Wednesday 30 March 2011

Lambing at last!

After spending my annual couple of weeks staring at the ewes and scrutinizing belly and udder size and shape, they have finally tired of my fence-side presence and decided to put me out of my misery.
First to go was Geherda, which was funny because Chris and I had been so convinced that Rosy or Girlsta must pop at any moment that we hadn't really given anyone else a second look until the night before when I pointed out Geherda and said, "I'll bet she's about to lamb and has been laughing at us staring at the backsides of those two!"
Geherda had a stunning little tup lamb whom (who, whom?) we have named Biff in honour of of friend's Spence an Lottie's new baby of the same name. He is a gorgeous little chap and always looks as though he's smiling.

No sooner had we got Geherda food and water and made sure that Biff was feeding happily, then Kate proceeded to lamb in the middle of the field. I had nipped out and so Chris had to come to the rescue as the other expectant mothers in the field gathered around and tried to steal the twins.
These little beauties are Blitzen and Belingi! Blitzen is the little dark grey lamb with the lightening mark down his shoulder.
Belingi is the grey katmoget, at least I think he will be grey katmoget as the eye stripes etc are black but he has a lot of the brown pigment.
Belingi is so named because when Chris and I are driving about and I point out all of the different sheep breeds in the fields, he tells me that I am making up the names and merrily points at a sheep saying "oh look, there's a belingi!" Belingi the lamb (not the breed!) is a very bold little chap who loves Chris and comes running for cuddles in the field. Probably not a good thing for a tup!
After a 24 hour break, Rosie went into labour and we prepared ourselves for possible triplets since she was so huge. Labour went on and on into the night, but there was no distress and the water bag hadn't appeared. At last at 3am, when I was asleep in the stable and Chris was on watch, Rosie had two enormous ewe lambs.
They are little stunners with really fine fleeces. Bernadette is the dark grey katmoget and Beatrix is the grey ilget katmoget.
Just in time for Chris to be able to watch the football match last night, Gletness had a set of tiny but healthy twins right in the middle of a rain storm. These two aren't even named yet but the little tup is the grey krunet katmoget and the ewe is the flashy little lady.
Only 5 more to lamb now :o)

9 comments:

Nancy K. said...

wow! that was fast.
congratulations on healthy ewes and lambs! they look gorgeous.

stephen rouse said...

Incredibly beautiful lambs! Fleeces look so even and fine! And spots are my all-time favorites! :-)

Michelle said...

My two ewes are at 151 days today and look no closer to lambing than they did two weeks ago - ARG!!! I sure I hope I get some nice ewe lambs out of all this hand-wringing; yours are gorgeous!

Jenny Holden said...

Thanks very much, I'm really happy with them. That waiting game is terrible isn't it? Hope all goes well with all of yours folks x

FeltersJourney said...

Your lambs are absoltely gorgeous Jenny! As are their mums. You are going to have lots of lovely fleeces - I LOVE Shetlands.

Carol said...

They are adorable..all of them..I didn't know Ewes would steal others lambs..very interesting.

Carol said...

What is a "Tup Lamb"...why shouldn't it want to be cuddled.

Jenny Holden said...

Thanks FJ!

Carol, "tup" is the Cumbrian word for a ram. We try not to make pets of them generally because they become aggressive as adults if they have no fear of people! Glad you like them ;o)

Kelly said...

What beautiful lambs.....I enjoyed every single picture.