Lambing Season Begins Slowly

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I anticipate an overwhelming number of lambs in a short period because 11 ewes have due dates of February 28. Those rams were busy 148 days ago. I find that 148 days is my average gestation for my ewes. But there was a surprise seven days early on February 21.

Jacob ewe and newborn lamb.

This is a lilac colored ewe, Foxy. She lambed outside the barn, but I brought her and the lamb in as soon as I saw them.

The weather has been colder than usual for our area so I was glad that the lamb nursed well fairly quickly. I never go in until I see that lambs are nursing.

Jacob lamb and Border Collie.

This photo is the next day. Ginny doesn’t usually get so close to the lambing pens because she knows that the ewes get aggressive.

New Jacob lamb.

Foxy was bred to a lilac ram, Axis so the lamb is also lilac although that is difficult to see in any of these photos. We’ll need daylight for that.

Pregnant Jacob ewes at feeders in barn.

This is the rest of the ewes, most of whom are pregnant and due within a month.

The 2021 lambing chart in the barn.

This is last year’s lambing board. I erased this so I could start over.

Dressed in wool hat, sweater, and dickie before heading outside in the cold.

This is a not-very-flattering photo of me, but it shows how I am getting ready to go out. Jacob wool sweater made by a friend, Jacob wool dickie made by another, and a wool hat that a friend gave me. A heavy jacket will complete the ensemble. I’m standing at my computer now and still wearing all the wool.