Tag Archives: babies

Christmas Surprise!

Wow! Surprise December babies! The clever and good-mothering Longface got pregnant back in early July, which was not expected. However, I noticed she was showing about 6 weeks ago and started feeding her in her own special feeding spot, and we managed to crutch and vaccinate her (though not early enough). On Friday I came home from work to find baby #1 freshly hatched. She was a little cold, so I wrapped her in a towel from the dryer and she perked right up.  Soon, baby #2 came right out with just a couple of pushes. Twin 9 lb. ewe lambs! And now I don’t have to wait til mid-March to get my baby fix. Mom and babies are doing very well and I am spoiling them. I am keeping these girls because Longface is an exceptional mother, even by […]

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Weaning / Screaming has begun!

Oh weaning…. other than freezing in the barn all night, my least favorite thing about keeping sheep. We are past the worse of the screaming time, but the mothers are still not happy at all about being locked up and away from our nice, green grass. On the positive side, it’s getting to the point where it’s safe for most of the lambs to go home. We have not wethered the males yet, and have already sold one as a ram.  However, if you would like a show wether, we will wether him and send him home in a week – just so that we can watch for any complications (it hasn’t happened yet, but we don’t like to send home potential trouble). Most lambs were born 2-13 through 2-25, 2010 – these are being weaned now. Also, there is […]

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7 Lambing supplies I can’t live without

Lambing season supply lists are easy to find in books and on websites. You can even buy a kit  (like this one) that cover all the basics. However I have found a few things that have made my life much easier. 1. The Carhartt arctic overalls and jacket has quilted lining and comes in men’s and women’s sizes.  There are plenty of pockets for bottles and vaccinations. And, when it gets covered with enough milk, lamb poo and mud to stand up on their own, you can throw the whole mess in the washer and dryer. When it’s really cold, I wear a polartec hood and thinsulate-lined gloves and I can literally stay out in the barn all night. And this year, I had to – several times. 2. Baby Monitor/Intercom. A simple unit from Wal-Mart or Radio Shack will […]

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Spring is here!

This is one of my favorite photos. Unfortunately it was with an iPhone, so the quality isn’t the best. This shows great Southdown mothering at it’s finest. Bossy’s lamb has just hit the ground and he’s trying to get up and have a meal, but she’s just cleaning the dickens out of the poor guy. Old Bossy has always been our most vigilant and possessive mother. I have been fortunate to have three daughters and two granddaughters from her.  Bossy used to stand at the fence with her babies behind her and smash our Pit Bull, Lucy, through the fence. Lucy would grab her topknot, and they’d do this over and over. The sheep weren’t in any danger, since Lucy was 13 and incapable of getting through the fence. All Bossy had to do was walk away, but she seemed […]

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