Friday Lambs

Here is a bad blurry picture of the both of them--at one day old.

Here is the little moorit. Nice crimp on these girls.

Here they are, Rouen's special girls.

Rouen decided to lamb only one day ahead of schedule. Rouen is very dramatic about everything, including lambing, and will start showing signs up to two days early. She will hover off by herself, stake out a spot, look worried, look wary etc. etc. So Friday morning I went off to work, knowing that she wouldn't lamb anytime soon. I was right--it wasn't until 2:00 a.m. on Saturday morning that she finally had her lambs.

She pulled a very similar act as Tab--baa-ing and running around. I locked her in the barn and went back to bed. :-) Sometime in there she had her first lamb---a lovely little moorit ewe. I went ahead and jugged her, since the jug is rather roomy. While I was still there watching the newborn she started laboring again, and presented a huge mass of fluid and baby---it twitched so I knew there was a baby inside. I could not tell position or anything, but she was straining hard. I went and plugged in the barn lights and took off my coat to see if I could see what was going on, and she plopped it out. It was presented in the correct way (head first), but it could have had legs back for all I could tell. It was another ewe and is black. So Locksfield Griffin (black) and Shandrew Rouen(black) presented me with another set of twins. Girls are ahead now! The black girl has a tiny little krunet type marking on the top of her head, but I haven't seen any white on the moorit. They are extremely cute. The black lamb is a duller shade as opposed to Tabitha's bright shiny black girls. Does this mean anything? It seems like I remember something that indicates something. ha... Both Rouen and Tabitha have shaela in their pedigrees.

Rouen is very proud of her little gals.

Thursday Lambs

Here they are--Twin ewe lambs out of Locksfield Griffin & Locksfield Tabitha. The little stinker on the right is the all black one and it took forever to get any kind of picture with her holding still.

The ewe lamb with the funky shading is on the left. You can somewhat see how it goes over and under her eye. You can also see the tiny white splash on her front shoulder area.

The light washed out alot of the brownish markings around her eyes, but here is another shot of her.

Since everybody else was lambing two to three days early, Tabitha decided to do so as well. It was not a quiet event and I got dragged into it whether I wanted to or not! At the 9:30 p.m. barn checks, she was really thinking hard about it, digging straw, looking at her sides and laying down and getting back up.

I decided to give her until around 1:00 a.m. before I checked again. However at 10:30 I heard her calling madly for her baby. I rush out there, expecting to see a lamb on the ground, but all I see is Tabitha running around baa-ing like crazy, being trailed by 3 or 4 yearlings. What the heck? She had me so convinced she had already lambed that I went over every inch of the paddock looking for a lamb! Then I was starting to believe that she had lambed and some predator had snatched it from her. She continued to call and run about and lick at the birth fluid on her back legs. Finally I remembered another ewe who had done this a long time ago--she had just gotten way ahead of the game and thought she had already lambed. So I decided this must be the case. Tab was so caught up in thinking there should already be a lamb, that she had stopped having contractions! I locked Tab in the barn by herself, as the yearlings were all revved up and becoming unruly. Then I forced myself to go back to house and wait at least a half hour. I knew she had finally lambed, when it was all quiet outside! When I got out there she was licking the newborn lamb, and already had a second on the way. Poor little sucker was another one hoof back presentation and again Tab had just become so focused on the newborn that she had quit laboring. I tried to help position it better, but Tab was having nothing to do with that. Finally however she started having contractions and I was able to help her a little. I think with these one hoof back births, unless the lamb is huge, they can usually deliver them on their own. I've seen allot of them do it over the years.

So Locksfield Griffin (black) and Locksfield Tabitha (Moorit) presented me with twin BLACK ewe lambs! They are so messing with my mind this year---black and grey parents having moorits, black and black parents having moorits--black and moorits having blacks... Sorry, I digress. The girls are very lovely--they are a bright shiny black and have the longer fleece type but it has allot of wave and crimp to it. One of the girls has the most interesting 'ghostly' gulmoget or katmoget type markings on her face. Very cute. I'm guessing pheo, and that perhaps she isn't true black but maybe modified? I tried to get pictures, but they aren't good. Any ideas? Malinda, have you seen anything like this on your lambs? She also has a tiny patch of white under her chin. The solid black one didn't want to hold still at all for photos. They were about three days old in these pictures. I'm hoping to get better pictures of all the lambs soon.

