norseofcourse's journal - spring and show update

[norseofcourse]

Went out to the barn a few times last night to check Gracie - no lamb.
Got up an hour early to check - no lamb.
Used my lunch hour to come home and check - no lamb.
Came right home after work - no lamb.

Ya know, this is why I thought about starting a lambing thread, then decided not to - it would be pretty boring!

I don't have much to do this weekend (well, Equine Affaire is on, but it looks like I won't be going), so I'll be on sheep watch. If the mud dries up enough, I have plenty of outside work to do, so at least I can get that done as I keep an eye on things.

 

[hilarie]

So enjoyed your blog – I'm late to it as I work another job (as do other people on this list). My contributions tend to be in spurts. There are a lot of parallels between your Farmlife and mine; working out a lot of this as I go, and making changes according to the consequences of my mistakes my livestock of choice is goats and chickens, but anyone can relate to the down fence, especially in a summer thunderstorm when I'm supposed to be at the farmers market in half an hour. Re: the feeder question – I have probably the most unorthodox feeder and for me the most effective and satisfying. I was exasperated at the amount of hay that winds up on the floor of the goat shelters. I'm lucky enough to have a metal scrapyard in my town which allows the general public to browse around in it as long as they aren't stupid and get in the way of the big machines. I have scored two large metal dog crates which I put in the goat pens elevated on two by fours, and they are the best hay feeders. The goats can pull small amounts of hay out without dumping most of it on the ground and ruining it. I did have to take a wire cutter to some of the segments to make a 4 x 4 opening on three sides, but it was easy. Presto: for $5 I had a goat feeder which has lasted about two years. One of them is pretty shot and needs replacement, but the other is doing great, and it's easy to fill through the door the dog usually enters through.

 

[hilarie]

Parsnip – I have a goat who eats through her entire labor. Violet couldn't get enough hay last year when she birthed. She's the low goat on the totem pole, so maybe she decided food availability trumped everything else.

 

[norseofcourse]

hilarie - that's a clever idea for a hay feeder! And thanks for your kind comments

 

[Parsnip]

Parsnip – I have a goat who eats through her entire labor. Violet couldn't get enough hay last year when she birthed. She's the low goat on the totem pole, so maybe she decided food availability trumped everything else.

Haha!
Both my mother/daughter duo that lambed are the top ewes in the flock.
Their word is LAW I guess lol.
Grain is obviously one of the most important things in their lives!

 

[norseofcourse]

Still waiting. Gracie's tail ligaments are even more relaxed now, and she passed a little more mucous this evening. Last night i dreamed she gave birth, ignored the babies, and the second one was born still in the sack but it was alive and I had to save it. And it was brown...

Brosa isn't quite as close yet. Her udder is still developing slowly, her tail ligaments aren't very relaxed yet either.

The little mini mare had an incident Friday - I came home from work and some of the fencing was all wonky. It appears she got tangled in the electric rope - my guess is she laid down and rolled too close to it, and rolled into it. Two t-posts were leaning from being pulled on, and one plastic step-in post was entirely pulled out. Poor little mare... she was favoring one back leg, but still able to put full weight on it. The other back leg might have been a little sore, too. She let me pick up her right hind and I got a good look and didn't see any abrasions or anything, but then she got ticked at me and took off, aiming a kick at me with both hind legs (I should have had a lead rope on her). She was a bit... subdued the rest of the day, and she and Prince spent a long time together at the gate to her paddock, it was so cute, like he was consoling her. She is doing fine today.

I went and checked out someone's hay and will be getting 60 bales tomorrow, hopefully more than enough to get me through till this years hay starts getting harvested. I don't have storage space for enough hay for a full year, and with adding another mini, that's become more of a concern. I may try to find someone who will let me buy an extra 100 bales in the fall, and let me wait to pick it up till I have room.

I'll probably head out to check on Gracie once or twice tonight - hope she has her lamb soon!

 

[luvmypets]

We all hope everyone lambs soon lol. Mammy is seriously as wide as a bus. Everyday she drops more and her belly pushes out.

 

[norseofcourse]

I think Gracie's labor has started

 

[norseofcourse]

Twins! Black and white, and solid black, both boys it looks like. Normal births, first one up and nursing fast, second one up fast but took forever to figure out where/how to nurse - but once he did, he didn't want to stop! lol
Still waiting on Gracie to pass the placenta. She's penned in the barn run-in because Rose really wants those lambs!
Pictures soon...

 

[hilarie]