It was my first early morning call at the barn today, at 6.00 am, to check that our girls are ok.......... One of the Dorsets, Dora, is sooooo fat that she looks like she'll burst at any moment... Nigel let them back into the field at 8.00 as the weather is due to be quiet sunny today, and they are better outside than in during the day, but when I returned at 10.15, before going to see Joan at Sycamore Hall, they hadn't moved very far from the gate..... they are appreciating their new found luxury... I'll check again before the sun goes down to bring them in for tea and to settle them down for the night....... Nigel goes back before we go to bed just to make sure that nothing is "moving"....... We decided that as no lambs were born at 4.00 am, at all, this spring, a 6.00 am visit is much more sociable for all concerned, it doesn't feel like the middle of the night somehow..... and its nearer to dawn when any natural "night" predators would be going to bed...it seems to allow the ewes to feel more secure about lambing..... My body clock is still on the wonk from February so I hope I can settle it down........... . Trouble is I wake up and clock watch because I'm on edge in case I sleep in........ can't win!
Molly is fully recovered from loosing her lambs last week,, she is more inclined to come to us for some individual attention, which is why I'm convinced that she understands how much we care and that we tried to help her.... they are far more intelligent then we give them credit for. My belief is that one act of kindness sets them on a road to trust.... Even when we have to give them an injection for something, for example foot rot, we always stroke them in the place that we are treating so that the associate kindness with the treatment.... then we give them a handful of nuts before letting them go gently...... rather than just letting them up and ignoring them... They know that if there is a next time, it will be ok and not frightening...
Many will think I'm completely bonkers... but just look at that happy face and you'll understand that it's worth the time and the trouble!!!
RSS Feed
