Sunday 5 April 2009

Yellow Neck delivers 2 days early

We decided on Saturday evening to bring in the ewes that are due to lamb on Monday (Yellow Neck, Cully & Anya), putting them into their own lambing pens. As the ewes came in to be fed, we shut the barn door to separate the 3 girls off, (plus Carmen, who is due on Tuesday). We got Cully, Anya and Carmen into their respective pens, no problems and we're stood looking for Yellow Neck, when the youngest Hobbit pipes up with, "there's a white sheep out in the field". Sure enough it was Yellow Neck in the early stages of giving birth. As there was a cold biting wind, we were a bit concerned, as we didn't want her lambs to get chilled. We left her for a while, but nothing was happening, so Tim cautiously moved her towards the barn. she went easily into the barn and pen. So the wait began. After 2 hours I rang Pete, a local farmer for advice, who fortunately was just about to come out, to check on a cow that was calving and he would have to pass our lane end. But just as Pete arrived Yellow Neck delivered her first lamb no problem and when Pete looked at her, the hooves and nose of the second lamb were visible, so he gave them a quick tug, and out popped the second lamb.
She's had a ram and a ewe lamb, or a tup and gimmer lamb, depending on where you come from.
I took this photo this afternoon and as you can see they are a typical Meadowcroft Farm lamb. Black with white heads.
Mum and lambs looking very relaxed. If the weather is O.K in the morning we will let them out to enjoy the sunshine and fresh grass.

3 comments:

Caroline M said...

It must really be Spring now then.

Debbie, Barnacre Alpacas said...

These look just like my two born earlier this week - also early!

Aren't they sweet.

Rob @ Wellground said...

Congratulations. Nice one, spring is finally here then.....

Well done Denise.

Rob and Les