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Sage has our first concerns

2/25/2013

 
    So far it has been smooth sailing through the early births.  Today, however, that changed.  It seems that on our farm we can't prepare for bad weather anymore without at least adding in a birth to the routine.  The problem is that we waited to go check everything until two hours after our scheduled time.  You see we had to go get feed and that meant a trip to town.  When we got home the ground was wet and that made trouble for us in getting it to the barn.  We knew the Trips and Quads were warm and safe and they are getting stronger everyday.  So we worked on Storm Prep knowing that everything would be fine at the barnyard and that we could take care of things when the work was done.  Little did we know that Sage had her own Ideas.  When we finally went to do chores and make our rounds we found this. 
Picture
    Our "Concerns" turned on in a flash ... When babies start to walk hunched over it is the first sign of hypothermia.  Hypothermia is the number one killer of newborn lambs followed by a close second of starvation.  (Starvation is normally brought on by the fact that the lambs are to cold to nurse so the two go hand in hand) In older lambs Starvation is the number one killer but it can be brought on by hypothermia. 
    Anyway, as the top picture shows the lambs were showing signs of hypothermia.  So, we jumped right in.  We moved Twix in with Snickers and moved Sage into the pen Twix was in.  The only problem we had was that the wind was whipping through the pens and we couldn't get the twins warm.  The rain and wind of the storm had already begun.  We had them under a heat lamp and Mom and I were drying like crazy.  The two sweaters we had left to make lamb warmers some how got wet in all the hussle.  So we tried everything to get them warm. 
Picture
    Finally I decided it was time to end it. I looked at Mom and said we needed to get them all to the pen in the house. Mom snatched up the babies and Dad and I took Sage and we made our way inside.  Once inside you would think everything would be fine.  In a way it did great.  The lambs warmed up but we found yet another problem.  We are praying that by morning this problem will have taken care of it's self.  You see Sage's Milk hasn't dropped yet. We are praying that with the lambs nursing on her it will help it drop.  Just in case we are standing by with frozen collostrum.  We did give them part of a bottle to settle their tummies for the night.  
    After that Dad and I headed back to the barn to finish chores but instead we found Snickers trying to steal Twix's Babies.  Snickers didn't even want me bottle feeding Franklin.  She not only bit me but head butted me into a charlie horse.  At that point Dad helped me take Twix and the Trips back to her pen before I got really hurt. 
    As of right now, Momma and babies are resting well.  They are all warm and dry and safe.  Now for the low down on the babies ... We have one girl and one boy.  Mom is in love with the girl's markings.  She has a white body and black legs.  Her face is a bit of black and white and almost a grey.  I have to admit that I am just glad they are doing okay.  The male is a bit weaker but when Sage's milk comes in eveything will be fine.  
    Now, these two are pure bred Old English Southdown Babydolls, so that mean I need two Indian tribe names.  I am thinking Cheyenne will be our little girl and Ponca will be our little boy. 
Picture
Diane
2/25/2013 02:10:23 pm

So cute! I love that you have a pen in the house.

Jenny
2/25/2013 07:03:52 pm

Aren't they beautiful! I love the names you've chosen.


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