Busy Day on the Farm

We had EmmyLou lamb this morning and then this afternoon, Rose decided to join in the fun.

I settled into the barn to watch her progress, and June couldn't get enough attention.

She even started critiquing my work.

When Rose started pushing, all I could see were hooves, but no nose. And labor wasn't progressing at all. For the first time ever, I had to help! The lamb's nose was being pushed up instead of pointing between the hooves, so I had to use a finger to hold the nose down in position while I grabbed hooves with the other hand to pull. It took some work, but Rose and I got her out with no problems. She's a beautiful, dark gray katmoget. My fingers are crossed that she doesn't lighten too much.

I was also able to get some nice photos of EmmyLou's ram for a birth announcement collage.

I thought at first he was gray, but once in the light, he's definitely a brown-based little guy, so we'll call it fawn.

And the clowns of the barn couldn't be ignored. June is so patient with her "neice and nephew."

Peridot's Little Lamb

We've been busy finishing up a barn expansion which includes 4 lambing jugs, a storage area and space for chickens! It's extensive enough to deserve a post of its own!

But in the mean time, enjoy some cute lamb pics!

The little ram was popping all over the place, and was impossible to photograph, until Kat held him down.

Peridot Delivers Twins

Note: I've had to edit this whole post because I originally thought we had two boys, but apparently I shouldn't try to determine lamb sex when I'm tired! We have one ram and one ewe. 

We finally have some lambs to celebrate! Last Tuesday night, at 9:37 and 9:43pm, Peridot delivered a ram and a ewe. They're both nice Katmogets that look brown-based right now, but I'm pretty sure are actually gray.

Ram: He's darker (right now, but I'm sure that'll fade) with a nice white ring around his head.

Ewe: She's lighter with traditional Kat facial coloring. She's got nice white tips on her ears, though!

 

Photo should read "Ewe: 1 day old . . ."

Peridot was very frustrating to watch through labor. She would come into the barn, start having contractions, then leave to hang out with the flock and eat. Not normal behavior for a ewe in labor. She didn't read the chapter that explained how a ewe will set herself apart from the group and stop eating. She was so focused on food that even during active, heavy pushing, she would stand up and nibble the hay. I never knew sheep could turn to food for stress relief!

Teenagers . . . .

I have human teenagers, and believe me, they're no walk in the park, but the teenagers that are really frustrating me these days are of the wooly variety.

Sparkles, apparently, has had her fill of parenting despite the fact that her two teenage rams are still in desperate need of it. Hickory and Ash are continually jumping through the electric fence and taking jaunts around our yard. They really love the fallen apples in our side yard, but are not afraid to adventure all the way up to the front yard for some greener grass.

And they've started corrupting our two orphaned ewes, Violet and Lily. Poor girls, without a mother, did they ever stand a chance against these two good-looking guys?

The other moms, Peridot, June and EmmyLou have managed to keep tight reins on their children, so I'm not sure what's going on with Sparkles. Maybe it's because they're boys?

Hunter and Axel can quickly "herd" (aka chase with wreckless abandon) the lambs back into the fences, but because of these four, we've been pricing woven-wire fencing for all the fields. What a pain!

What a Summer!

It's been so busy . . . Matthew leaving for college, a wonderful trip to my parents' house in Texas, getting the shop filled with some much-needed inventory, and then off again to North Carolina to soak up some sun!

Thankfully, we have a nice, boring rest of August planned. I've been away from the blog for a while, so I'm going to ease back into the swing of things with this short post and a few farm pictures!

Hickory is standing guard as Sparkles, Buttercup, Peridot and Rose munch away.

Chicken, Wyeth, EmmyLou and Aspen tending the grass.

I think Wyeth is simply perfect!