The ewes were due around February 8th and Butterscotch, Loretta, and Greta have been in the lambing jugs since then. I didn't expect any lambs until at least the 10th so we were on Defcon 1 lamb watch (every couple of hours in the daytime). I have been fortunate that my ewes lamb during the day. I read somewhere that if they are fed their grain in the morning they will lamb in the daytime. Works here! Saturday afternoon I could tell Scotch was in labor so I bumped her up to Defcon 2 for the afternoon. Then she quit! We had concert tickets in ANC for Saturday night so I crossed my fingers and told her to wait until Sunday and we went to town. No lambs when we returned.
Sunday morning was beautiful and cold. The warmer (25-30*) temps disappeared and we were back to single digits. Scotch was on Defcon 2 watch (on the hour, every hour) and showing definite signs of labor. We got caught up in some movie and I missed the hour check. I pushed it to the half hour and when I went out to the barn there were two babies, wet but cleaned off and nursing! Briar and I took them in the house for inspection. A boy and a girl, 10 pounds and 11 pounds. I love this momma. She is the oldest and most experienced of my ewes and is a wonderful momma.
Briar and I keep all our ewe lambs as breeding stock since we have a verified scrapie free flock. Our girls are all named according to a theme. The first year we had two ewes. Briar named them for Heart - Ann and Nancy. Next year it was Beatles girls - Lucy, Penny, Rita, and Rigby. This year it will be the Doctor's companions - Pond, Martha, Donna, and Rose (if we have that many). So this one is Pond.
Not much going on with the horses. We have been riding in the arena on Sunday mornings. It has been great to work on stuff that we think about in the summer but don't take the time to do.
We still have 4-6" of snow on the trails and where we haven't plowed. The trails are in really good shape and I know what the footing is like under all that snow. If it would get to above freezing we could go for a trail ride.
I lurk around on lots of blogs and it's good to see that you guys are still hanging in there. Spring will be here soon!
Our oldest hens at the farm were Companions. We had Rose, Martha, and Donna. Doodle threw in a "Mango" completely randomly since we had 4 hens.
ReplyDeleteI am tired. I've been very energetic during the day and wiped out at night. Of course, all the fresh air from our 60+ temps is probably doing it.
Mostly, I'm trying to come up with puppy names since we keep referring to him/her "Baby". I still don't have details as to which, which color or which sex yet. Any name ideas? This one will be the start of our own kennel.
Ahahah, little Amy Pond! I love it. Do the boys find pet/breeding homes or do they go to freezer camp?
ReplyDeleteGlad you're hanging in there!
Funder - the boys go to the 4-H junior Market Livestock program. That's the reason I brought this very expensive flock to Alaska from Oregon. Secondary market is several restaurants in Anchorage. I don't have any problem selling my lambs.
ReplyDeleteOS - Have you picked a kennel name? My kennel name is Pennywise. Not the clown from IT but a takeoff on Spendthrift Farms. I love alliteration so all my dog's registered names are Pennywise and something with a P (Palladin, Panache, Pendleton, Princess, Ptarmigan, Pandemonium, Pride). Call names are whatever they tell me.
I don't have a kennel name just yet. Nothing is coming to mind. At the farm, we'd have used Blackberry Hill. No idea what to use now.
ReplyDeleteSince the dam's call name is Ecko, we talked about Iambe and Iynx (Jinx). Of course, the sire's registered name is Shardsofnarsil, which opens up a whole new realm for registered names.
The kennel name this pup will be under is Vesper, as that's the breeder's kennel name.
Oh, Iambe and Iynx are the names of Echo's two daughters in Greek Mythology. I forgot to include that bit.
ReplyDeleteI like Jinx for a call name. It will work for a dog or a bitch too.
ReplyDeleteLots to think about when you are coming up with a kennel name and registered names. I started out in Memphis with a totally different strategy when my friend stole my kennel name. I like Blackberry Hill but you only get so many letters for a registered name.
This comes to mind - Blackberry Hill's Jinx of Vesper. I would spell it like that so that the BIS announcer will get it right!
Man, now I really want an awesomely nerdy farm name for my goats.
ReplyDeleteFunder - I cheated for the sheep. Rock Ridge Services is the name of my landscaping business and I made the sheep Rock Ridge Suffolks. Look at any of the purebred critter magazines for some names. Or the names of plantations in Natchez. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I needs to see your Sheepies! Ok, I'm jonesing for livestock. It's going to be at least another year before we get any goaties or sheepies, unless I hit the lottery.
ReplyDeleteOooh! Drats! Sorry you're dealing with the creeping crud, too. Nasty stuff. Even worse when you still have to do lamb watch and other duties.
ReplyDeleteWaiting for babies is all consuming. I remembering taking turns sleeping in my neighbor's barn for almost 2 weeks waiting for her foal to be born. Everyone thought we would miss her birth...but we were persistent and kept a close watch on her mare, watching all the signs. And we ended up being able to observe and participate in the foal's birth together in the early am. What a thrill!
What the heck????!!!! I just looked out the window....I've got the window open, by the way because it's 58F outside, sunny and a beautiful day...and guess what???
It's SNOWING!!!!! Just a little flurry...but that's just freaky!
And now it's gone. Freaky weather this year!
~Lisa
Good luck with your lambing! I hope you have some little ones on the ground now.
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