Wednesday Lambs

Rain's Ewe Lamb

Rain's Ram Lamb

Rain was showing early signs of lambing when I got home from work on Wednesday. She had secluded herself in 'her' stall (I swear some of these girls are like Salmon---always going to the same spot to deliver), and was digging in the straw and looking at her sides. Finally around 6:30 p.m. she started making some progress. The first lamb had one foot back and I ended up helping her a little. She did not want my help, but it sped things up a bit for her. Rain is not a quiet lamber and makes allot of loud screamy type noises. She has always done this and it is quite unsettling! She popped out the second lamb while I was finishing up chores.

Locksfield Griffin & Locksfield Rain are the proud parents of twins--an ewe and a ram---Ag greys. They both have some splish-splashes of white on them, but not nearly as splashy as Rain usually throws. They are little humdingers though and are cutes as bugs ears. I had a hard time getting any decent photos of them--especially the girl as she will not hold still. Also these are not newborn pictures--they were about three or four days old.

New Lambs!

New lambs are here---but these are not the latest new lambs! Nope those are in the barn, still wet and learning the ropes. But more about them and pictures later!

Earlier this week, twins were born out of Locksfield Griffin (Black Smirslet) & Locksfield Willow (Grey Flecket), my assistance was obviously not wanted or needed, as they were born between barn checks. Willow had a most lovely musket ewe lamb and a handsome little grey ram (with some light flecket markings). Both are a little on the smaller side, but seem to be doing just fine.

This little gal has saucy written all over her! What a cutie.. and whats with those ears???

Testing out their new world.

Here is the little ram--tuckered out from all that borning business.

The little ewe, figuring out the the mechanics of legs.

Shearing went extremely well, only one bad mishap, and Rain's tail is a bit shorter, but all in all, things were smooth, and the weather was fantastic. Looks like some great fleeces too. Pictures and stories up sometime.. once the lamb storm is over! Three very preggie girls looking ready to go any minute. Rain was the one that just had twins---oh and for those keeping count--another ram and ewe! Both Ag grey, no markings that I can see. Pictures hopefully tomorrow.

Lamb count is four ewes---four rams. Two white, two moorit, one musket and three grey. These little boys will make super fiber boys so will be wethered soon. (Sorry Allena!)

Well, back out to the barn to see if everyone is settled in.

All That Glitters...

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

Robert Frost

The other evening after we had experienced 6.5 inches of rain in two days, the water had finally subsided and as I looked out my back door I saw this. The ground was glistening with gold. I had to walk out and see if my eyes were tricking me, but indeed the ground was littered with gold. They were tiny seeds and buds driven from the elm tree during the rain. It was lovely, and magical and not something I'll soon forget. (Click to enlarge--I promise you will enjoy the magic!)

Shearing is tomorrow. Pray for a smooth experience! Light showers are possible tonight, but if I can get everyone under cover it shouldn't matter. Tomorrow will be a brisk 50s but so far no talk of rain. I'm cleaning house now, and have food slow cooking, for my helpers. The sheep will have a shivery couple of days, but I hope everyone will be fine.

That's it for now, back to work!

New Lamb Pictures, But Not New Lambs...

Well, things seem to be somewhat stalled out here and most of the other ewes will lamb after shearing next Saturday. This despite of some seriously sick mind games the ewes have been playing on me. (Have you ever noticed how weird sheep can act when you are watching them closely??) It doesn't surprise me that Hope was one of the first to lamb since that breed tends to cycle earlier, but I must say, I don't know what the deal with Blackberry was!

The two sets of twins have discovered each other and now make up their own little pack. Hope seems to be stuck with four little lambs, since the boys always come over to the girls house to play! ;-) The boys don't hang around their mum much at all, which is surprising. Blackberry herself loves them, but isn't as over protective of them as normal. I think it's because she twinned and they are....boys.... Her other two lambings were single girls, and its always such a shock it seems when there are TWINS after they've singled several times.

The little half Shetland lambs can seldom keep still. They run and twirl and leap, and sometimes get so carried away they fall down. The boys, even being the little rams they are can barely hold their own. I feel a bit sorry for Hope. She is handling it very well, but she is a placid, peaceful soul and these little gals are...not.

It's been a week of baby proofing fences, trimming toes and giving shots. I've still got quite a few sheep to work through, but I think the fences are in good shape now. I even had to fence in a small pond in the upper pasture. Normally its dry and has never had allot of water in it at lambing season. This year its brimming full and could easily trap a little lamb in the mud and muck.

