Well, Lambing 2019 is behind us! And boy oh boy, are those new babies cute!! They’ve been filling my Insta feed, but I thought I’d share here, too, because new lambs are just too cute not to share EVERYWHERE!!!
First to lamb was Mocha, one of last year’s lambs from Sweet Willow, our matriarch. Mocha had a single ram lamb, who arrived healthy and strong and unaided. We all rolled home the Friday before last and there he was. Hannah named him Spencer and he continues to grow like a bad weed!! He’s a heavy little guy! It’s because he does this all the time and doens’t have to share all that great milk….
Next to lamb was Lily, she was a twin from Sweet Willow during her second year to lamb. { Lily and her twin, Sweetie, both lambed here last year but Sweetie got culled due to her aggresive behaviour towards any lambs but hers. } When I went to do morning barn chores last week, there was one little lamb waiting for me, brand new and I saw tiny feet coming so I ran back to the house to wake up Hannah for the second delivery, but we were too slow, the other twin was already born when we got back to the barn. Both ewe lambs did well off the hop, although the last one was a little smaller than her sister, so I did tube feed her to give her a little boost. Hannah named the first-born Rosie and the little one Mia.
Then we waited for Sweet Willow. Now, I feel like I need apologize to all those I told that I was sure Sweet Willow was going to lamb at any minute. I kept you all waiting, unintentionally, I just can’t read sheep pregancies and labour signs very well. In fact, I think I mention that same issue I had last year HERE and HERE { insert eye roll }
We watched and we waited, we looked for lamby-type signs from her and she gave ALL the signs. And guys, she was as big as house!!! In fact, she was so big, she had a hard time breathing, those babies took up so much room in her frame. I was honestly worried about her. And admittedly worried about how many babies were in that enormous belly. Every day, multiple times a day someone would go out, check on her….and report back that there was nothing happening.
Until there was….last Friday morning, I went to the barn and sure enough, there was a lamb….but he was stuck. I called Dad, because, well, I’m never too old not to need Dad in an emergency and he has years of practice with lambing. I also woke up Michael but not Hannah, I didn’t want her to see this. After some hard work, some tears on my part and lots of pep talks for Sweet Willow, we got the huge ram lamb out, but sadly he didn’t make it. Then Dad reached back in to see if the other twin he felt earlier was still alive. Well, I lost it again when this tiny little lamb shook her little head and started breathing upon her arrival to the outside world. She was just a little rig but boy, what a fighter. Thankfully, oh so thankfully, she made it as did her poor momma. Hannah named her Emma and named her big brother Domino, who we buried in the yard with Twiggy, BB and Cuddles. { These animals are so hard on the heart – we love, we lose and we cry and then we move forward and open up our hearts agian! }
The lambs are all doing very well this year, now that they are all here. They are going out to pasture with their mommas everyday and it’s so fun to watch them run and hop and play together in the grass. Once Emma gets a little bigger, they’ll stay out at night, too, but I’m a big sook and baby them too much, I’m sure. I can just picture Dad reading reading this and thinking to himeself, ‘oh, just chuck them all out on pasture, they’ll be fine’.
It’s amazing how quickly they start doing ‘big’ sheep things like eat grain, or hay or graze like their mommas out on pasture. I could took lamb pictures all day long….think there’s a job of that?? 😉
And just because lambing is such an amazing time of year, you can read some other posts about it HERE and HERE from previous years.
I love watching Hannah and hearing her talk to others about her lambs. She has such a heart for these animals of hers and I’m just thrilled with how well she handles all the ups and downs of it all. She’s a true farmer in her being and it gives her such a sense of place in this crazy world. And even though having sheep means hard work for us, too, I wouldn’t trade these life lessons that are teaching her for anything.
Stay tuned to Instagram for more pictures, they are growing so fast and are just so stinkin’ cute!!!
Colourfully Yours,
Lori
