Gained a Lamb & Lost a Lamb
Yesterday we gained a new lamb and lost a lamb. When I went out in the morning I found "Sparkle" frozen dead. It was a very cold night because that morning we had no water at all because the pipes were frozen. Sparkle's mum (Original Mum) did not keep her warm enough. The other lambs were fine, even the tiny twins. While I was standing with her debating whether to leave the lamb there for a while so that her mum could be with her for a bit longer, Tabby (one of our cats) came too close to investigate and she charged him and head butted him. She was okay with me though. I picked her up and took her out of the paddock and her mum let me do it.
Little Sparkle was beautiful, she was white as white and her fleece, what little there was of it, was glossy ... she would have been beautiful. Because I had to go to work I put her in a feed bag under some corrugated iron to be buried in the afternoon.
While I was at work Steve's girlfriend rang when they got home after school to tell me that another sheep had a lamb (she rang to tell me this to cheer me up). Also, knowing how upset I was, Steven buried Sparkle for me. He is very sweet and understanding sometimes.
When I came home I visited them again and saw that "Flystrike" was the ewe who had lambed that day. All the lambs seem to be getting stronger each day, jumping around after their mothers. The mums are very protective and won't let me too close, although I can get closer than Steve. It panics them when someone else comes into their paddock.
I have included a picture of "Big Baby" and her twins. I haven't taken a photo of "Flystrike" yet, maybe tomorrow. "Ebony" is due any day now ... I thought she would be first. I do hope she doesn't have any problems, she seems very heavy ... maybe twins.