This Saturday is shearing, so lots of prep for that. Trying to come up with a skirting table, and also attempting to get the house cleaned up shiny. If all works out looks like I'll be having lots of help this year. Here is praying for a sunny warmish day!

So here are new pictures of the lambs with comments on fleece color and type.

Above are two pictures of Liberty and Free. I took them for comparison purposes so they aren't that great visually. Liberty in the front on the top picture and on the left in the bottom, has what I would call a more open Shetland type fleece. Whereas Free has a tight curled heavier lanolin type Merino fleece. This is the type of fleece that predominates in the Dorset and Merino cross. Their mother is a 1/2 Dorset/1/2 Merino and the sire is an intermediate Shetland. Regardless, I think both fleeces will be lovely, --tending to keep the superfine, crimpy fleece of the merino while combining it with the softness and length of the Shetland. As an aside to this, both of these lambs tails were banded, since they will be slightly longer than the Shetlands and very woolly.

Free and her mom Hope

Liberty, finally still for a moment

First time out of the jug--come along girls!
(Please don't judge me on the cobbled up chicken fence on the left--it used to be a nice fence, until the sheep wrecked havoc on it---really! ;-)

On to the boys, who don't have names yet. These are moorit Shetland ram lambs from Blackberry Winter and Locksfield Griffin. Blackberry seems to be whisper words of encouragement on their first jaunt out of the jug.

These little fellers are very hard to get photoed! I'm not sure what they thought they were up to here, but they sure doing a good job of pretending to eat hay! Note the boy on the left is allot darker than his twin on the right. Both are brown based, and I've not discovered sugar lips or other signs of Ag greying. Is the difference in them just shades of moorit or what? I've never had one quite so dark.

Another view, you can see the darkness against the more red toned lamb in the back.

Here is the lighter colored twin. So cute!

That's all for now! Any thoughts and comments on fleece type and also the color differences will be appreciated.

Have a great week!

First Lambs of 2008

Blackberry Winter proud momma of two moorit rams. At first glance I thought they were black, but both are actually moorit based. Haven't been able to tell if either has 'sugar-lips' yet. These boys look remarkably alike! I was impressed that two black based Shetland's produced moorit twins. Their sire is Locksfield Griffin. Oh, and only one teensy speck of white on one of them! At 9:30 p.m. Friday I did a final barn check, and nothing seemed to be happening. (Maybe I was in denial a little, since they weren't due til next week!). At 2:45 a.m. I dragged myself up to the barn, and on the way saw a tiny black lamb size shadow reflecting on the wall. Hmmm. Blackberry had them both without any problems and both were almost completely dry.

Hope (Merino/Dorset) who was 'scheduled' (ha ha) to lamb first came in on the heels of Blackberry, with these two lovely little half Shetland ewe lambs. At 3:30 a.m. Hope was demurely laying in a hay pile with her mother and sisters. At 8:30 a.m. she had one very dry fluffy white baby and one very wet shivering baby. I will elaborate on the story later, but there was some confusion, with a certain Grandma sheep (Gracie) who was helping her darling daughter (Hope) out. Then said Grandma obviously decided Hope didn't need two, and she'd just have one of them, thank you very much. All is well. Gracie is sweet, Hope is clueless, babies have two mommies (or will, once they are out of the jug). "Free" the little girl in the doggie sweater was the one who got chilled before getting cleaned up. She and I had some tense moments, as she continued chilling and refusing to eat. She seems fine now, all bouncy and curious. "Liberty" the fluffier white one in the bottom picture is the one coveted by Gracie. Oh, and did I mention it was in the low teens that night? Brrr. Both ewes had the good sense to go into the barn to lamb though. Good job girls!

Sorry for the blurry pictures. Everything looked a bit blurry that day. :-)

Contest Closed!

Does this mean that lambs are here? YES! It surely does. Several days early and all in a pile, but they are here.

And the winner is.... Beau! Since he was the only one to guess that Blackberry Winter would be the first to lamb, he wins the book--Three Bags Full. Although his was the latest date guessed he was the only one to guess the correct ewe to lamb first. However, since Michelle almost got the sequence right, and definitely got the all in one day part right, I'd like to offer her a consolation prize. Michelle if you are interested you can have your choice of 2 ounces or so of the roving of your choice. I believe there is Dorset, and Dorset/Merino as well as some Shetland still available. Email me and we can work it out. Now this leaves Allena who was the first to enter, but I have a feeling that Beau will be sharing the book anyway. ;-) Thanks everyone for playing!

More lambing details coming soon!

