[Jacob-list] nursing, worming, and musing

[Gillian Fuqua]

	I watch my nursing lamb for pooping and peeing, I used to check my 
daughter's diaper because I was convinced she wasn't nursing well 
enough.
	On your sheep Kelley, here's what I am thinking.  Your whole flock has 
been through a great deal in the past 12 months.  What you may have is 
some seriously stressed out animals.  I also think that sometimes less 
intervention is better.  Animals pick up on our anxiety and that 
stresses them out as well.  If you've ever dealt with horses you know 
that they get really torqued when you are and when they outweigh you by 
1000 pounds, calm is in order.  I think the same is true with most 
other animals, as well as kids (the clinical social worker who supports 
the shepherd shows through).  What I would do is less.  Take some deep 
breaths before you go to the barn and go about business as usual.  Look 
for signs of health rather than pathology and that will help you 
refocus.  I think that also deciding how much you want to do before you 
decide that you have done your best.  At the risk of sounding 
heartless, some of your flock might not survive all the stress. You 
might also want to try some lamb starter pellets for weight gain.  I 
have a very timid yearling who was skeletal upon shearing because she 
eats slowly and gets beat up.  I put her on the organic pellets and she 
is much improved after 10 days.
	Having said all this, I am not a very experienced shepherdess.  Lots 
of years with really disturbed kids has made me ultra aware of two 
things: 1. that my own calm does more good than a lot of treatment does 
and 2. that I can't help everyone.  I would be curious what other folks 
think.  I wish you, Kelley, the best of luck.

Gillian