Diana'Easter' the Orphan Lamb
March 23rd 2008 11:27
Er, um, I don't know how to tell you this, but we have succumbed to the pleading from our children and brought a wretched orphaned lamb home to bottle feed and try to keep alive.
Last night one of the ewes gave birth in the yards, but this morning the lamb was alone and despite being surrounded by 400 potential mothers, no-one stepped forward to claim their baby.
Sometimes with so many sheep milling around together, mixed in with rams and stuff it is difficult to join mothers and babies up.
We waited all day and kept an eye on things as we worked marking, tagging and drenching but as the sun started to go down and the night air grew chill it was obvious none of the ladies were feeeling particularly responsible for the piteous mewing little bundle.
The four kids, (they're all so goddam clucky!) fed up with watching the tiny shape be butted and trampled, eventually ignored our warnings not to touch it and ran forward to pick it up. Placing it in a chaff bag it was loaded with the horses and dog and brought down to the house.
We dropped in to our nearest neighbour who luckily had some left-over colustrum replacer and a teat (plus a few dry comments about the wiseness of such a path!) and 'Easter'. as he is now christened, has drained back one full feed already!
It is a dicey business though, raising lambs, as you probably know, so fingers crossed he survives.
More later.
Last night one of the ewes gave birth in the yards, but this morning the lamb was alone and despite being surrounded by 400 potential mothers, no-one stepped forward to claim their baby.
Sometimes with so many sheep milling around together, mixed in with rams and stuff it is difficult to join mothers and babies up.
We waited all day and kept an eye on things as we worked marking, tagging and drenching but as the sun started to go down and the night air grew chill it was obvious none of the ladies were feeeling particularly responsible for the piteous mewing little bundle.
The four kids, (they're all so goddam clucky!) fed up with watching the tiny shape be butted and trampled, eventually ignored our warnings not to touch it and ran forward to pick it up. Placing it in a chaff bag it was loaded with the horses and dog and brought down to the house.
We dropped in to our nearest neighbour who luckily had some left-over colustrum replacer and a teat (plus a few dry comments about the wiseness of such a path!) and 'Easter'. as he is now christened, has drained back one full feed already!
It is a dicey business though, raising lambs, as you probably know, so fingers crossed he survives.
More later.
| 27 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
