can only fit one more ewe and lamb(s) and I only have one more light.

Sarah and Valentine. Ruth and Friday (Robinson Crusoe's 'friend) and 13. Anyone watch House?

Valentine, born Valentine's day and Friday and 13 born Friday the 13th. (o;

13 more ewes to go........

Lambing has started

Ruth-Registered Horned Dorset. Gave birth Friday the 13th of February to 2 10# lambs. One ewe and one ram.

Sarah gave birth Valentine's Day (at 12:53 am-thank you very much) to a 7# ewe. Much better than two 3# lambs. (She is Butterfly's mom)

What's happening? It is only 1 am!

The lambing jugs.

Shearing has started!!

Go to the fleece blog for details.

http://eweifarmfleece.blogspot.com/

Too funny and too true!!

This was sent to me in an email. Click on it to enlarge! Feels like home.