Duckie the Sheep Impersonates Cow

Sage at Fourteen....

....Pounds that is! To be more precise slightly over fourteen pounds. At a little over a year and half he is defiantly still a growing boy.

An ornery growing boy.

At times I am sure he is going through another growing spell, because he gets real mean, and he looks real mean. Like a cranky kid that needs a nap real bad. He will be like that for a day or two, then return his normal ornery self.

He is a mixture of ornery and sweet, although he will deny the sweetness. Even when he is being sweet, he has a vacant expression in his eyes--like I'm not here, this is not me purring and enjoying pets. Nope.

He gets very excited when I come home from work. He runs like a maniac from one end of the house to the next. Nothing is safe. Not that he means to destroy things, but when you have fourteen pounds of pure klutz running crazy, well things happen. Things like sliding off the trunk and pulling the curtains down. Or getting up on a shelf and having the whole thing collapse on you, because it wasn't made to hold fourteen pounds of cat. Or managing to push off an entire work table of papers, while you make yourself 'comfortable' in the middle. Things like that. Things that get you yelled at allot.
Most of the time, no matter what I'm doing he has his nosy face stuck in my business. Usually offering a helpful paw or two. At night he flops against my legs with gusto, and takes a long and noisy bath until he finally cleans up all that white and falls asleep, exhausted, no doubt.

In the morning if I don't get up early enough, he walks up and stares at me. If that doesn't work, a little mrrr-chirp question. If I persists in trying to sleep, he will walk across me. (That always gets my attention). If all else fails, a quick run through the house to gain momentum and then one dramatic kamikaze dive onto me.

Over the last year he has settled down so much, thankfully. He still gets into everything he shouldn't, but he is kinder to Meshach at least. He still carries around those stupid little teddy bears, and I find them most often stuck up on the bed. He answers questions when I ask them. (Although I'm not sure what those answers might be!). All in all he has turned into a pretty decent feline citizen, and after all we can't all be know for our gracefulness.

I had just about gotten on his last nerve here as I tried to get a decent picture of him. :-) Can you see the swishy tail. Like I'm so scared.....well, maybe a little.

Putting out Hay for the Sheep

Every two weeks the sheepies need a new big bale of hay put out for them. I make them last two weeks, but sometimes its pretty tough! Usually I have to give about one or two supplemental square bale feedings that last day or so. My goal though is to make each bale last two weeks--this way I still have 8 more weeks of hay left (actually ten, but I have to put out another for the rams next time around). With lambing almost here, I will be feeding allot more square bales, so theoretically the rounds should last slightly longer. Maybe.

About the last 5 days I have to pull hay out from the center of the round bale so the sheep can get to it. These bales this year are baled very tight, and there is usually a two foot diameter core left after I take the ring off the last day or two.

So I thought I'd take some pictures of the 'putting out of the bale'. These bales are about perfect in size for my "Bale Buggy". They've loaded very easily for the most part and aren't so small that they don't last a week or so big we can't tip them over. I bought the buggy several years ago and through trial and error (and different sizes of bales!) my Dad and I have worked up a pretty good system, so it only takes about 20 minutes or so to put one out. I don't have a tractor, so Dad fires up his old Allis Chalmers and we haul the buggy with that. The first year I had the buggy I used my Ranger pickup and it was extremely hard on it, plus I finally got it stuck big time in the barnyard! Supposedly the buggy can be hooked up somehow where you can trigger a switch inside your vehicle to work the brakes to pick up and dump the bale, but we just use blocks of wood instead. Okay, here we go!

Blocks are behind the wheels and tractor is backing up, while the 'claw' rises up in the air.

Bale has been speared and I've moved the blocks around to the front of the wheels, tractor pulls forward now.

The 'claw' pulls the bale up and into the buggy, when the wheels lock on the blocks.

Dad driving the tractor with loaded bale out into the sheep paddock.

Once near where the bale is to be dumped, I stick the blocks behind the wheels to reverse the process.

"Claw" has been pulled out, and now bale is being dumped.

Finally! We were starving! (After the bale is unloaded, we tip it on it's end and remove the wrap, put the wire panel around it and cover with a tarp).

Positioning buggy against the next bale to be loaded in two weeks. Once this is done, we unhitch the tractor and the buggy tongue rests on a stand.

It's always nice to get a new bale put out, knowing that the sheepies will be well fed for another few weeks. Occasionally the weather will throw a wrench into things--like freezing down gates or collapsing trees onto the hay (Ice Storm), but most of the time it works just fine.