It is Raining Lambs

Dave was greeted by a second set of triplets yesterday morning, again two female and one male.  He decided to send the two male of each set to be bottle fed so the mums had a good chance of rearing the ewes.  The girls at Windsor Farm (affectionately known as Rock Farm) have had great success with bottle fed lambs and these two will soon be joined by Walter, their Dad as we move him on to join that flock.

Another set of triplets.

Twins arrived this morning, both healthy and strong. Dave ringed all their tails and sent them on out to pasture in the spring sunshine.

Healthy twins

But it was not all good news.  Dave found Blossom in the field beside one of her lambs which had died in the night.  It appears that, with forty acres of field  space, Blossom had lain on her.  Both sheep who have done this have very heavy coats.  Perhaps they cannot feel the lambs under them, particularly when they are small.  

Lambs often sleep on top of their mums for warmth but tend to lie away from them as they get older.  It is amazing to see how much cold and wet these little creatures can survive with such a relatively thin coat.

  Dave ringing tails

There are only two ewes left that have not lambed.  We suspect one of them was never bred.  She might surprise us but she is very small for a pregnant sheep.  It will be good to have the process finished and not have to worry about the difficulties of birthing and be able to just enjoy watching the lambs play in the field.