Rural Gardening: First lambs of 2010, 1 by DrDoolotz

DrDoolotz wrote:
I told my secretary she could name a lamb this year. The bigger one is therefore named Tululu. Don't even ask. Pronounced toolooloo.

The little one is probably being named Cosette. She is still indoors.

Gallesfarm - I used your trick on the second pair of twins, which arrived this morning! One big ram lamb and a tiny (4 lb 11 oz) ewe lamb. That was first thing this morning. They both got mild to moderate hypothermia out in the barn - the ram while we were waiting for the second lamb to be born, and then she was so tiny that she never really got up. We took both inside again, but we tied mom up on the shearing stand. I milked her out, much to her displeasure. It took us over an hour to get any sucking instinct from either lamb. The ram was first - he is much bigger but I haven't weighed him yet. I fed him the colostrum first and he perked up. The little girl took nearly another hour to warm up. Finally she suckled but it's now 3 pm and she only just tried to stand for the first time about half an hour ago. It's a good thing we didn't leave her with mom because she would not have made it since she can barely stand yet. The ram lamb learned to go on the teat using Gallesfarm's method and I think he'll be fine. Little girl will be in the house for a few days being coddled. I will try milking out mom again later.

At least Cosette has a friend. I am going to try to get them back out to the barn within a week to play with the other lambs and have a sheepy upbringing, even if they are still on the bottle. I think it will be better that way.

We had to keep Marshmallow in the house for a couple of months last year because at the time, we were undergoing testing for Johnes disease on the farm, which was an 8 week test, and I couldn't risk putting her out there until we had results.

Anyway, Kelly gets to name the ram and I will name the girl after a few days when I feel more secure that she will be making it. Here she is in the sun in her warming box.