Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Activity Overload

Ok, let me see if I have this straight.
Sunday the 18th the 1st ewe had a set of twins.
 
Monday LN had holiday and other than studying for exams starting today had no plans.
We cleaned main pen where ewes come into to get water and built creep pen.
Tuesday at 5:00 am I found a 1st time ewe with a dried off single lamb, biggy too.
 
 LN received a Christmas present of tickets to her (and my) 1st ice hockey game for Tuesday night.
Plans were for R & S2 to meet me at home at 2:30pm to go pick LN up at school by 3:00pm
 then head to Philadelphia.
We weren't sure of commuter traffic and figured we'd eat up there before game (another saga).
I shuffled ewes and lambs around, fed up, watered and generally settled all for the night at 2:00pm.
I changed and waited, not patiently either.
No R & S2...
WTH I hate making plans and then nada, maybe ocd more like inconsiderate...
But I digress ;]~
Called R, she had lame excuse and said, "go fetch LN we'll meet you at home after".
I'm now 10 min from school let out time.
LN's school has over 2,000 students.1,900 are picked up.
Why with buses I don't know.
Anyhow I went around the block and ended up in Cuba parking.
Finally snagged a spot, waited while 1,000 parents who can't drive picked up their 'angels'.
The ones playing hooky smoking across the road came across too and got in their Mamas cars.
Why their parents don't smell the weed I don't know either.
As they walk past me I smell it but maybe they don't care Johnny is high and cutting class.
Finally my ray of sunshine arrives and we book ( telling my age with that word) it home.
LN has major anxiety and flips out cause "we're going to miss game and be late".
As we head from school S texts my phone with "More Lambs".
SERIOUSLY???
I just checked butts and nada 20 min ago.
Rush home, throw on boots and crap hoody over clean shirt.
Rearrange pens again as quick as possible while LN changes and eats.
 
R "helps" deliver 1st lamb.
S should have texted "bubble showing".
I moved single lamb ewe to smaller pen and grabbed just born lamb leading ewe into that pen.
In about 2 minutes a 2nd lamb showed its face and dropped.
Ok grab a new water bucket, grain and hay.
Set up the new birth ewe with necessities and ewe I moved with single.
S2 and LN with her school work get in truck.
R and I clean up and we're off to Philadelphia.

Really good seats and great game.
Expensive as all get out though.
We spent easily $100.00 on cheesesteaks, sodas and fries not counting the beer S2 bought.
We didn't hit traffic on way up or back, pulled in drive at 12:05am.
LN studied during intermissions and on way home.
Today is her most difficult class AP Gov.
Hope she did well.
R & S2 leave, LN heads off to bed.
I change again and head to barn, refill water, check bellies are full and general well fair.
Off to bed...
Up at 5 to check and refill , nothing happening.
Back to bed for few hours.
S wakes me with more lambs again!

My day begins again with cleaning pens, moving "older" deliveries to other pens, bringing in new deliveries, filling water, regular chores and such.
While juggling pens the single lamb ewe who delivered yesterday morning about 5 am tried to jump out of her jug.
She was so anxious to be with her friends who I had locked outside while I cleaned main area.
I was worried since it's her 1st time she wouldn't keep up with her lamb who is big and sassy but needs her Mama to stay that way.
I tried giving her a bigger pen, turned on radio and kept talking to her.
Nope she was out of there and jumped over gate.
I let in her buddy and penned them in main area with the lamb.
Went to other stall where I have 2 other ewes and lambs and came back to this...
 
Standoff at the OK Corral.
Buddy wanted to butt lamb and new Mama got a clue and said NO!
They spent a few minutes head slamming before I locked buddy ewe back out.
New Mama is going to have to deal with being alone a little while.
I'll re-pen her beside big area soon but wanted her feisty lamb to romp and roam in big pen awhile.
It's too crusty, icy, hard to walk and some muddy parts outside for a lamb whose Mama isn't quite with the program yet of protection and staying close by.
She'll be fine I figure but some extra time will help.
She's ok with whatever I choose just wants some chin scratching.

I put Sunday born set and ewe outside today with other unbred ewes and one to go ewe.
 
 The lambs found the hay feeder is very comfy on
this cold, blustery day.
Storm is coming and we're on edge of could be/ could not ice/snow mix.
Have to keep watch.
I'm tired...
One ewe to go, I can do this!!!
 
 
 


4 comments:

  1. Holey moley and jiminy crickets! Do you even know which end you're sitting on right now? I know when you're in the midst of something like you've been, you don't really think much, but just DO! (And contemplate collapsing at a later date.) What a bunch to handle. You really need a full-time assistant by your side. (Oh, wouldn't that be nice, she says!) Not sure I would be upright at this point, but it sure was interesting to read about. And thanks for all the good pictures!

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    1. LOL I try to focus on one thing at a time like a puzzle. This gets you that , then to there kinda thing. It works for me MamaPea.

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  2. So, how many does that make now? I've lost track. :)
    What kind of sheep do you raise?

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    1. oddie that is 7 lambs with 1 ewe to go yet, we have crossbreds, mostly Suffolk Hamp cross

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