Monday, January 16, 2017

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

Sunday, January 15, 2017

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.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

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...

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