Ginger & Adonis

I’ve been waiting to post something until I had something to post. Well here we are! Ginger *finally* gave birth yesterday. The first lamb that Ginger delivered was stillborn. It was a little ewe, black & white with a badger face, like our Anemarie. We had hoped for one with this coloring. Sadly, the little ewe had malformations of the face and neck, and would not have survived. Ginger was quite distraught and worked so hard to get that baby moving and breathing, but it just didn’t happen. Ginger’s belly was so large I was quite sure there was at least one more lamb in there, and we needed to focus on the second one’s delivery. I called a friend to help. I gloved up and went in to find a heinie & then called the vet, who was in the middle of a procedure at her office. I felt further in to locate haunches & worked towards the back feet (which were extended forward), and pulled them out (not an easy task as the little twerp kept pulling them away). The feet were upside down. So the baby needed rotated and I did the best I could. I think we got about 1/4 turn. With Ginger pushing, a friend holding, and me pulling with every muscle in my body, no way was that baby coming out. I called the vet’s office again, and she pulled up just as I was talking to staff there. It took the vet about three minutes once she got in, to get the little guy out. He was quite flaccid & not breathing when he came out. The vet held him upside down & swung him side to side to get the fluid out of his lungs. With Ginger licking & me tickling his nose with a bit of straw, he began breathing & moving. He came around gradually and within about an hour, was trying to stand up (truly amazing, considering all the pulling on his hind legs). We are very thankful that we have a handsome little ram now, that we are calling “Adonis” (Don for short). The stillborn was over 12 pounds. Don - I’m not sure, as I haven’t taken him out for a weight yet.


We have one more ewe that has not delivered yet. Pebbles was bred by the same ram, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for healthy lamb(s). She’s not nearly as wide as Ginger was, so maybe there’s only one in there. Hope this one isn’t backwards & upside down.

In more playful moments in the barnyard, Anemarie likes to swipe my hat right off my head. So I put it on her head & took this photo. She’s a silly girl. Helena (our chocolate colored girl) likes to nibble on my buttons. They’re full of personality & mischief.

Oh, and the other thing going on here is that Angus picked up fleas. Where? Not a clue, as he’s an indoor cat. Anyway, he earned himself a flea bath, and was *not* amused.