The Belles

Here we are with two of our newest lambs. These twins were born to a ewe that went blind during the early stages of her pregnancy. Luckily we had researched the possibility of breeding a blind ewe and knew how to handle the situation.

When it came time to turn the ewe and her lambs into the mixing pen we put bells on the lambs. The mixing pen is a small area where we put several ewes and their lambs at a time so they can figure out how to find their moms in the herd. After several days we usually send a mixing pen group to join a slightly larger band which we call kindergarten. Out kindergarten had some dirt mounds and logs where the lambs love to play games. Sometimes they are having so much fum, they ignor their moms.

We knew that our blind ewe and her little "Belles" would need longer to adjust so we held them in the mixing pen for almost a month. Eventually, they ewe would listen for the Belles and could find them anywhere in the small enclosure. Then it was time for kindergarten.

For a couple of daystThe blind ewe stayed in the barn and her Belles ran off to play. Eventually she was able to figure out where she was and started following her Belles around the field. The lambs thrived and mom seemed content. We finally took the next step and sent the little family to join the main flock.

The lambs were happy and their mom finally learned to call the Belles to her side. She only went after them when they wouldn't come to her or when we moved the flock to a new field. Once when we moved the flock the lambs didn't make a corner and mom got really confused. She ran and hit a fence with her nose and tore part of her lip on the wire. She needed her would flushed frequently so it was back to the barn for her and the Belles.

She was confined in a large stall that had openings to let the Belles join the current kindergarten class to feed and play. After she healed it was time to wean her lambs. They weighed about 50 pounds each. She is a champion ewe even if she's blind.

Lambing Adventures 1

Lambing season started in earnest on January 28 with the birth of triplets to one first time ewe and twins to another. We were excited, then the disasters I hope won't happen started. We lost all 5 lambs. They were very small--all under 5 pounds--and their moms did their best. The triplets seem to have succumbed to an udder infection their mom had; they all died with full bellies. It was really strange until we discovered blood in her milk while easing pressure on her full udder by stripping out excess milk and moving towards a gentle weaning that would preserve her bag. We gave her a round of penicillin and the milk cleared; hopefully she will do better next year.

The second ewe just didn't have colostrum the first 36 hours; instead, she had a gluey clear substance. We had colostrum on hand, but we slept through the four am feeding and the lambs died; first one then a few hours later the second. This ewe mourned their loss and protested when we tried to remove the second lamb from the jail. About that time another ewe gave birth to a set of twins. John quickly grabbed the second lamb and took it to the mother who had just lost her last lamb. She eagerly took to the task of cleaning that lamb and made it hers. Her whole body said, HAPPY! It is highly unusual to have a ewe adopt a lamb without the shepherd preforming a few tricks of the trade to fool the ewe into accepting a lamb not her own. A ewe that will eagerly adopt a lamb is worth her weight in gold.

Between that day and now all lambs are thriving and doing well. The older ewes have presented their lambs without problems. We now have 28 lambs, including three sets of triplets, running races and jumping from the hill while their mom's bellow desperately to get their attention every time a hawk flies over, a cat wanders near, or the geese start yelling. The joyful melee makes me smile; I love lambing season despite the occasional trials and dissapointments