4-1-12

New lambs born

Kenzie got up with me every 2 hrs to check on the sheep. None of the ewes lambed during the night. Gladys seems to be doing a little better and is back eating and drinking. The boys had fun teasing us with April fools. They thought it was so funny when Daddy got me by saying, "Whats a lamb doing out in the paddock?" After church we stopped at meijer for a few groceries. After lunch Nik and Megan came over to visit. We made rice crispie treats. I tucked Eli in for a nap. When I looked out in the paddock I noticed a sheep that was in labor and pushing. We sent the neighbor kids home. Adam and Jacob went up to play on the sandhill. We sat in the barn and watched to ewe. She walked around and was having contractions. Then she would lay down and push. After over an hour she just lay down and stopped pushing. We caught her and I checked her. She had four legs in the birth canal coming out together. Two were hind feet and the other two were front feet. I held the sheep and let Kenzie and Jared do an exam also so they could see how it was. Then I pushed the feet first lamb back a little while I delivered the other lamb, hind feet first. It took a little to get this one breathing good. Once it was we put it by the mom's head. Then I felt for the position of the second lamb. This lambs feet were forward but its head was turned back. I brought each leg out and put a snare cord on them. Then I pushed the lamb back so I could reposition the head. This is supposed to be the most difficult malpresentation but wasn't too bad. This lamb was on it feet rather quickly. The first one we pulled out was a boy (10lbs 4oz) and the second was a girl (9lbs 2oz). The boys was having a hard time standing so Kenzie helped him. The girl was trying to nurse but the boys wasn't. I gave him a tube feeding. Later the boy was doing good but the girls mouth felt cold. I took her temperature and it was 99.7. I gave her a tube feeding and her temperture soon was back in the normal range. I gave them both another tube feeding before bed.