Introducing:

Rex Dino (in back) & Lambert (in front), our newest babies on the farm. They were born late afternoon/early evening on Sunday. It was a VERY rainy day & that made the entire experience a bit interesting. Husband went out to check on Janet (the proud Mama) & discovered she had very recently delivered two ram lambs (sing it, Zann!). One was happy, healthy, and stumbling around on scrawny little legs. The other was a bit chilled & not standing up on his own. Lamb #1 (Rex) nursed happily (if a bit stupidly, lambs often need to be shown where to nurse). Lamb #2 (Lambert) laid on the straw & did nothing.

Eventually Husband decided we needed to intervene. Lambs have a brief window when their intestinal tracks can absorb the larger particles that make up colostrum (the first milk a mother produces). After about 16 hours, it's useless to try to get them to take it because they can't digest it. They desperately need the colostrum because of the antibodies it contains. We had a bag of colostrum frozen from the first lamb we had (she didn't survive). I thawed it & warmed it & put it in the bottle. Husband fed it to Lambert & after that he perked up a bit. The next two times Husband tried to bottle feed him, he refused so we left him to nurse.

We weren't sure if he'd make it for the first few days. He didn't nurse for long periods of time & seemed weaker than his brother. But now he's up & playing & nursing like a pro. I think he's good to go...and I think he's as cute as a button.

Rex Dino (above), the older, stronger brother is now the property of B.B. B.B. is a very proud father & is much happier now that he has his very own boy sheep just like his big brother. Bitsy gets to lay claim to Lambert. She likes to watch him just as long as his Mama keeps quiet. As soon as Janet starts to bleat at her lambs, Bitsy gets very upset & we have to go look at something else in the yard.

Often times that something else is our new pig, Oreo. I'm having issues with Oreo. She wants to be loved on. We've never had a pig that wanted to be loved on before. I'm not sure I'll be able to eat something I've spent afternoons petting & chatting with....but then the smell of frying bacon may just overcome that.