Sunday, April 19, 2009

Arrghhh, Lambing!

I know Nancy at Bluff Country reports annual anxiety at lambing time; maybe I will develop more. . . we have a lamb, tonight, that won't likely make it until morning.

Let me first tell you, the orphan babies are FINE. Kindergarten naughty monkeys, that's what they are. . . still living in luxury in the laundry room (that's 3 wash loads of floor quilts & towels this week). I'll end with their picture.

No, the little lamb that has our heart saddened tonight is our own first born lamb of the season, a Finn lamb out of my colored Finn ewe, Lassi.

I was in the Twin Cities all day with my family, doing good deeds for aged parents, sittin' in coffeeshops, visiting the Minnesota Textile Center and the Weavers' Guild-- while my child was in Cool Science at the U of M. I knew there was a risk we'd get our first lamb today, but no ewes looked "ready" when we left at 9am.

When we came home at 6, Lassi stood in the field over her barely moving, fawn flecket ewe lamb. Lassi's a first time mother-- anything could've gone wrong, or nothing.
All I know is, the lamb was chilled and sluggish. We gave up on Lassi, who was acting helpless about her lamb-- and brought it inside to warm and try to feed. We ended up trying to tube feed the baby-- and it surely doesn't seem to have worked.

More later, I'd better go hold her awhile.

So for now, here are the little laundry room rascals, Poppy and Easter Lily. Poppy's the favorite, in front.

6 comments:

Rayna said...

It's amazing what colostrum will do....Even if it's cow colostrum...I've seen it bring a baby that was getting already stiff back to bouncing 'round like nothing happened. Dont lose hope yet!

Terri D. said...

We can't be there 24/7. At least, this is what I tell myself as I leave for work every day. I certainly have lambing anxiety this year... I hope Lassi's lamb pulls through. And you HST orphans are adorable!

Sabrina Wille Erickson said...

Gail, I sure hope that finn lamb pulls through. Sometimes there are things in the womb and during the birth that go wrong, too. Things we couldn't change even if we had been there. You just never know.

I'll be thinking of you today.

PS: those orphans are just adorable.

Nancy K. said...

What a sad homecoming that had to be! I am so sorry.

Becky Utecht said...

I hope your Finn lamb has made it through the night. Hooray for you learning how to tube feed.
Poppy and Easter Lily are the absolute cutest! But rather than do all that laundry, I'd keep them in a safe spot near the rest of the flock and just bring their bottles out.
Keeping my fingers crossed for your little Finn lamb.

Karen said...

How nice that you could take the orphans in. Best of luck with everything!