2/9/21

Fyrne looking miserable.

Dead lamb found in Fyrne's placenta

Eli is holding both lambs.  The older boys didn't want to hold the still damp lambs. 

 While feeding the ewes this morning we found a new mom (Lela) had lambed twins.  Both white lambs were dead.  Such a disappointment!  I took the boys to school and came home to check on the ewes again. Fyrne was in a corner and I noticed she was pawing and smelling her side.  I knew she was going to lamb today so I called Jared to let him know.  He had meetings until noon. I worked on getting the stalls all ready with straw.  Then I sat in the barn and watched Fyrne and waited. It was really cold out today.  I went inside and threw a few mugs before going back out to check on her.  Jared came home and held Fyrne while I checked her.  I could feel only a head but her cervix wasn't completely dilated.  Jared had another meeting at 1:00 that lasted almost an hour.  I threw mugs and continued going out to check on Fyrne.  When Jared was done with his meeting he came out and held Fyrne while I checked her again.   This lamb was coming head first so I repositioned it to feet first.  We gave Fyrne some time to push again and now she was making progress.  When we saw the lamb I helped her deliver it.  Its elbows were stuck and she was tired.  It wasn't long before another lamb was coming.  This lamb was coming with one leg back.  I put a snare cord on its head and leg and then pushed it back (against contractions) so I could have enough room to find the other leg.  After getting it in the correct position I helped her deliver this lamb.  Both lambs are boys weighing 11.6# and 10.3#.  When Fyrne delivered her placenta we noticed a third underdeveloped lamb that was stillborn.  I cleaned things up and got Fyrne some warm molasses water while Jared headed to school to get the boys.  I was helping the lambs with standing when I got a call from Jared saying that the van had broke down at the school.  The antifreeze had leaked out all over under the hood.  I drove to the school and we crammed in the car and headed home.  Jared went to town to get some antifreeze.  We went back to the van and Jared used electrical tape to patch the leak and then filled the antifreeze.  We headed to the auto shop and prayed the van would make it there.  It did and the mechanics cheered when Jared pulled it into the bay.  He had called them and told them what he was going to try.  The van will be fixed tomorrow.  Eli was very excited to see the new lambs.  The other boys went out before bed to see them.  The lambs and Fyrne are doing really well.  One lamb kept pushing on my leg for milk.