Apr
2009
We’re lamb foster parents
April 11th, 2009 at 07:30 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherWe got a call from our neighbor this morning. They’re overwhelmed with grand-kids and lambs, including four “bummers”. The plea came in early… could you come get this lamb like five minutes ago?
It took us a few hours to get ourselves ready. After all, we awoke to snow/rain, better than a quarter-inch. Feeding was a bit of an adventure. The chickens were the smartest of all. They stayed in their coop.
The cows were a soaking wet mess, even though they had a very good shelter. Some of the ewes had gone into their shelter and others (including the ram) were soaking wet. The horses were taking turns rolling in a pile of wet sand.
Back to the little lamb. She has been totally traumatized by the grand-kids. It appears she has some vision issues and doesn’t suck well. It’s a real chore to get a couple ounces of milk replacement down her. Fortunately, she’s old enough to nibble on hay and seems to drink water.
In the middle of a hail storm, we moved the lamb jug from the lamb pen to our little “patio” in front of the garage, and right outside our back door.
Bev attempted to be first one into the pen to help take the jug apart, but the ram, “Tom”, found her way to interesting for any of us to be comfortable. She quickly scrambled back over the feeder and we waited for Cindy.
Cindy went over the fence while Bev entertained Tom through the safety of the fence, until Cindy started dismantling the jug… Then Tom got way curious. A flake of hay solved the issue.
We hauled all the pieces to the patio while the lamb went exploring. Within a few minutes the lamb was safely inside the jug with a floor of straw, a flake of hay, and a water pan.
We feed every four hours with the exception of through the night. Oh, speaking of feed… it’s bottle time now.
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Mar
2009
We think that ram was a dud… and here’s why
March 30th, 2009 at 06:59 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, SheepAfter very careful thought, and looking back at a lot of clues… we think the ram was a dud. Not a dude… a dud. Further, if the guy who supposedly went to a breeder and bought that ram gets the same results we’re getting… he’s gonna be on unhappy sheep rancher.
read more clues
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Mar
2009
Would you believe we’re still waiting?
March 23rd, 2009 at 07:46 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Sheep, WeatherLast week we had spring. This weekend, we had winter again with better than 40mph winds, sleet and a couple inches of snow.
There’s an old wives tale that says a dramatic change in the weather will bring on labor.
Someone forgot to tell our sheep… we’re still waiting.
This morning, Cindy and I took time to really closely observe our gals. We can see the little lambs moving and a couple of the mamas are looking pretty uncomfortable.
I guess we’d better hurry out in the morning when we first get up. I don’t really expect anything overnight.
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Mar
2009
March Madness… waiting for lambs
March 19th, 2009 at 07:58 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, SheepWe’re having our own “March Madness”. We’re still waiting on lambs.
I’m thinking the ram we go was kind of tired, having just serviced 20 ewes at the neighbor’s farm. We had put a marking harness on him, and I diligently recorded his “mounts”… but I think he was fooling around rather than getting the job done.
Don’t get me wrong… our ewes are very pregnant, as he did mark each of them a second time later in the month.
It just throws our calendar off, and now we have to watch very carefully. Judging by the looks of there wooly mid-sections, the first four gals still have at least another 4 to 7 days. Those are the oldest ewes and you can definitely see they are pregnant and probably carrying twins, or triplets.
The three “springers” may be pregnant, but it’s hard to tell. They were the last to be marked so are still at least two weeks away from their due date.
Our neighbors, Clyde and Amber, have 23 lambs on the ground with two being bottle babies (bummers) and tended by their granddaughter.
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Mar
2009
Spring has sprung around the neighborhood
March 16th, 2009 at 11:49 am by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Sheep, WeatherThe critters are all coming out of their winter digs, and are on the prowl for prey. This past week we observed a huge male coyote digging in what was most likely a rabbit warren, looking for food. You can’t imagine how surprised we were to see him, less than 100 yards from our front door in broad daylight.
Wyly Coyote digging in a critter hole
Good news for wily coyote, Cindy feels he’s too far away, pointed in the wrong direction, and also about 400 yards away are people in a horse pen working their horses. So, she “shot” him with the camera!
