Let the races begin

Today I actually remembered to take my camera out in the morning when the lambs are first let out to try and get shots of race day.

So here they are off down the hill.

Even Celebration is joining in now for half of the circuit.

Cheyenne gets some real height and twist.

Everyone is fascinated by the hole of dirt.

Xavier thinks it is all too much.

That's all for now. I love spring.

How to cheer myself up

So my shoulder MRI did not go well and I needed to cheer myself up. What better way than to go and watch the lambs being silly?

Here's Chloe fighting a stick...and loosing. Unfortunately I missed the next part when she fell over trying to wrestle it out of the way.

Cinnamon playing with the ball.

Xander just being silly. He loves his attention, but is being very respectful. Plus his face is so cute and cheeky, or should I say handsome? Xander has been sold and I thought his new mommy would appreciate this picture.

Celebration proving a lamb is a much faster learner than a baby. Let's see a thirteen day old baby do this. Celebration has also been sold and is going to a wonderful home with Chloe too (Hi Holly *waves*)

And Cara having a dig in the dirt. She is my youngest lamb and I think she's wonderful, her fleece is so soft and silky.

In shoulder news I have actually torn my rotator cuff and need surgery soon. I have a contrast MRI tomorrow, which involves dye being injected into the shoulder joint and then a 45-60 minute MRI. I am told the injection hurts rather a lot. Oh and on the last MRI I got rather claustrophobic *sigh* not something I am looking forward to. The surgery will ruin my whole summer that I had planned to show Muppet and the sheep during...oh and learn to surf. Better luck next year I guess :(

Fun in the sun

It's a warm day in Massachusetts and I made the most of it by sitting out with the lambs lol. It is actually supposed to be nice all weekend so I am sure there will be another blog post in the next few days too. 

Anyway here is Xander (the lamb previously known as Xeno) in a rare moment of stillness. I think it lasted almost 30 seconds. He is my first lamb to be sold, and is so incredibly friendly it's hard to get good pictures of him.

And another terrible picture of Cheyenne - who yes Michelle does look like she has sugar lips - so is modified. I just have no idea what color she will go, and am completely fascinated by her little silver belly still.  I'm open to ideas.

Crystal is doing really well and is such a pretty girl. She spent quite a long time jumping over my back in the pasture when I was lying down.

The sunshine and games were too much for Cara and she had to take a nap in the shade. 

And of course I needed to include a picture of Celebration who is checking out the toys in the new paddock. 

All-in-all a beautiful day.

Last lambs of the season

Sabrina had her lambs this morning. I thought she would lamb last night so I moved her to her own stall. Of course she had to wait until I gave up and put her back in with the others. Anyway they are two girls! After having only 1 ewe lamb last year I made up for it this year with 6 ewes and 2 rams.

This is RF Cara. It's a bad picture, but she is solid and a very dark moorit right now with a beautiful crimpy fleece. She weighed in at 6lbs.

This is RF Cheyenne and she is the strangest color we've ever had. She has a silver looking patch on her belly and I just love her facial markings. Very dark moorit right now like her sister. She also weighed in at 6lbs.

Unlike the very leggy Xavier who looks like he might go fawn like his momma

and Cinnamon

I'm incredibly happy with this years lambs. Now the fun of playing with them and watching them grow begins. Have a good weekend everybody.

Lambs, and flowers, and chicks oh my

Another day is coming to a close and it was definitely spring like here in Massachusetts. So what better way than to spend my afternoon, than to spend it in the barn.

Celebration is getting up and about better, and even went to college today where she got to sleep through Nursing Research. I wish I was that lucky. She follows me around everywhere, and I feel terrible when I have to leave her in the barn. I keep telling myself she needs to be with other lambs. *Sigh* I am not sure how I will sell her, I am thinking of letting her go as a pet.

Crystal is growing like a weed. She looks taller every hour, and hardly leaves her mothers side.

The adventurous twins Xeno and Chloe are trying to look innocent...and not like they were caught eating the dirt.

And Xavier is too comfy to go outside in the sun (Cinnamon was sleeping too).

The flowers are finally coming out. Leaves will be next.

And the chickens are growing their feathers. They think they can fly now and are getting quite exciting to clean out.

Tomorrow is the start of the long weekend, but I get to wake up early for my MRI. Lucky me.

