We've had two births in the last 24 hours...I came home from a lunch at my principal's house to find that Boadicea had a huge ewe lamb...I mean, a big girl. She must weigh 15 pounds. I was thankful mother and babe were doing well. I got them fixed up in the jug (lambing pen) and sweater on. Fortunately, I had a lovely pinky handspun sweater from a couple of years ago, partially felted from washing and big enough for this hefty girl. Did chores and went to bed after watching the new episode of "Rome" on HBO. Very violent but interesting...and isn't it a riot to see Mr. Bingely of Pride and Prejudice as Octavian Caesar? The roosters were screaming all night and, desperate for some sleep, I turned down the baby monitor. Woke up with a start, out to the barn to find Dulce chortling over little black twins...one of each, licked off and making noise. Always good to hear noise - a quiet, listless newborn lamb is not a good thing. I had been concerned about Dulce, a registered "Natural Colored" sheep who came with my first founding ewes from Ohio, because she had mastitis last summer. I was dropped off with my flock and had no one to help me during the week while Matt was still working in NJ. I saw the problem but couldn't give her an injection without someone to hold her for me. In desperation, I tackled her, held her down, and gave her the LA200. The mastitis went away, but not without damaging one udder. This morning I was relieved to find that the remaining udder works just fine. Dulce is a serene, calm, loving mother and produces fine crossbred Bluefaced Leicester/Natural Colored lambs.
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