Lambs, lambs, lambs

Wednesday Bob finally received the last piece of equipment needed to get the webcam going. He needed an antenna to mount in the barn so the signal could reach the house network. So Thursday morning I went off to work knowing that I could finally keep an eye on the ewes in the barn. It is wonderful! Wow, what a worthy investment and it cost less then the price of a nice Tunis sheep.

About 11 a.m. I noticed my sweet ewe, Quby was going into labor. So I asked my boss if I could take an early lunch and headed home. We live 30 minutes away, but I came into the barn right after her water broke. It took a bit of pushing but she delivered a ram lamb that unfortunately had a birth defect - a very under-developed lower jaw. He didn't live but a few minutes. Luckily she had another little boy a few minutes later and while she was cleaning him up I removed the poor dead guy. Here is a photo of her and the second born.

After I knew he was okay and up and nursing I went back in to work.

Bob gets off work earlier than I do so he was able to get home to check on them. Other than being an over enthusiastic mom, demanding that the poor guy get up to eat more often than he wanted to, Quby and son are doing fine.

Thursday afternoon I received a call from my sweet friend Ruthie, who sold me the first five Tunis ewes back in 2007. She had decided to sell out of sheep for a while and had two elderly ewes she thought she would just keep in retirement on her farm. But Tunis are long lived and great mothers so obviously Fleur didn't realize she was in retirement. She was once again pregnant. Now Fleur is Lily one of my favorite ewe's mother. So when Ruthie asked me if I would like to have her I quickly agreed. But Ruthie warned me she was due any day. I told her I would let her know when I could come.

Quby's daughter, Dot waited until 11 p.m. that night to go into labor. With a little help (it was her first lamb) she delivered a chunky little boy. Here she is cleaning him up. She learned quickly how to be a good mom.

Friday morning came early, but I called Ruthie and asked if I could come. Bob had hooked up the trailer for me so I took my first trip by myself pulling the trailer. It wasn't too bad, I just hoped I wouldn't have to back it. Luckily, Paul, Ruthie's husband was there when I arrived so he turned the truck and trailer around for me. When we loaded Fleur, Ruthie's other old girl, Dink bawled terribly so I offered to take her too. Poor old Dink is 15 years old and has arthritis, but I hope we can keep her comfortable for a few years more.

We put the girls together and bedded down the pen well since it appeared it wouldn't be a long wait for Fleur's lamb. At 1 a.m. this morning I checked the monitor and she appeared to be pushing. So about 1:45 she delivered a darling little ewe lamb! What a blessing, thank you God and Ruthie.

So that catches me up on the blog for the last three lambings. We have at least four maybe five more to go. Hmmm, I think I will go take a nap. ;-)