On Saturday I went to Botton School's Spring Fayre and the balmy weather we are having at the moment bought lots of people out. I'd taken my spinning wheel, which always creates some interest and though I did get a good bit of spinning done, I also had a good day for sales.
This morning, not long after we had let all the ewes out of the barn, I noticed one of the Scottie ewes licking the ground and that can only mean one of two things. She's about to lamb, or has already lambed?
When we got to the top of the field, there she was with a very newly born lamb. So I had the job of picking up the lamb and then walking backwards, carrying the lamb in front of the ewe, at a height so that she can still see it, back to the barn walking bent over!
Once we had her penned up with her lamb, it became apparent that a 2nd lamb was about to be born, but after several minutes of struggling nothing was happening. So Tim had to investigate what was happening. The 2nd lamb was coming out backwards, with it's legs tucked under it and twisted! I had to lay on the front of the ewe whilst Tim attempted to sort the lamb out, whilst the ewe tried to push it out. Fortunately he was able to get the back legs straight and he pulled the lamb out backwards, very quickly.
One of the tup lambs, snoozing in the straw, with a full tummy
The 2nd tup lamb, looking a little unsure. But he'd just been woken up by his mum, pawing him.
Tonight 4 of the last 5 ewes that are due to lamb this week are all penned up in readiness, so no more having to bring newly born lambs and their mum's back from the top of the field into the barn.
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