At 6.00 this morning,from the barn there was nothing to report........ at 8.30 Nigel went over and said that Louisa didn't want her breakfast...... I went over at 10.00 but still there was nothing much happening so I segregated Louisa from the others, as it's much nicer for them to be quiet while they are giving birth, and then fed Tabatha a few more nuts to keep her in, for company... she'll be next, and then let the other out into the field for the day.
I checked again at 1.30 and at 3.00 I returned from feeding all the other sheep, and at last there was a little pawing at the ground, and some secretions from behind, but no straining to speak of..... at 4.00 I went home to prepare some tea, and then went back at 5.00... I was starting to worry.... but at 5.30 Nigel came home and said we should maybe call the vet...........
Davinia was there 15 mins later....... and while Nigel got the generator working so we could have some proper lighting, I helped hold Louisa... What happening next made my heart sink......... a small mummified lamb was birthed... probably dead for about 3 weeks... about the same time that Molly aborted hers........ but there was a small light of hope....... there was another lamb........ small but still alive! Thank goodness for that...... it was born a bit brown because of it's distress... but it was alive..... then as Davinia went back in to make sure that Louisa was ok inside....a real bonus.... a third lamb..... very distressed, much larger... and yes... also alive!
So by 6.15 we had a very happy mum, safely in a clean dry pen, obviously delighted with her new babies.... a happy vet as we have broken her date record for "early" lambs by nearly a month....... and both of us relieved..... and best of all the lambs are both little gimmers! ............. And the interest from the other inhabitants of the barn was intense... they all lined up to have a look.. we had to secure them in their own side of the barn to give Louisa and her new girls some piece and quiet........
I've just been over to check them... the second born is mooching around and had obviously had something to eat.... the third born was still empty and wasn't cottoning on to where the food was available so...... I gave it 100 ml of colostrum which it positively guzzled.... had a wee... a wonder round...... and then went to sleep!!! ........... all in all a very busy day!
I checked again at 1.30 and at 3.00 I returned from feeding all the other sheep, and at last there was a little pawing at the ground, and some secretions from behind, but no straining to speak of..... at 4.00 I went home to prepare some tea, and then went back at 5.00... I was starting to worry.... but at 5.30 Nigel came home and said we should maybe call the vet...........
Davinia was there 15 mins later....... and while Nigel got the generator working so we could have some proper lighting, I helped hold Louisa... What happening next made my heart sink......... a small mummified lamb was birthed... probably dead for about 3 weeks... about the same time that Molly aborted hers........ but there was a small light of hope....... there was another lamb........ small but still alive! Thank goodness for that...... it was born a bit brown because of it's distress... but it was alive..... then as Davinia went back in to make sure that Louisa was ok inside....a real bonus.... a third lamb..... very distressed, much larger... and yes... also alive!
So by 6.15 we had a very happy mum, safely in a clean dry pen, obviously delighted with her new babies.... a happy vet as we have broken her date record for "early" lambs by nearly a month....... and both of us relieved..... and best of all the lambs are both little gimmers! ............. And the interest from the other inhabitants of the barn was intense... they all lined up to have a look.. we had to secure them in their own side of the barn to give Louisa and her new girls some piece and quiet........
I've just been over to check them... the second born is mooching around and had obviously had something to eat.... the third born was still empty and wasn't cottoning on to where the food was available so...... I gave it 100 ml of colostrum which it positively guzzled.... had a wee... a wonder round...... and then went to sleep!!! ........... all in all a very busy day!
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