One warm morning last week, my husband Keith woke me up with a start by exclaiming "There's a lamb out there!" He had a puzzled tone and my first thought was one of our 2008 lambs (Betsy, Tacy or Martin) had escaped and was frolicking about the yard! I soon realized that he meant a brand new lamb and my next worry was that since the ewes we had purchased over the winter were not due until April it was a stillborn and we would have a sad morning ahead of us. Still half asleep I quickly dressed and ran out the door to the barn with a towel from my own birthing equipment stash. The lamb was not at all premature, and was in fact quite dry and lively as we caught him and brought him and his mother (who we have nicknamed Llama due to her size and stature) inside away from the chilly wind. He seemed quite used to nursing and had no trouble finding her teats, even through all her wooly coat, which since they were not due until April had not been sheared yet!
The next morning Keith went to work, without any more lambs to find. This morning it would be my turn! Just as I was leaving I checked on the lamb, and as an after thought decided to leave through the other door in the barn so I could count the ewes outside eating hay. The wind was much stronger and colder this morning and as I turned the corner I saw not only the 2 brown ewes and "24" the large white ewe, but a brand new pure white form on the ground! She had just been born maybe a minute earlier and her mother was just beginning to lick her off. Unfortunately I could not leave her where she had dropped because of the cold, she was chilled and must be inside with a heat lamp in an order to survive, ah February lambing! After a few frantic phone calls to Keith and my mother who would need to open the shop that morning. I ran and got the same towel as the morning before and toweled her off and watched her closely for signs of hypothermia as I waited for Keith to arrive and help me set up yet another lambing pen!
Both lambs are now just a few days old and are quite strong and lively! There is truly nothing better than watching a young lamb frisk and leap about! Last night when we checked them for the last time before going to bed we witnessed something I have seen in pictures and have ALWAYS wanted to see first hand. Leo (the first lamb) was warm and nestled in warm wooly fleece right on top of his mother! Thankfully they both were content enough and too cozy to move while I took a few pictures!
