Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Maggie's First Lamb - It's A Boy!!

For the past two weeks, poor Lucy has had a huge bag and a bulging, round belly (poor thing looks like a baby hippo).  She looks like she could deliver at any moment.  Therefore, I've been checking on her around the clock - looking out the window throughout the day and keeping my windows open at night to hear if she goes into labor (ewes will usually start baaing when they are about to deliver).

Last night at around 7:45 I wandered over to the window for a "Lucy check."  As I was staring at Lucy, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.  I turned and saw that Maggie was delivering her lamb!!  That totally surprised me, as Maggie didn't show any signs of labor when I fed her just an hour earlier.  I yelled to Kirk that Maggie had just delivered her baby and ran to get my lambing bucket.  Kirk made it out to Maggie before I did and was able to make sure the lamb was alive and breathing okay.  Afterwards, he said that when he arrived Maggie was doing a good job of cleaning the lamb and stimulating him with her tongue. 

Our arrival surprised Maggie and she backed off.  I hate to interfere with the birthing process, but after losing a lamb I still get a wee bit nervous and want to make sure everything is okay.  Fortunately, Maggie trusts me very much, so when I talked to her she came right over and started licking the lamb again.  After drying him with towels and dipping/tying his umbilical cord, we then moved him and Maggie to a jug. (NOTE:  A jug is a small pen just for the ewe and lamb.  The confined area better enables the mom and baby to bond.  They stay in this area for three days before going back to the pen with the other sheep.  It is important to make sure the ewe and lamb have bonded properly so that the ewe will not abandon the lamb in the larger area).  I have been checking on mom and baby every four hours and everything seems to be going well.  Maggie is a great mom (which is good for a maiden ewe) and the lamb is very vigorous. 

People have asked about a name for the little guy.  Since I will be selling him, I haven't given him a name.  That is to be decided upon by the buyer.


Ahhh....this heat lamp feels good!

Hey, lady, do ya mind?  I'm trying to nap here!


What the heck did she just put on me?!?

I'm not sure if I like this thing...

 I'm going to try to hide behind momma now...
then maybe the crazy lady will go away!


5 comments:

Joli said...

cute little lamb in a cute little vest.

TDawn Maddox said...

aaaw, congrats on your first delivery of the season, he's a cutie! :D

HayleyB said...

I love him already!! I just want to squeeze him!!!

Artful Gathering said...

Congrats! What a cutie!

Michael J. said...

Congratulations to all!