Long-eared Owl sitting in a tree.
Cindy (on the left) and Bev, feeding the neighbor's bummer lambs.
We’re still waiting for our girls to start birthing. From the looks of them, it will be another couple days at least.
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Mar
2009
Barnyard cuteness! Lambs, ewes and horses
March 8th, 2009 at 04:24 pm by Shari Thomas in Horses, SheepAs promised yesterday, here are some pics from our neighbors lamb pen.
We were over there today a couple times. The second time we were there, another ewe gave birth to one very big lamb.
One little lamb has been rejected by it’s mother, which is just fine with the neighbor’s granddaughter, who is now the surrogate mama. Of course that means feeding every 2 to 4 hours around the clock.
One of the very pregnant ewes
Nothing like a swift lick to the butt!
My name is Bandit! My mama is a Jacob sheep.
You're one strange looking friend!
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Mar
2009
The joys of lambing season!
March 7th, 2009 at 09:33 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Sheep, WeatherThis afternoon, the wind let up, the sun came out, the dusting of snow melted, so we headed to the neighbor’s to check out their lamb crop.
So far, six of their 20 remaining ewes have given birth.
There are white lambs, black lambs, spotted lambs, mottled looking lambs, and black and white lambs.
All of these are less than a week old, and some of them are only a few hours old.
Tomorrow, after I download a decent image gallery, I’ll upload some really cute pictures. Next week it’s our turn as our first ewe’s are due any time now. The first expected date is Friday the 13th, but like humans… nature has her way over our calendars.
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Mar
2009
We’re unofficially on “lamb watch”
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:11 am by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Sheep, WeatherThe neighbor’s first ewe is due today. She’s been experiencing “water belly” so has been on the sheep version of “bed rest” for the past three weeks.
Clyde and Amber were able to rig up a sling and move her from the pen to the shed and nice comfy straw bed. She’s been eating and drinking just fine… but can’t get up as her mid-section is just too heavy.
Most of the rest of their sheep are due within the next 10 days and our girls follow them.
What does lamb watch mean? read the full story
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Feb
2009
Oregon day on the desert
February 23rd, 2009 at 03:15 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherWow, thought I’d been mysteriously transported back to Oregon. I woke up to a dark, dreary, soggy day on the desert. But I gotta tell you… the air smelled so-o-o-o-o fresh!
As Cindy and I donned our muck boots, hats and coats, went off to feed, it just looked and felt so much like Oregon, where I was raised and lived for over 50 years.
Our livestock aren’t too sure about this rain. The cows are soaking wet, but not minding it. They seem like they’re really getting tired of their mushy pen, though. I try real hard to feed them on the little mound we built.
The sheep have so much wool, they’re clueless. The big thing with them is their last month of pregnancy. I was telling Cindy “lamb watch” begins in about a week.
At first, we’ll be watching for “bagging up”. Some of the older gals should bag up pretty well. The young gals may or may not do the same. Our records indicate the first ewe is due mid-March. Of course, last year, no one was “on time” by my schedule.
I’m just praying we dry out. Right now, the sheep pen is a muddy mess. Even the area we use for lambing is pretty soft. The two things the negatively affect lambing are dampness and wind.
As for the horses, well the other day, they graciously showed me just how they got all that mud on their backs… by rolling in their very sloppy corral!
The new hens have edged their way into the flock. They’re still having discussions with some of the older gals at feeding time, but sharing the nest boxes is no longer an issue. Mom is getting over a dozen eggs a day… Boy is she happy!
I just peeked at the weather forecast and it looks like this weather hangs around for several days. Oh well, if we only have 20 days of the “dark and dreary’s” out of the year, I guess I’ll survive… and know I really live on the desert.
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Feb
2009
Spring is just around the corner…
February 9th, 2009 at 02:53 pm by Shari Thomas in About Beryl, Around the Farm, Chickens, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherOr so we’ve been told.
I don’t know whether Phil saw his shadow or whether that even matters here on the high desert. But, I do know, the weather doesn’t lead me to believe spring is anywhere around the closest corner.
read the rest of the story
