Careful, U Might Be Jealous of these Lambs!

After school on Thursday, I got home from school, let the dogs out for a quick potty break, checked on the new lambies then got in the truck to drive over to the hayman's house to get 40 bales of hay because yes, I fed my last bale of hay that morning and the weather for the weekend was looking like rain and more rain, so I thought I'd play it safe.  Anyways, when I got home from getting hay, I fed the animals before I unloaded the whole truck.  Betsy Bee I noticed was finding a corner in the lean to settle down.  Yep, Betsy was looking to have some babies.  I got my "quick fix" stall ready and ushered her in.  And in clear Betsy style, she stomped her foot at me to show she was irritated with me.  I told her I did not care but I kindly reminded her that I asked her to deliver me a lamb with spots and a moorit/brown based gulmoget, preferably ewes.  I shook my finger at her and she stomped her foot back.  I got the hay unloaded and checked back in on Betsy who was getting comfortable.  By 7:30 she was having a few contractions. "Vampire Diaries" was a new episode at 8 so I did a quick check on her. Nothing. Commerical break at 8:25. Out to the barn. Got a head coming out. Grabbed the towels.  I think Betsy would have stomped her foot at me if she could have but she was busy.  Within 15 minutes Betsy delivered me this:

Yep, Betsy gave me what I asked for.

Now how much more awesome could this ewe lamb be? 

And this little ram lamb? Check out those markings and fleece! Okay now he does have little horn buds even though he sire is Jed, but I will live with that. So would one call the markings a fawn, smirslet gulmoget?

I just love the black spot on her tail...........

And her side profile.......I think I am in love with her!

Okay, and just how sweet is his little guy?  He already told me he loves me;)

So Betsy, my first Shetland ewe I ever bought, delivered me exactly what I asked for.

She lets me sit with her and her babies as long as I have peppermint treats for her.

So I bred 2 Shetland ewes and got 3 ewe lambs and 1 ram lamb.

I'm happy!

Even happier cuz I am on Springbreak now!!!

A Lambie Ewe Nap

So on day 2 of the lambs being born, someone is showing a personality.

When I came home from school, I found the little black ewe lamb napping quite comfortably on Savannah's back!   

She just looks so snug and peaceful and how wonderful Savannah is being with her!

I just love watching their lil' personalities blossom in the first days of being born!

First Lambs are Twin Ewes!!

 One thing about raising animals, they just keep you on your toes!  Never a dull moment.  Just when you decide to catch your breath and relax for a moment, look out.  In the morning when I start chores I am usually followed by Savannah from bowl to bowl as I scoop out grain.  After I scoop out all the grain, she will then decide to go back to one of the orginial bowls I started with.  However, this morning she was not with me and as I paused to scan for her I heard her "baa" from the lean to. Heart stop. Oh no. Babies??? Of course the lean-to is not in any light and at 5:50 am its pretty dark.  I ran back into the barn to get the flashlight, ran back to the lean-to and there was Savannah hoofing at the ground to get comfortable.  Yep, lambs are on the way.  I got hay out for everyone then tossed fresh straw in the only available stall, hooked up a heat lamp, and went to get Savannah.  She was cooperative and I was able to get her into the stall very easily.  So now what? I was already running late for school.  This would be Savannah's third lambing, each one producing twins with no complications.  She would be fine. I got my lunch packed, dressed, gave treats to the dogs, and started up the van.  Ok, I had to run back to the barn and just double check on her.  I pulled my boots on (yes I do have an extra pair of boots in my van just because) and off to the barn one more time.  There was Savannah standing there with mucus coming out.  Well, of course I had to stay. So I called school and told them I'd be in by 9:15.  Ran back to the house to change into sweats, back to the barn, and by then there was a lamb.

So within 35 minutes Savannah had twin ewe lambs!  A solid black and a gulmoget just like her sire Jed.  Now for those of you who might be reading, I am not the "best" on genetics so since Savannah is mioget, then both of these girls will carry the modifying gene? Jed is a black gully.

This gully girl is very single coated like Jed. The black ewe lamb appears to be perhaps more intermediate coated. Both are doing well and the little gully girl has already been running around like a lil' crazy woman!

Last year I took a break from breeding sheep so to start this lambing season with twin ewe lambs is very exciting! I have sold all of the ewes Savannah produced so one of these little girls will be staying here.........not both, just one!!

Spring Patience

It seems like it is taking the Spring growing season forever to get here!  I have seed packets, pots, potting soil, new gardening tools all ready to go.........just waiting on the weather to cooperate.  Today it got nice and warm so I officially washed my winter coveralls and packed them away 'till next winter.

Due to the lack of color and growing season I broke down and bought some artificial flowers for the garden to make it "look" happier out here.

So there is now a pretty pink flower...............................

...................and a pretty blue flower.  At a cost of $4.99 each, they are adding some much needed color to the garden and at least is giving me some hope for flowers yet to come.  At least all the bulbs I planted last Fall are coming up so there is some hope and I did see some growth on some coneflowers that I bought at the end of the season at year.

Now, the goats have been trying my patience thus far this year.  I planned 2 breeding for my LaManchas; however, as noted at the end of January, 2 unplanned breedings came along. Daisy had a very beautiful, stocky buck and Sassy decided to have 2 adorable mini-Manchas.  It is appearing that Miss Pistol-Whipper (pictured above) is also pregnant. There is udder development and she has decided to be my BFF lately.  She is a full-bred Nigerian Dwarf and I have no idea on the sire.  The ears will tell all in a few weeks.  She has is a 2 year old and never been bred.  Now of course, this could be a false pregnancy but with my track record this year on the goats, I'm sure its not.

What's that saying about patience?  Its a virtue? Really???

It looks like the 2 Shetlands that are bred will lamb right around my Spring break week from school, at least they are cooperating with me:)