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Goldfields August 24th, 2011 07:46 AM

Spring arrived early here......
 
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... with the arrival of these twin boys. :thumbs up I arrived home from shopping the other day to the sound of new lambs baa-ing. Fortunately mum had already bought her kids up to the 'maternity section', they're a spoilt lot, my ewes, they like being stabled at night when the lambs are small. :fingerscr for more twins, especially for the young ewes, so they are small like these and easy to dilver. :)

Melinda August 24th, 2011 07:54 AM

oh my god, they are soooo sweet!!!

hazelrunpack August 24th, 2011 09:42 AM

How sweet! And what a smart Mum!! Do you have many ewes, GF?

Goldfields August 24th, 2011 10:51 AM

No, not many, Hazel. Only 11, enough to keep the Spring growth under control before the fire period in Summer. We can't afford to leave this place unstocked. The little ram lamb on the right is such a cutie, knee high to a cricket.

hazelrunpack August 24th, 2011 01:02 PM

They both look cute to me! :flirt:

Goldfields August 25th, 2011 08:40 PM

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So do this second set of twins, Hazel. A ewe and ram lamb this time, born last night. :thumbs up Nice small lambs, she would have popped them out easy. I wonder if I'll get triplets this season? Two ewes are looking huge.

hazelrunpack August 25th, 2011 09:57 PM

Are all 11 ewes expecting? Must be cuteness overload when all the lambs are frolicking around! :cloud9:

Goldfields August 26th, 2011 12:15 AM

The funniest bit is when they are old enough to leave their mums for a while and play zoomies around our dam banks. LOL. Where the pipe comes through the bank there is sand that we block it off with, and that's like some child's sand pit for them to play in.
Can't say if they are all in lamb or not, Hazel. I am hoping the smallest ewe isn't, she was from a set of triplets and needs time to mature.

Goldfields September 12th, 2011 11:41 AM

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More twins, boy and girl, rather undernourished maybe, from a ewe having her last lambs perhaps. I thought she was having triplets, however when I had to carry this pair up from down the paddock I could see why the ewe was battling, they were quite heavy.
Then today, this single big ewe lamb that I had to help deliver. That high forehead caused her mum a lot of trouble. It's amazing how much force you can use giving babies the old heave ho, yet they bounce back instantly, this is a strong lamb. Funny lamb though , it has totally the Dorper hair instead of the usual sheep fleece.
The last shot(still to be chosen) will be put in for it's cuteness factor. :D

Dog Dancer September 12th, 2011 01:25 PM

Had meant to pop in a msg some days ago but lost the thread. My goodness but they are cute! Note to self: Cancel bbq lamb for dinner....

I think all of the pics have a cuteness factor to tell you the truth GF. I can't imagine having to help mom birth one of these sweeties. You are quite amazing!

Goldfields September 12th, 2011 08:35 PM

LOL@ you cancelling your lamb dinner. It can do that to people.
Had a bad one to deliver this morning, DD, a real tight fit. It was one of last year's lambs, the one in Zara's thread, sitting up like a dog to help ease the discomfort her lamb was causing - and it was a single big ram lamb, not twins as I hoped. So, all I could see was two toes. I'm getting better at simple deliveries though, and anything where there is feet to get hold of, and a head to steer is easy (except for the force and manipulation required). Straightforward might be a better word for it than easy. Just don't know if I could go in and try and untangle twins. The noise the ewe makes to her new lamb is just beautiful, like a soft chuckling sound. It sure beats foaling down TB mares anyway, that can be awfully traumatic if things go wrong.

hazelrunpack September 12th, 2011 08:50 PM

They're just adorable, GF!! :flirt:

Glad the ewe in Zara's thread finally gave birth! She really did look uncomfortable, poor dear! Er...poor ewe. :p She feeling better now? :fingerscr

Goldfields September 13th, 2011 04:11 AM

Yes, she's feeling okay I'd say, spending the night inside with her precious lamb. 3 ewes are now back outside at night. I figure if I can't catch the lambs, maybe a fox won't either. I think another ewe is thinking of lambing tonight, I wish she'd wait till tomorrow.

Goldfields September 13th, 2011 12:37 PM

Well, she didn't wait, it's another set of twins, a ram and a ewe lamb :) . We used the ' lamb-mobile' to bring the lambs up to the stables, aka known as a 4 wheel garden trolley that you pull with a handle. Lay the lambs in that and the ewes follow along nicely, licking them as you go. Only one, maybe 2 young ewes left to lamb now.

hazelrunpack September 13th, 2011 08:12 PM

They do keep you busy, don't they!! :D

Goldfields September 13th, 2011 08:29 PM

Too busy! Before breakfast I had to 'crutch' a ewe before she got flyblown, i.e. cut all the wet wool away from around her , umm, posterior :D, using just scissors, (and, I hasten to add, wearing latex gloves :laughing: ). If you don't do it the blowflies get after them and they try to hide from them instead of grazing. I can't see the point in asking a shearer to come just for one or two sheep. It's why we are using Dorper rams incidentally, to breed sheep with no wool in the wrong places.

I am so pleased that set of twins arrived okay. I had to get a farmer friend to help deliver a very big single lamb from her last year and it must have hurt her because for weeks or months she strained every now and then like she was going to prolapse. This time two delightful little lambs and it was so easy for her that she delivered the ewe lamb while standing up. :thumbs up I will be glad when lambing is over though so I can concentrate on the garden and dogs again.

hazelrunpack September 14th, 2011 09:24 AM

Hurray for that ewe with the twins! I can see where having twins might be an advantage to the mom--no really big kids! Never thought about it before. I wonder if that's why deer usually have twins or triplets, too? Better survival rates for the moms and double (or triple) the chance that one fawn might survive to adulthood?

Goldfields September 14th, 2011 11:06 AM

Don't know about deer but you may be right. You know, I have one sickly lamb that may not make it and while standing and watching them I see one of the twinnies calmly stroll up to the mother of it and help itself to a feed. LOL. I chased it off then have thought maybe I shouldn't, because if I can't save her lamb it will help her to sort of adopt another one. Cheeky brat though .

hazelrunpack September 14th, 2011 11:07 AM

Sending :goodvibes: for the wee one that seems sickly!

Goldfields September 14th, 2011 07:44 PM

Thanks. She must hate me and want to run every time she sees me coming, Hazel, but she's on the improve this morning - will still have another injection today regardless though. Luckily there is a new vaccine out for ewes that will protect their lambs from the bacteria causing this, I just didn't hear about it in time for this lambing.


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