More lambs

It happens at some point during the lambing season. I've lost count of how many lambs there are. Yesterday, there was a set of triplets and twins born. A 3-year old, part Dorper ewe, #550, greeted me in the morning with two rams and a ewe. The ewe lamb is the smallest and sometimes its mother will not let her nurse. I held 550 for awhile last night (she fought me the whole time) to let the little one nurse, but other times, I see it nursing on its own. I'll keep an eye on it.

Yesterday during feeding, a 4-year old ewe that I call "Pretty" (#461) gave birth to twin ewe lambs. Of course, she ate her grain first. She didn't want to miss a meal. I decided that she is a good, but lazy mother. She stayed down after the lambs were born. Did most of her licking from the prone position. When she got up, the lambs nursed right away. They are strong, nice-looking lambs. They are sired by Bull's Eye and have about 8% Dorper in them. I'll probably keep one for breeding. Hopefully, one will be RR.

Late last night, (early this a.m), another set of triplets was born. Two ewes and a ram from #13, last year's top performing ewe (pounds of lamb weaned). She is seven years old. I was there when the first lamb was born. It was up in about 20 seconds. It was the most active newborn lamb I've ever seen. It's mother had to follow it to lick it. I had to get it out of two pens that it managed to slip through during its travels. 13 was in no hurry to have any more lambs so I went to bed.

The next morning I found one of the lambs on its side, kicking in place. The ram lamb. He does not have use of his hind legs. They are floppy. His belly also seems to be swelled. Obviously, he did not get any colostrum during the night. He has a good appetite and I have been feeding him colostrum with a bottle, a few ounces every few hours. He's a tough little guy, always struggling to get up. I don't know what will become of him. Sheep need use of all their legs.

Two days ago, the matriarch, #92, gave birth to a split set of twins. #652, a 2-year old ewe, had twins ewe lambs on the same day. She is RR and bred to Snow Wolf, so both ewe lambs are RR. Yesterday, I put 92, 652, Darby, and 308 (the ewe that I treated for mastitis) in a mixing pen with their lambs. This is the first chance the lambs get to romp and play and make lamb friends.