Thursday, April 23, 2009

More animal troubles here at Schoonover farm

So we made it through the night and the surviving ewe lambs are doing well- nursing off their mother.  Tom had checked on Shortcake, the smallest of Saphie's quads, with the early morning barn check, and he said she was up and around, doing well.  I had been worrying about her since she was the smallest of the quads, and I did not think when they were born that Saphie would have enough milk for all four of them.  I fed her a bottle yesterday just because her stomach was not quite as full as the others, and she was a little hunched looking.  When we went to feed animals this morning I found her curled up like usual, but she did not get up to come for grain.  In fact she could not stand at all, and her stomach was quite thin.  So I scooped her up and took her into the house.  We had brought Pee Wee out for her daily goat visit (although she does not seem to like it- does not cuddle or play with the other goats).  Right when I found Shortcake, Pee Wee decided to jump in the water container and soak herself.  So I ran off with Shortcake while Tom tried to dry and warm Pee Wee.  Shortcake was cold.  I was able to feed her some milk, then warm her in the dryer (not running!) and then finish feeding her.  She was still cool, and Tom then came in with still shivering Pee Wee.  He could not get her warm again inside his coat.  So they both went into the pre-warm dryer for a little sauna session.  Now they are both in the house with diapers on.  Pee Wee is fine, running laps and performing acrobatic jumps, but Shortcake is still having troubles staying warm- she's in the 80 degree bathroom now and still looks a little hunched.  She's crying for her mother too:

So it is looking like we will have two bottle babies to feed.  So Tom went out to run errands and I asked for goat milk.  I meanwhile tried to milk all the does who have only 1- 2 kids.  My Udderly EZ milker gave up the ghost because it got caked in colostrum earlier, and I had forgot you are not supposed to put it in water to clean it.  So I got to try to hand milk three very uncooperative does- one 10 year old Nigerian doe, one Angora doe and a Pygmy doe- none of which are great milk producers.  After all of this I got maybe 1/2 cup of goat milk:
So I called Tom back and asked for A LOT of goat milk.  In addition Patches escaped from her hog panel enclosure leaving her four kids behind.  So I let all the lambs out of their pens except Jenny's and moved Patches and her kids into one of the pens.  She should stay put in there.  The lambs enjoyed their first taste of freedom,
their first try at the hay feeder,
to look to their mothers in a scary world,
to check out tires,
to eat grass,

and get totally wore out in the process.
I did find some time to check out my newest lamb in the sunlight.  Introducing Jemima.  She is one of Jenny's triplets, but she has appears to be a mioget katmoget ewe lamb.  I am so excited to have this color and pattern combinations!  I am also thrilled to finally be able to name a lamb Jemima- I have been wanting to since I met a wonderful ewe named Jemima at Amy Hauser's place when I bought my first Shetland sheep.  I was wanting Shetland sheep, and Jemima was a large cross bred ewe, but she had lovely wool and a wonderful deep voice.  Plus I always thought it was a great sheep name.  So now I have my very own Jemima!


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