Lamb Watch

Well, today was our first official day of lamb watch, and yet again before I have a chance to post, there are babies! There was sweet little furry head out there to greet me this morning when I went to milk Bella. I fed and watered everyone as usual, milked, and went back inside to process the milk and tell the kids.

While I was back out giving Bella's calf, Daisy, her morning bottle, Jules came out and exclaimed that Faith had twins. No, there was only one when I looked. But Jules was sure that she saw two fluffy white heads, and she was right. Faith gave birth to the second little boy while I was giving Daisy her bottle!



We went out together, and Jules helped me to dip the navels in a gentle iodine to help prevent infection called navel ill/ joint ill, which is just nasty and not worth dealing with when it can be prevented with good hygiene. One of the umbilici was too long, so I shortened it a little bit by teasing it off jagged like with my nail before dipping, which is supposed to be better than cutting to prevent bleeding. All went well; though Faith is still very skittish and uncooperative, she let me handle the lambs.



Jules and I went to collect siblings and Sam's lasso to bring them all up to the barn where it's clean and dry. At first, I tried just picking up the little boys, hoping Faith would just follow, but of course that would've been too easy. It took me about 5-6 tries with the lasso before I got her, and she fought me the whole way up to the barn. Sam held the lasso while I push/ dragged Faith, and the girls brought up the rear with the babies. Whew! Next year I'll need to figure out some system for all the births.



Mama and babies are doing well. Faith passed the placenta and has nibbled a bit. Both boys have nursed multiple times, and seem nice and strong, though we'll be keeping a close eye on them for the next few weeks.