The First Lambing Season on the Farm!

Pearl's adorable little lamb!

We suspected that a couple of our ewes were close to lambing, but we were still surprised when we saw this little one.  We weren't expecting them quite yet.  We were missing a sheep when we did our morning count, so I went down the pasture looking for her.

I was so happy and excited to see them both at the end of the pasture, but at the same time, I didn't know why she was down there.  The rest of the flock had come up a way, and they were bleeting at each other but she seemed reluctant to join them.  I thought that maybe there was something wrong with the baby.  But as I approached them, Mama went back to her lamb and they both started towards the rest of the flock.

I was relieved and observed them carefully as we all headed back.  All seemed well, the baby was taking time out to nurse on the way, and they eventually joined the flock but always keeping at a bit of a distance.  I have since learned that it is common for a ewe to stay away from the rest of the sheep when she is about to deliver, and for a short time thereafter.

About three days later we had another lambing, Windy delivered twins.  This is a picture of the surviving twin.  By the time we saw that she had delivered during the night, the one little guy was already gone.  He looked healthy and intact so we're not certain what happened, but Toppy was protecting it from the hawks.

Windy and her lamb

This brings me to another amazing part of this story.  Toppy, our Anatolian Shepherd LGD, does a fine job of letting everything know she's present and willing to protect her charges at any price.  When she had her puppies, she would chase every hawk in the sky away at lightning speed.  When they got bigger, she stopped doing that.

However, the very same morning we had our lamb, Toppy was showing off her first bird kill ever so proudly.  Was the bird trying to get the baby lamb?  I think maybe so, and we are so very proud and thankful that she is doing such a wonderful job protecting her flock.

And, today, March 26, we had another set of twins, these are from Opal.  Opal is the tamest of our flock and she let us get very close, even pick them up,  She'll do almost anything for a peanut!  Here are a couple pics for your enjoyment.

Opal's twin #1- Gorby (Gorbachev)

Opal's twin #2- Boots (Made for walkin')

We're awaiting at least one more lambing, Ivy appears to be getting ready in the next week or so.  Hoping for healthy babies, right now we think we have two ewes and two ram lambs.  I think that's a pretty grand mix.

Until later,

Carpe Diem!