Monday night I made a mistake, well, sort-of. I had two remaining pregnant Shetland ewes, mother and daughter, (from a total of five) still waiting to lamb. Serendipity (aka Sara) and her daughter, Mystique, a first-time mama.
Just so you know, my Shetland sheep basically live in the field/pasture year-round, with modest housing accommodations consisting of several shed-style shelters. As in prior years, I like to bring them into the barn/lambing jug under my watchful eye for safekeeping, privacy… and for any birthing assistance that may be required. Mama and lambs usually remain in closed quarters – that is, in the lambing jug – for several days before they resume total freedom back in the pasture.
Apparently, I brought the ‘wrong’ pregnant ewe into the barn/lambing jug Monday night, past. Early Tuesday morning (at 4 a.m. when I do Round #1 chores), I was greeted by two new lambs IN THE FIELD. Mystique, first-time mama, had already given birth to twin ram lambs. They were dried-off and getting around on their own… presumably already having suckled from mama! I immediately shuffled mama and lambs into a barn stall where they could enjoy a well-deserved rest! Thankfully, all ended well!!???
Meanwhile, Sara, who was in the barn (from the night before), was fine at 4 a.m., displaying no impending birthing behavior! However, when I went out to fetch Coriander (my dairy goat) for 6 a.m. milking (Round #2 of chores), Sara had already given birth to twin lambs: one ewe and one ram lamb.
I guess mama didn’t want to be upstaged by her daughter!
And so the saying goes, all’s well that ends well!! That concludes our lambing season!!! YAY!!
Wonderful 🙂
x
Thankfully all went very well [lambing and kidding-wise], and now I can hopefully get back to my ‘routine’! heehee
They are super cute!
Thanks… lots of brown(moorit) and black lambs this year!
awww, so cute!
Thanks! All ‘babies’ are such bundles of joy! I can’t seem to get any work done lately!!! 🙂
yeah, I bet! they are so un to watch and play with.
Just love seeing the baby lambs. Glad all went well.
Oh, they are so adorable and very comical to watch in the field. Have you ever been ‘swarmed’ by lambs? 🙂
They are too cute!! I’m glad everything went well for both of them!
Thanks! Everyone is doing well, gaining weight and growing leaps and bounds!