Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Latest Member of the Singles Club

Finally, photos of the new little fella. He's doing just fine but we're in for some rain so he and Kayla will have the shelter all to themselves. As long as everything goes well, they can join the rest of the flock late tomorrow. Below you'll see Kayla with last year's grey katmoget boy in the background.














Monday, April 13, 2009

Lambing Finale - Singles Only

Kayla has been hanging out solo all week and begging for extra rations. Finally, today while the boys were napping and I was working, about 3:45 pm, I heard one of our white does bleating and went to go check on her. Well, she was talking to someone. It was Kayla in the adjoining pasture!

She went to the shelter and was in labor. All the Highlands were standing around watching her...no pressure, right!? Right as I walked up, she delivered a white or very light grey ram lamb with a black spot on his hip, a medium grey ring around his neck, and silver flecking on his head. He was already trying to nurse but Kayla was more interested in cleaning him up.

Pictures tomorrow when all are settled. So I got all interested parties out of the way, put 2 closing panels on the entry and exit, and got her personal water, hay and a bit of grain. He's beautiful and already a sweetie. I'll visit later tonight after our boys are asleep to give him a couple of squirts of drench to help keep him perky through the night.

Our next to deliver is Hot Cocoa, our black doe, in mid-May and then Hot Shot, the highland cow, should have a new calf come late summer. Cocoa is starting to shed her light brown cashmere and Flicker is shedding her white cashmere so I'm anxious to have a chance to comb them.

Now we can focus on watching all the young 'uns grow, attempting to get a garden in without the boys trampling it all, building a run-in shed, and doing some more fencing. In between all the appraisal work created by everyone refinancing, that is!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Highland Hoop Time










After escorting Eve and her lamb to the shelter on day 2, bringing the lamb back in 3 times, and staying for about 15 minutes with the goats and ram present, she decided it was safe and they have visited there frequently for shade and naps. Little heifer calf was napping in there Tuesday morning which totally alarmed our Vizsla and Samoyed. She's about their size.
Weather is pleasant so haven't had to escort Martina and her new ewe lamb to the hut yet. At last check, lambs were laying on the back side of moms from any cool breezes.
Eve's lamb goes airborne when leaping on our hills and is a blaze running already. Tried to get a photo but Eve cunningly blocked me every time.