Farm | Reflecting on Our First Lambing Season
Our first lambing season
a season of learning
I learned a LOT this lambing season. I had never witnessed a lamb birth, or a birth of any animal for that matter, prior to welcoming these babies home. I was a typical mama and worried about them, did everything I knew to do to care for them and enjoyed how quickly they began to grow. I'm thankful for our eight healthy, spunky and sweet lambs that are making me smile each day.
It's rather funny really that I only witnessed the birth of two lambs when I spent an entire week on the homestead waiting and watching for them. I guess I wasn't needed as much as I'd thought.
Everyone was healthy except for Clyde who was born on a cold day and ended up with pneumonia. So, I can check off my first vet visit with a baby lamb (I enjoyed the snuggles at the vet more than he did). He recovered quickly and is the largest of the Homestead lambs.
I owe a ton of thanks to the incredible vets at Country View Equine who answered a plethora of questions. I also owe a HUGE thank you to my cousin Sarah joined me at the farm for a few evenings to teach me banding and tagging. In a couple years I'll be a professional at this right?
personal reflections
1. Making cute lamb jackets was a complete waste of time, the mamas tore them off and a couple of the lambs were too big for them. A simple sheet of fleece with leg holes worked much better.... but definitely not picture worthy.
2. Even when I thought I'd need to assist a ewe, she had it perfectly under control, next season I need to trust they've got it.
3. There isn't anything much cuter than a lamb learning to be mischievous, I'm looking at Cain as I write this...
introducing Homestead's eight
Cain
Clyde
Clark
Calvin
Eva (named after my great grandmother)
Elsie
Emma
Ellie
they really do grow too fast
I'm still blown away by how quickly these little ones learn to walk, hop and play. Each lamb was trying to stand within minutes of being born and was up walking around and feeding within an hour. Now approximately two weeks old and they're showing off their high jumps.
I promised some video this season so here it is, my favorite part of these littles is watching them play.
I'm learning to be flexible
This lambing season I learned I'm going to have to be flexible (five of our eight lambs were born within 24 hours and we had to make-shift lambing pens for them) and learned I shouldn't worry so much. I'm grateful for an easy first lambing season and look forward to watching these babies grow.
