[Jacob-list] Its the simple things in life!! old ewes.

[Linda]

Thanks for sharing such a good story! 
When I first had sheep, I remember hearing the old saws "sheep are just animals looking for a place to die" "a down sheep is a dead sheep".  Jacobs primitive nature keeps them fighting to survive.  They don't just lie down and die.  They've got something between their ears besides air.

RubyBelle, age 13, delivered healthy twins on Monday - 6 lbs each!  Anyone that talks to me about my flock for more than a minute knows that RubyBelle is special to me. (thanks, Patrice for selling her to me :-)  and to Craft's for breeding her). While I don't plan to breed 12 year old ewes as a general practice (and RubyBelle has earned her retirement), the fact that her line can do it shows the longevity of her line.  Although, I don't think anyone can beat Cathy's Lady Jane!

What's the oldest anyone has had ewes lamb?  We had this conversation 5 or so years ago and I think I remember one farm had a 14 year old and another a 17 year old? 

Linda
 
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn


> Once again I am reminded its the simple things in life that I find

> rewarding.   Yesterday morning I went out to feed the ewes and

> Jacobs Ladder Maizie was standing there with a nose, no feet, just

> a nose visible from her posterior!  I hate that sight, especially

> on a 12 year old ewe.   She did not seem in distress so I opted to

> feed the rest of the ewes first, mostly to quiet them down so I

> could think!   By the time I got back to her, the lamb had just

> slid out.  Gees, it was the smallest lamb I have ever seen!  It was

> breathing but just laid there.  To make a long story shorter, it

> was too small and weak to even lift its head.   We milked out 

> colostrum and tubed it.  Did the same thing two hours later.   On

> the third feeding I tried the bottle.  Lamb is still laying out

> flat.  The hole in this bottle nipple is so big the milk just drips

> out.  The lamb either swallows or the milk runs out the sides of

> its mouth.   Luckily it swallowed.  Kept doing this throughout the

> day with no noticeable improvement.  Maizie is being a very

> attentive mom all the while.    At the 9 and 11pm "feedings" the

> lamb did not noticeably swallow.  Depressing!  I went to bed 

> knowing what I'd find this morning.   Didn't even bother to get up

> during the night.   I dreaded going to the barn this morning.  

> Lambs that are not breathing are not my favorite things to see. 

>

> I took a box with me to put the body in.   I walked in the barn and

> after a bit of hesitation, finally decided to look in Maizie's pen. 

>  Lo and behold the lamb was sitting up.  Couldn't stand but at

> least he ws sitting up.  Did I ever feel guilty for not going out

> during the night to feed.   So I hurried back in the house to get

> some milk.  He actually was glad for it.   15 minutes later he

> managed to stand, allbeit leaning against the wall.  Eventually

> took a few wabbly steps away from the wall.  This was the best

> moment of the whole lambing season, maybe of all lambing seasons.  

> I had to leave for several hours and decided mother nature knew

> more about this than I so off I went,  wondering all the time how

> the lamb was doing.   When I got back I hurried to the  barn to see

> what was happening.   There was the little 3 pound lamb standing,

> AND nursing!     What a sight!  I am sure this all had more to do 

> with the hardiness of Jacobs rather than anything the shepherd did. 

>  In fact, in retrospect, I think I probably fed it too much.  No

> wonder it didn't suck at 9 and 11! 

>

> The small wight is no reflection on the Jacobs Ladder ewes.  Later

> in the day Jacobs Ladder Maple delived twin 4 horned rams, weighing

> 6.5 and 9 poounds.   Two more adult ewes and four yearlings to lamb

> yet.  I am already thinking about which rams to  put with which

> ewes next fall!!!!

> Royal

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