What a day… Lambing is in full swing. And as with many things everything is easier if you have a helping hand. Luke’s two hands sometimes just aren’t enough. I am getting involved, sometimes just preparing milk other times more. Today was a ‘more’ day!
This morning we found a lamb, born in the early hours, when out checking at 6am. A seemingly healthy lamb, at least at first. It turned out the ewe had chosen the most exposed spot possible to give birth and the lamb was really cold. Slowly getting more unresponsive despite being moved and penned up we had to intervene and get warming it up.
A little panic but we got there in the end! My hot water bottle and a towel, improvisation!! Whilst Luke was busy with more ewes & general farm work, I was sourcing a Heat lamp. Not easy on a Sunday, most agricultural shops are closed…. Here comes Facebook to the rescue! Who would have thought …. The agricultural community use social media technology … I was somewhat surprised too 😉 !!! Joking aside …. I managed to find a heat lamp and shoot off to pick it up with both boys in tow!
On return to the farm, whilst Luke set up the heat lamp, another ewe had lambed, this time a triple. Another time we were to intervene to get the best possible result for our mothering ewes. We took one of the triplets away from the mother and rubbed the afterbirth of the ewe that lambed earlier all over this new lamb.
The new triplet lamb was made to smell like the ‘adoption’ ewe, the mum of the ‘cold’ lamb.We did this as we were worried the ‘cold’ lamb might not make it so rather than rear a strong triplet lamb ourselves it is better for many reasons if reared by a ewe. The ‘cold’ lamb was still not doing well so we put him in the ‘orphan lamb pen’ still under the heat lamp. Mother and new baby could now bond…
Next Walk the dogs, lunch, and ‘cup’ tea (a must for farmers- I’m learning!) then time for the rugby – a must in this household. Our two year old and 9 month old both having naps so it’s 5 mins peace!!! Ahhhhh
Oh how mistaken I was, popped to the barn (well I went to get milk from daycare caravan, but thought I’d have a peek) and there was another double and a single both just lambed…. Here we go AGAIN!
Luke had to go, whilst he penned up the Double I had to run back in as the baby was awake. I strapped the baby in the the sling on to my back and hurried back outside to help. Thank heavens for my Ergo baby carrier… I love it!
Time for yet another adoption process. This time for the ‘cold’ lamb. For him to have the best chance we wanted to get him on to a ewe. Luke had collected the juices from the after birth of the ewe with a single lamb. I collected the ‘cold’ lamb… Now rather perky & much warmer which was a great sign. I stood by the pen with the lamb and Luke had to get dirty. Putting his hand back inside the ewe he got her to push, fooling her into thinking she was having a second lamb. A few pushes later I passed the lamb to Luke covered in the fresh afterbirth, he then moved it round from her back end to the front with her ‘first’ lamb. Quickly the ewe was up and cleaning it….. Fingers crossed warmth and a mum would help him to continue to improve.
The baby … Rex… On my back didn’t stop gurgling the whole time…. He’ll be a pro in lambing by the time he is One if I have to carry on like this. Since all of this a few more have lambed ….. At this rate we will be finished a lot sooner than expected!
Poor ‘cold’ lamb was not improving as we hoped so this evening he has been brought in to be nursed… After all a ‘farm’house needs a few animals to be reared in it otherwise it is just a ‘house’ surely?!!
Pet lamb any one??
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