Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Babies!

So yesterday was a pretty hectic day! I went to get a round bale before work, then when we got home we unloaded it, which was a chore. A few of David's friends came over, and they helped unload the bale and get it set into place. While they were working, I fed the animals. A few minutes after I fed the sheep hay, I heard Darla in the shelter making some noise. I went and peeked in on her, and saw she was in labor, but I saw a hind hoof. Oops. Darla was supposed to wait to lamb until my Mom got there (she's visiting from NC and was a few hours too late!).

I brought Darla in the barn and tied her to the wall and pulled the lamb. It was a big lamb, and Darla went down (as in, laid down) as soon as I pulled him out. When I first started pulling him, I felt him moving so I knew he was alive, but when I pulled him out he was pretty still. I cleared his mouth and nose and started rubbing him with straw. It took him a few minutes (during which I was pretty worried about him) but finally he breathed. Whew. I left them together and went inside to get the kids' (the human ones) dinner. Thank goodness we had leftovers, so it was easy.


I came back out and saw she was getting ready to have another, so I stayed to make sure everything was ok. I saw 2 big front hooves, so I decided to go ahead and help her. I pulled that lamb, and it was much easier than the first. He was shaking his head and breathing in no time.


So we've got 2 big strapping ram lambs. The one with the lighter face and legs was born first.



Darla is such a good mom, she just stood there while I stripped her teats and put the lambs on to nurse.




I'm a little bummed with no ewe lambs, but maybe next year will be different!

5 comments:

Deb Johnson, Quiltbeeme said...

I was so sorry to have missed them by only hours! But they are so cute and I was surprised how vulnerable they look so soon after birth! They are big boned boys and Katie does such a wonderful job with all her animals! I got to see their umbilical cords being dipped in iodine. It was hard to believe that these walking miniature sheep had just been connected to those life giving cords a short time before! I could faintly hear in the dark sky winds the song Circle of Life from The Lion King. Quite a magical farm Katie has here!! Only the grunts from the piggy and the clamboring of the goat kids broke the magical moment! They want their full pen back from the intruders. I can't wait to spend more time with them this afternoon. If you've never fed a kid a bottle - it's so much fun! Ahh.......the good old days! Love, Momma

Unknown said...

They are adorable! Congrats on a successful birth for Darla! Isn't it amazing how all this gets done AROUND a day job ;) LOL

Becky said...

Wow! Those boys are so tall, aren't they? Darla sure did grow so big babies. I'm glad you were there to help pull the babies so they survived. Maybe next year will be all girls!? :) You've got an amazing farm, Katie. :)

Kim said...

Those are great looking ram lambs! Good job on getting that first one out. I know what you are talking about in the moments after with limp lamb. We just experienced that last week.
Congrats, Katie, even though they are boys!

Jen said...

So Cute... glad they are healthy :)

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