Thursday, June 12, 2008

Eight Is Enough

The Lambing Season is done for the year at Wilamar Farm. Remember yesterday I noticed Jamie's udder was filling a little? And I said who knows, it may still be a couple of weeks?

It's a good thing I'm not a professional shepherdess. I was wrong again!

This morning her udder looked just a little more full than it did last night, but she still joined the other ewes for breakfast. The sheep were making a bunch of noise this afternoon so I went out to check just before I left with Gus to make our first visit of the day. Jamie was in the barn with Baby's babies!

I thought that was a little odd, so I put all the sheep but Jamie in the front half of the sheep pen and closed it off. Then I caught Ellen and Portia and returned them to their mother. I left the stall door open so Jamie had the barn and other half of the pen to herself. Then I left with Gus to make our visit.

When Gus and I got back I strolled out to the sheep pen. The first thing I saw was Jamie standing in a corner with some afterbirth dangling. Then I saw the little ones.
I scooted everyone into the stall and checked them over. Two more girls!
I remembered to iodine the navels this time. I still had another visit with Gus so I had to be careful not to get all dirty.
If all goes according to the plan in my head, then next year instead of eight lambs we'll have ten.

The next baby should be the cow in November. But then again, maybe it will be in December. Or October...

Final Lamb Count: 3 boys; 5 girls

1 comment:

tina f. said...

Jenn, I use Perry, my Dorper ram. The way things have been so far it seems like the first timers (3of4 and Francine this year) have singles and after that they have twins. I try to leave him together with the ewes (five total ewes) for about three cycles (approx 17 days ea.) After that he seems to get mean with them (maybe because they've been bred and don't want to breeed with him anymore?).