A New Generation...

Welcome, Edwin, Monica's first lamb!

Morning comes early here, especially during lambing season. Barn check is at 6am...typically about the time my Soays lamb. Thursday morning tempted me to stay in bed later, with snow beginning to fall, and the fire in the furnace having gone out in the middle of the night - leaving the air in the house brisk. The bed was so warm and comfortable...but not comfortable enough to risk losing a lamb.

I put the coffee on and bundled up for the barn, tucking a breakfast cookie in my pocket in case I was delayed by what I found. The sheep were anticipating my visit, and began their usual bawling as soon as they heard my feet on the gravel drive. I heard no nickering, so if any were to be born today, they hadn't arrived as yet. I waded through the mob of mothers-to-be clamoring for a tidbit, checked Aurora and Eclipse, who has begun leaping, dancing and climbing, Stellar and her wide-eyed twins, and in the last occupied jug, little Monica, our yearling. Monica was clearly in labor, and bewildered, despite having witnessed two lambings already.

So as not to distress her, I went back up to the house to get a thermos of coffee, put breakfast on the table for the family, and arrived back in the barn just in time to find her cleaning her newborn. She had gotten a good start, but it was in the 20's and beginning to snow. She wasn't quite as efficient as her lamb needed her to be in this unseasonable weather, and I couldn't bear losing another lamb to exposure.

I took a towel and assisted her in the drying and warming, for which she seemed grateful. She was eager to claim him, and cleaned him with enthusiasm. In fact each time we got him dry, she would lick him wet again. The cleaning was a task she enjoyed, though only half of what she was expected to do. The most critical need was to nurse, to warm him from the inside out, and that was something she preferred not to do.

Having experienced labor, and the passing of a wet wriggling thing, was freakish enough for her, without having her udder being manipulated as well, and all of the sensations that entailed. She wanted nothing to do with it and decided the best course of action was to commence to cleaning him again. Without nursing, the lamb would lose strength and vigor, and soon would be unable to accomplish the task. With assistance and coaching, Edwin soon had his first meal and was ready to sleep. Monica, wanting to return to a sense of normalcy, went for the feeder and left him in my care to sleep off his first snack.

She was quick to notice his absence though, and in the picture above, returns to claim and clean him again. I made hourly checks thoughout the day, and before long, they had accomplished nursing on their own, though awkwardly, with Monica squatting and lifting her leg to minimize the contact Edwin made. Many times I found them snuggled together, Monica alert and watchful, clearly content with her new charge.