Lambs R Us

Lilly went into labor around 10 PM last night. I waited with her until 11 when my instincts told me this was going to take some time. We got her in a lambing pen with lovely fresh hay to eat, and she seemed very comfortable. She was "talking" to her womb, so the little one(s) would know her when they came out. I had not wanted Lilly bred as she has only one udder working, but here we are. I set the alarm for 3 AM but my internal clock woke me up without assistance. The wind was howling and snow was blowing outside, but the barn was still and dry yet very cold. Sheep and goats were lying all around, sleeping and dreaming, with the occasional chicken nestled in the hay and rows of them sleeping on the rafters. Thor was sleeping in the door to the outside, with his friend, Monkey AKA Velvet at his side. I tiptoed through the sleeping throng and sure enough, I saw the little white head, then another black one! Great big, healthy, heavy twins! They were standing up and looking very strong. I went for my kit, which I had ready, along with Auntie Jan's knitted wool sweaters, and got to work. Iodine on the cords, snip them short, then sweaters on. Lilly had done a good job of licking them off, so I knew the bonding was done. A rooster sat on the wall of the pen and watched the activity. My excitement at these hefty ram twins was deflated when I found Lilly's one working udder completely dry. No amount of squeezing and pulling could produce a drop of the "liquid gold," colostrum. Without colostrum, the lambs are severely compromised in the antibody department. They won't have the protection from diseases that mom could have given them with this first milk. Back inside and on the computer. By now it's four but I'm wide awake. I'm looking for a recipe for homemade colostrum and finally found one. It required a quart of cow's milk, Karo syrup, a beaten egg, and cod liver oil (which I didn't have). I went back out to the chicken room to find an egg, and sure enough a hen was keeping one warm for me. It was there that I realized I might have some powdered colostrum Dr. Rachel left for me last year. Found it in a zip lock bag inside a tub in the milk room. I knew it couldn't have the antibodies, but I have faith in Dr. Rachel, and decided to use it. Oh, it looked vile, not like the creamy golden ewe's colostrum, but I gave it to the boys, Larry and Lester, in a little syringe. They were still standing up, trying to nurse on the dry teats. I stayed with them a while, then went back in. It was five by now and I was dead. I still haven't caught up from staying up 24 hours to travel home. Thank God I have another day before work starts. Woke up at 9:30 and ventured out to check on the boys. I froze when I heard a newborn baaaa, coming from the far end of the barn. My heart leapt when I saw another newborn, still wet, crying for mom who had wandered off. I needed mom's colostrum for her lamb and the twin boys as well. Got Matt up and full of Starbucks from Annie's Christmas store cards, and her fabulous biscotti. I knew better than to drag him outside without priming first. He helped me build another lambing pen (jug in sheep vernacular)and get the skinny first-time mom situated. She is not the super-mom Lilly is, but I am hopeful. She doesn't butt him away when he nuzzles her teats. I nursed her out but only got a few drops of colostrum which stuck to the bottom of the cup. I am hoping that with pellets, hay and warm molasses water her milk will come in and I can steal some for Larry and Lester. In the meantime, it's noon and I am wasted. I was determined to get to the post office today. Now I have to prepare to leave two bottle babies for the day on Monday. I will work on getting them on the bottle all weekend, then hang a teat bucket in the pen. I don't have the nerve to take a day off after two weeks on vacation, and I have work to do in school. Matt left to go to Louis Gale, where corn, pig mash and chicken feed is half the price of everywhere else. I think I might have one or two more ewes to deliver. Thank God Libby took all the others. She is home all day with her DVM husband. There is nothing like newborn lambs. I love the smell, the feel and the sight of them fills me with warm fuzzies. Lambs are what being a shepherd is all about. Now if I could just get some liquid cold out of those tiny little teats...