The ‘Mod Squad’ has adjusted quite well to life in the pasture. Mama Hera sneaks into the barn every morning for her extra helping of grain and seems to be providing plenty of milk for her three little ones. Linc, Pete and Julie enjoy playing with the other lambs but really are never very far from their mama’s side. They make quite the little parade as they make their way through the pasture.
The past few weeks there has been a lot of this going on…
and this…
But, things have quieted down quite a bit now that everyone (mama ewes and little lambs) are more comfortable and much more ‘organized’. The lambs are becoming a little more independent and they no longer answer every mama’s “baaaa”. And the ewes are becoming a little less possessive and no longer answer every little lamb’s “maaaa”. All in all things are a lot quieter and a lot more relaxed in the pasture.
Curly and Miss Lucy… Lucy and Curly… honestly, what can you say about these two. There’s Curly – not the most attractive ewe in the flock, but she sure produces beautiful lambs (even if they are accidental), and she is a most wonderful mother. Then of course, Miss Lucy – already a very strong personality, the first-born ewe of this season, and she really thinks that she pretty much runs things around here. Both guaranteed to put a big smile 🙂 on your face whenever you visit the pasture.
Miss Lucy and Hebe, our first black and silver ewe lamb 613, pre-twinning.
The lovely Athena had a wonderful set of twins last Monday. Our 5-year old Coopworth x Border Leicester ewe had given us 5 lambs the past three years – all rams! So this year we were patiently waiting… and waiting, and finally this first-born, 7 lb white ewe appeared. She was followed shortly thereafter by a really nice silver and black, 8 lb 2 oz ram lamb.
The happy family is shown below, a few days later, with little Mr. 932 making himself right at home in the feeder.
Our little ram lamb, 905, is growing up fast. Born on March 27th, now just 5 weeks old, he is hanging right in there with the big sheep. He has become pretty independent, but still hangs out with his mama at the hay feeder. He is becoming quite stocky, and catching up quickly to his first-time mama, Jill.
Last week was a crazy one. We had lots of rain, a day of sleet and hail, followed by a day of this –
Thank goodness, bluer skies prevailed the rest of the week.
And we spent a lot of time doing this… in the 80+ degree weather that followed.
But, it was all worthwhile because we had a lot of rewards like this –
Meet Flora and Fauna, born to Sweet Pea (Lincoln cross) out of Liam (BL). Born around 5 a.m., Flora weighed 10 lbs 10 ozs and Fauna weighed 10 lbs. This was a cold, rainy morning, and Sweet Pea decided to have them half in, half out the open barn door. We put the little coats on to warm them up a bit after their chilly start.
Slowly, but surely, we are going to catch up with pictures of all the lambs, so stay tuned.
She is our little premie. Born around 8:30 a.m. yesterday, she did not even attempt to get up to nurse. She could not stand nor hold her head up. Even after hours of drying, massaging, etc. her back legs were still like wet noodles. We kept her under a heat lamp. We fed her lamb milk replacer, electrolytes and extra dextrose, calcium, etc. We even took turns sleeping on the floor next to her little box. So, after all this and a couple vitamin B shots…. TA DA!
“Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm” 
Our new Border Leicester ewe, Serenity, resting with her momma, Hope.