A Couple More Weeks

Because I haven't been blogging as much lately, I don't have record of when some important things happened.  I usually blog about breeding dates, and then I can always come back to check to keep record of things.

Today I vaccinated and crutched the ewes (sheared around vulvas and udders) because lambing is coming up soon.  Darla was bred October 8th, so she'll be due around March 2nd.  Bean was bred October 10th, so she'll be due around March 4th.  Barley was bred October 13th, so she'll be due around March 7th.  Dixie was bred early, but didn't settle.  I recently preg tested her again, and she is pregnant.  The ram wasn't wearing his harness that late in the season, but by my best guess, she was bred sometime around December 14th.  That means she won't lamb until around May 9th.

Here are the obligatory udder pictures, so I can have something to compare them to later.

Darla (center) and Dixie (right)

Barley (left) and Darla (right)

Bean

Murphy's Law struck breeding season this year, in a big way.  My intentions were to have the ewes bred at the beginning of September, so the lambs would arrive in mid January.  Mother Nature (or Murphy) had different plans.  The sheep got bred much later than I wanted, and they're all due right around the time of my weekend away.  I'll be going away March 4-6, and that's exactly when the sheep are due. Now, those dates are based on 147 day gestation, and sheep can vary several days on either side of that.  Experienced ewes lamb earlier, in my experience, so I'm holding out hope they lamb before I leave.  David is going to get a crash course in lambing, if not!