Lamb pictures

 They are so dark, it is hard to get indoor pictures.

 So, I opened the gate and invited Baabaara to go out.

 One is black and one is charcoal.

 The lambs did not want to go in so some of

the other ewes came in to see them.

That is Betty coming in first.

 Finally, they are out!

But, not far from the barn.

 The yearlings are not liking the new lambs.

 The first way she was trussed up.

She managed to to loosen the harness and

prolapsed her uterus again today.

I took another sheep coat and stitched the 

straps to the sides and then we hooked the 

paddle to the hooks and the end of the straps.

Maybe I can get some pictures tomorrow,

or the next day. Depends how late I work

on Tuesday. And, when the snow starts...

 You'd have thought Patience would have been

the first to lamb. She always has a massive bag.

 Patty Duke.

Prolapse retainer

https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/prolapse-retainer

First lambs, first spinning and first prolapse of 2017

Jerry came home yesterday to a set of twins still soaking wet. He got Baabaara, a white Dorset/Romney/Border Leicester, with her twin black ewe lambs into a pen away from the rest of the crew. The father is Stormy, my black Romney. The littlest  one could not find the nipple, even with help from hubby. So, he milked her twice and fed the little one from the bottle. Come morning she was nursing all by herself. She just needed a little help. I am unable to get good pictures at this time as the lambs are so dark. Hopefully tomorrow.... :)

Today we had our 2 4-H young teens and their mother here for our beginning spinning group. As they borrowed Stormy to breed their 2 Romney ewes we have been teaching about lambing each time we see  them. Today they got to learn about a prolapsed uterus and a harness. We've heard someone groaning for a couple of days, but every time we go in the barn they stop. Today I was able to figure out who, and why, she's been groaning. I can honestly say it is the first time I've ever put a prolapse back in. Usually Jerry does it.  But with my shoulder, I could not hold her, and it went in a  LOT easier than I thought it would. And, the girls got another lesson in sheep.

We got both of the carding machines up and running. Until the 20 year old Duncan Carder decided to break a belt... Now if I can just get them to ship the belts....

Have a good night all.

On lamb watch....

 Just a grey dreary day in Sutton, NH with a loudly

groaning sheep in the barn. Technically, we are not

due to have our first lamb until Monday...But, nature

has its own time table. Generally sheep gestate for 150

days, but we've found those with twins often times only 

go 145 days. So, we have a LOT that could go any minute!!!

 Yes, human. I know you just gave me fresh water!

I'd rather eat the snow, thank you very much!

 Oreo got a fresh jacket last night.

She is as big as a house, poor girl.

 Nea. The ancient llama.

I think she's 23 this year.

 And, Noggen. The ancient alpaca.

I think he is 19 this year.

Stormy to his left and Carl the cow in front.

 Carl coming to check out the camera.

 We've got some girls with some massive udders.

 Candace. One of our original Horned Dorset ewes

from Fruit Cake Farm in Grafton, NH.

She is at least 9. 3 years ago she gave birth to 

fully formed still born twins. She has not gotten

pregnant, nor acted 'right' since then. She doesn't

appear to be sick physically in any way, just off.

 Patience. Polled Dorset/Horned Dorset cross.

She has one of the biggest udders and bellies here.

 Mini Me. Her mother was Heifer.

1/2 Border Leicester, 1/2 Jacob.

Mini is 1/2 Horned Dorset.

 We have the nicest neighbors!!

We could not get out of the drive to get 

to my appointment yesterday morning until

Jerry took ashes out of the wood furnace to make 

a path for my wheels off the ice. When we got 

home we found that Pebbles and Bam had

spread sand over the ice going down the hill.

 Can you see how shiny it is above the sand?
That is what the entire driveway looked like

yesterday. Thank God it doesn't happen often here.

Just once or twice a winter when it rains instead of 

snowing and then the temperatures drop...

Bad news, good news?

Hubby had to put down Christopher our Horned Dorset ram this week. Not really sure what all was going on with him. But, at the end he had pneumonia and was pressing his head against the wall. We are thinking, despite all the sheep getting wormed with Cydectin, that he had either Barber Pole or Meningial worm which lowered his overall resistance. He had been laying around a LOT since fall, and his joints were starting to swell causing him pain. He is no longer in pain, but he will be missed! For some reason unknown to us he loved kids!!

I did not get the full time mail route that I expected to get. So, I will be back to being a sub (for now). But, now that I am not going to be working 6 days a week, I am going to request that the surgeon fix my shoulder. The shot he put in did not help in the least.

At least now I will have time to get the rest of the trim up inside the house, and finish the painting that needs to be done. And, I will be able to get to all of the fleeces and roving in the house and greenhouse! I hope to take the time to get everything photographed and posted on the wool blog to sell.

And, hopefully this spring the big garden will be up and growing. I hope to grow LOTS of tomatoes and peppers for making salsa! As well as the herbs involved. I was hoping to get a high tunnel, but without the job to pay for it....I will have to do some low tunnels.

And, I will finally have time to make soap and lotion! I contacted the farmer's market manager at the market I did for years before the job got in the way. Now I need to wait and see.

Time for dinner. Early to bed. Two more days of work this week and a North Easter's worth of snow to drive in tomorrow... They are calling for at least 6-12" depending on where you are. I think we have the 6" already here at 6 pm and it not supposed to stop for another 6 hours.

Have a great night all.

TTFN.