2/15/21

Frannie and her lamb

Eli grew a lot since his last measurement.  

Emerald and her lamb

Blanch and her twin girls

Frannie and her lamb

 I stopped at the post office after taking the boys to school but it was closed for Presidents day.  The roads were a little slick.  I went right to the barn to check on the sheep.  I noticed Frannie was standing with her head facing the corner so I decided to stay and watch her for a little while.  She started pawing and was head butting some other sheep.  I called Jared to tell him that she was going to lamb.  He had a busy day at work with meetings so I told him he didn't need to come home.  It was 7 degrees outside at this time and was cold.  We usually only need 4 stalls but all those stalls were taken so I cleaned out the the stall that we store straw and other things in.  It was a mess and I was warm while cleaning it.  Had to take off my hat.  Got the stall bedded with straw.  Frannie was up and down and pushing hard.  It was now around 10:00 so I caught her and checked her.  She was tight and I couldn't feel a lamb yet.  I decided to go inside and warm up.  I got some more layers on.  After about 20 minutes I went back out and she was pushing hard and I could see the lamb coming in a normal position.  Soon she lambed a large boy weighing 15.3 lbs.  I dried his face and stuck a piece of straw up his nose to make him sneeze.  The mom ran away so once I knew he was breathing I backed off and sat on a bucket by the heat lamb.  I had also brought out the heating pad to sit on.  She licked him for a while and then I towel dried him.  Now she was ok with me being close.  I clipped and dipped his umbilical with iodine.  Then I dragged him by his back legs to the stall with Frannie's nose right by his head.  In the stall I stripped her and then milked her so I could tube feed him some colostrum.  Frannie stood nicely while I milked her.  I helped this long legged lamb stand and he was feisty.  He was ready to take off though his legs weren't ready.  He is so cute!  They were doing well so I went inside and got her some warm water with molasses.  I also gave her some hay.  Inside I took a shower and then sat under the electric blanket.  I had about an hour before I had to go get the boys so I threw some mugs.  When I got home from picking up the boys I went out to the barn to grain the sheep.  I also took hay and water to all the mom's in the stall and the ram too.  Jacob had a presentation to work on and Eli practiced his instrument.  Adam was watching a video to study for a test and Wyatt kept pulling his earbuds out as he pawed at him.  I helped Adam study and then I worked on laundry.  Jared surprised me with a capuccino from Tim Horton's.  He had stopped at Jack's to pick up lunchmeat and sandwich cheese.  The boys played minecraft and Jared and I played 3-13.  I won.  This evening we had popcorn pop and ice cream since we had missed it last night.  We watched Heartland.