Wednesday 9 April 2008

Carmen delivers her lambs in the field and barn!!!!

When we went to feed this evening, Carmen didn't come into the barn, which is unusual. A look up the field revealed that she had given birth. So I walked up the field so that I could bring her and her lamb into the barn, but when I got to her it became apparent that she was going to have another lamb. Tim arrived and we stood and waited for about 5 minutes. Nothing happened so we decided that we would have to assist the delivery of the 2nd lamb. But Carmen had other ideas and ran off, leaving her lamb!!! I picked the lamb up, put it in the middle of the field, Carmen ran to it then past it and on into the barn. I picked up the lamb ran after her whilst Tim followed Carmen in to the barn. The first lamb was put into a lambing pen, closely followed by her mother. We then waited, and waited. Several minutes passed and it became apparent that the second lamb was still in the same position. It's toes just pointing out. So I held Carmen down whilst Tim very gently pulled at the lamb's toes, just enough that Carmen's contractions started again and he could pull the lamb out. The second lamb arrived within 30 seconds and it was alive. But Carmen wouldn't have anything to do with it.So we picked up the first lamb, put the second one in front of her and she started cleaning it up. Within 15 minuets it was up and attempting to get a drink. So all's well, but it was an eventful hour or so.
Carmen's first lamb to be born was a ewe, the second was a ram lamb.

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