Aurora's Amigo, Aries and Avalon

Aurora's Amigo, Aries and Avalon, originally uploaded by lamb lady.

Aurora finally delivered her babies Friday, March 27. All are doing well but it was a tough couple days for her prior to delivery. I may come back and write more later but not just yet. I'm tired.

I'm still recovering from the lambing blitz. Eight ewes have had babies in nine days. Daddy Blue did a great job. And then there's Mesa. I thought she was expecting but now I'm just not sure. Keep posted.

Zenith's ZENN and Zephyr

Zenith's ZENN and Zephyr, originally uploaded by lamb lady.
Zenith delivered her boys March 25, in the wee hours. I was in the barn with them from 1 - 3 AM.
Zephyr was born first. He's black with a white cap, tail, a spot on his nose and a bib. It's been awhile since we've had a lamb with a white bib. ZENN is a lovely badgerface with a white cap and tail.
In keeping with our "Cars" naming theme, let me note that cars beginning with "Z" are few and far between. Zephyr's name wasn't too hard to choose. I had to go online to find ZENN's name. ZENN is a Canadian vehicle. ZENN stands for Zero Emissions, No Noise. The ZENN lamb is quiet but he can't claim "zero emissions."

Tamar's Titan and Tundra

Tamar's Titan and Tundra, originally uploaded by lamb lady.

Tamar gave birth in the pond field on Tuesday, March 24. Her twins are doing well. Way to go, Tamar.

Brooke's Bentley and Blazer

Brad woke me about 5 AM Sunday and said, "I think you need to go to the barn." Just for the record, he's not psychic. We keep a baby monitor on at the barn and he heard muttering. New moms mutter to their babies when they are in labor and after the little ones arrive. Muttering is a quick, soft, low "Baa" repeated many times.

Before I went to bed I thought Brooke was behaving differently, so I wasn't surprised that it was her standing in everyone's favorite birthing spot, the back of the large stable.

Brooke is the oldest ewe in the flock and an experienced mom. She prefers I keep my hands off her business. She doesn't even want me to look at her babies. I did my best to stand back and let her take care of business. While I waited I refilled an empty water bucket and when I looked at her next she'd delivered a black lamb. I called it Bentley and watched as it got to it's feet and finally nursed with mom's gentle nudging and muttering. Bentley has the oft seen white cap, a marking called "the palm of God" and 2 white anklets on hind legs.

I waited quietly for another 45 minutes. I was getting chilled by then. I had put a bucket of warm molasses water in the stable with Brooke when I went to the barn. It was surprising how much she sipped up after the first delivery and before the second, as she labored.

Finally, she settled down to deliver the second lamb. Two good strong pushes and it was out. A black lamb with a few white hairs on top it's head.

I stepped into the stable, trimmed their umbilical cords, dipped their navels in strong iodine, checked to see what sex they were and returned to the house for a cup of tea by 6. Sweet!

I went back later for a photo. She had them nestled in the corner where the sun was shining. Take a good long look at little girl Bentley (L) and little boy Blazer (R) because any other photos I try to take will be with her blocking my view and all three of them running from me. Notice how Brooke's topknot stands on end, she makes me smile when I think of it. I think I do that to her. There are days when my hair feels like hers looks.

A One Minute Lamb Video

New lambs in the barn with their moms at 2 days old. Lexus and LeBaron are at the back of the stable. Leah quickly covers them from our view. Moms are protective that way. Jetta and Jensen are at the front. Jujubee steps in to view as Jetta explores a water bucket and Jensen sees what's in the next stable.

Cassie's Triple Play

The neighbors called Saturday morning to tell me there was a ewe with lambs in the pasture. I had just left the ewes out a short time earlier, so was surprised that lambs were on the ground that quickly. That's twice in less than 15 hours I missed the birthing.
I asked BR to help me carry babies in from the field, as I had just done it the evening before. (It's an exhausting task with Momma nervously beside trying her best to trip me up.) I was glad he came along as there were three, yes 3, babies to be taken to the barn. Once at the barn everyone got a drink from mom and though they are small, they're doing quite well. A white boy, Charger, and two black girls, Cooper and Camero.
Last year, Cassie held out until the day I returned to work to deliver her lambs. She was so big, I knew she was having triplets. I asked Mom and Dad to be on standby to watch over her. Did she have triplets? No! They helped her deliver two 13 pound babies. These three might weigh 26 pounds total. They're nice, Cassie, you had nice babies.

Lyra's Lincoln and Liberty

Lyra's Lincoln and Liberty, originally uploaded by lamb lady.

These twins were born in the pasture early Friday evening. I was home but obviously not attentive enough. Brad and I had been working around the barnyard from late afternoon through to early evening.
When I went to the field to bring the ewes in for their grain, Lincoln and Liberty were beside their Ma in a low area of the pasture away from the other sheep. I carried them from the field, a back breaking task, with Ma trying to confound my every step. After all, they were her babies not mine. Finally, I put Lincoln down to follow Lyra. I carried Liberty low to the ground so her Ma knew exactly where she was and followed me.
I was starving till I got to the house well after 8 PM.

Leah's Lexus and LeBaron

I was sure it would be triplets, not that I wanted triplets, but she was so big. Once again, I was wrong at trying to guess what to expect. But that's quite all right. First time mommas have plenty to handle with two.

Leah had twin boys, somewhere between 8 and 10 PM, March 19.

It wasn't as easy a delivery as Jujubee's, but good just the same. The boys are smaller than Jujubee's girls, they weighed in at 9 pounds each. They are similar in size to each other and quite handsome. It looks as though they will each have 2 horns like their daddy, Blue. This isn't a great photo but it showed the lambs better than the others I took.

With 10 days of vacation remaining:

Two ewes done and seven to go.

Count: Girls - 2 Boys - 2

Let the Birthings Begin - Jujubee's Girls

jujubee jetta and jensen, originally uploaded by lamb lady.

I took 2 weeks off work to deliver lambs and it wasn't till the fourth day that any have arrived. The theme for naming this year is "Cars." My co-workers composed a great list. It's nice to start the baby names with mom's first initial. That helps me to remember who they are.
Jujubee was in labor when I went to the barn this AM. She gave birth unassisted to twin ewes between 8:40 and 9 AM. Each weighs in at a respectable 10 pounds. They are nice and strong and off to a good start with big drinks of Momma's rich, warm milk. What pretty girls they are.
Jetta, on the left, is named in honor of her Grandmother, Jett.
Jensen is a British auto manufacturer. They just didn't look like Jaguars, either of them, so I dug a little deeper to come up with Jensen.
Now, I just need to convince the other 8 to drop their babies before I go back to work. I hope they go like dominoes.