Yesterday we had a set of twins born round 8:00PM…The Katahdin ewe had her first lambs. The large lamb was black and white. The tiny and I do mean tiny think smaller than a 4 week old puppy…has a reddish brown collar and is speckled red on white! But oh so tiny!
Les and I arrived home and checked the sheep in the barn and sure enough there they were just born and in with all the ewes about to have lambs anytime now. I really do not think the young ewe knew she had lambs! We moved her to a stall by herself with the two lambs. She took to the larger lamb and rejected the small one. (I have heard they will choose on size and color) I don’t know her reasons …But I had her in a small jug (4 feet x 4 feet) and hoped she would take the other lamb. I left her alone to bond for a while and when I returned to check on them… the small lamb was bloody! She had rammed it into the wall and thus weakened it. Before this… in spite of its size it was quite strong.
I raise sheep and do not do bottle babies! Nor do I bring them inside my home. (old school I guess) BUT…I felt sort of bad for the little fellow. So I brought him to the house to the mud room! Warmed him up and fixed some commercially prepared colostrum that I had for such an occasion…I knew that in the next few days most of my ewes will lamb and likely if I could get this little fellow to make it till one did I could graft it on to the ewe.
Problem was he needed some “mothering up” licking and care…(NO I was not going to do that!) So I asked Abilene if she would. One small weak “bah” and Abilene said “Give him to me he is mine!” She took that lamb and took care of him as if he were her puppy! (No milk but if she had any she would have nursed him) She kept him warm and as I fed him thru the night she licked him to encourage him to take the bottle! (without her doing this he would not take the bottle) We made it through the night and late this evening Abilene still taking care of the lamb! By now he was much stronger still tiny! One of my ewes had triplets!
So I rubbed the little lamb in their after birth and so far the lamb is nursing and the ewe with the triplets is accepting him!!!!
I am praying she will take him and raise him too! She has lots of milk and doesn’t seem to notice!
Abilene has been the most amazing mother to her puppies thru the years! But now latter in her life she has a new job! Mothering orphaned lambs!
The care and concern she shows…the care she has taken of this little orphan lamb is amazing! What a fine fine fine dog she is. She “takes my breath away” with her goodness and care. What a dog! What an amazing breed the English Shepherd is …this is beyond any words I have to express what I have witnessed and seen over the last 24 hours…yes there are tears. and my heart is full of admiration for this wonderful dog…I call Abilene…
2 comments
Hey, Kay,
Abilene rocks. What a wonderful experience for her and for you! Hope that little guy makes it. How is Les doing?
Think about you guys lots! Stryder is doing well although in the teenage stage which can drive me crazy. When we are walking outside off leash, he tries his best to herd me, circling with his earth shattering herding barking. Tried standing still and takes him a LOOONG time before he gets bored. He also tries to encourage me to move nipping at my calves – no biting, just a small pinch. I tried throwing down a penny can but he just thought that was cool and made it even more fun. Ordering a can of Pet Corrector, after talking to Laree. On leash he is fine. Also, I have learned that he likes to retrieve a stick more than trying to herd me most times so when he does, I throw a stick for him. He is getting a good recall which I am happy with and he is the sweetest puppy I have ever had. We had him signed up for an obedience class in Asheville ( would love to get him into some herding after his basic commands are more solid), but then my dad had to go to the hospital again, so hopefully will get him in in March. Also the weather should be better as we have had snow more than not for the last month so a lot of times the roads are not the best at night when the class is.
Styrder says to tell his daddy HI!
Wow! That it is a special story. Annie took care of a kitten last year and it reminds me of that. She must take after her grandma!