I'm seeing spots everywhere

Gypsy had her lambs at around 4am this morning when I was out feeding Celebration. 1 ram and 1 ewe, and wow their fleeces are stunning. Sonny (Painted Knoll Suncook) is their sire. Here's RF Xavier who weighed in at a very leggy 6 1/2lbs .

And his sister RF Cinnamon who weighed in at 6lbs on the dot.

Mother and babies are doing great.

Jewel is being a wonderful mother to Crystal who is very friendly and curious (and tall).

And the terrible twins Xeno and Chloe are taking an interest in Celebration (who is doing very well). They want to know when she can join the lamb races.

Now I need to nap lol. Oh and the chicks have decided they can fly! I need to get pictures of them as they grow up so fast.

Lambs born and help needed!

Well Nancy was right and Jewel had her lambs this morning. Twin HST girls' with plenty of flash. The only issue being that she has completely rejected the youngest and violently butts her away. We tried tying her up short so the little one would feed but she would just lie down on her. So we have taken her in and started bottle feeding her.

Here's where the help is needed. I've only bottle fed once, a few years ago, and can't remember much. How much and how often should I feed? I have dried colostrum that I am feeding now and will have milk replacer by the end of the day.

Anyway here is RF Celebration in her lamb warmer. Who could reject this face? She weighed in at 7 1/2lbs.

And RF Crystal who weighed in just over 7lbs and is doing very well with her momma.

Who's first? You tell me

Because I thought Jewel would be first but Amelia has beaten her already. So feel free to guess who's first, when and what they will have :) So here's some backside views. 

Jewel. Well the important bits anyway lol.

Sabrina.

And Gypsy.

In other news I opened up part of the middle pasture and now the boys and non-pregnant ewes are enjoying the grass. This is Ian (my son) and my incredibly wonderful mellow ram Dreamer enjoying the sunshine, I swear he's smiling.

And getting belly rubs from Fiona (my daughter).

And Sunny just because he's super handsome too.

Still no more lambs at Ridgeway Farm but hopefully not long to go. How many will there be? I've no idea.

Outside time, and oh my is that a blimp?

It was a nice sunny day today so after work and my riding lesson I could let the lambs out for their first time when I got home.

The other 3 ewes ignored Amelia and the babies who stuck pretty close to their mamma.

I think Chloe could almost smile for the camera.

After finally looking away from the babies I notice exactly how large the other ewes have become. I swear Jewel's milk looks ready to explode, she reminds me of the Hindenburg disaster.

Gypsy is looking big for a first timer.

And Sabrina is quickly catching up.

Hopefully this means someone will lamb soon....or I will have to start renting out advertising space on their bellies and letting them film sports events :)

They're like popcorn

Today Amelia and her lambs moved out of the jug and into the stable. I don't think Chloe or Xeno stopped bouncing the whole time I was there unless they were drinking.

Here's the best picture I could get of Chloe so far. She was 5lbs at birth which is small in my mind but full of energy now. Here she is bouncing as her mother looks on. Obviously future sheep gymnastic star.

And here's Xeno sporting the latest fashion accessory, soon all of this years lambs will  be wearing them. He weighed a very respectable 5 and 3/4lbs and is very cute despite his unfortunate name (all of this years rams have to start with an X). 

Here they are getting ready for take off and mid-bounce. Their poor momma has her hands (or hooves) full with these two but is doing great.

The other sheep are so far not following Amelia's fine example. But they are getting very large. I expect twins out of Sabrina and Jewel but maybe only a large single out of Gypsy as it is her first year. Hermione is a few months behind (baaaad girl) and not due until the middle of May. 

All of the chicks are doing well. The cats and dogs are interested in the brooder - which is a baby play pen - but at least listen when we tell them to leave the chicks alone. Watching chicks is almost better than TV. 

Hopefully more lambs will grace this blog soon. Until then have a great day.

The chicks arrived!

Well after yesterdays surprise lambs my day old baby chicks arrived today. I ordered from My Pet chicken as you could have a smaller order and they put in heat packs instead of packing peanut roos. Oh and they sex bantams.

So I ordered 2 Buff chateclers but only 1 arrived.

1 buff brahma bantam who is very tired from the trip.

1 buff orpington caught mid-poop.

3 Easter eggers, but only 2 arrived.

And 3 silkie bantams of various colors. They should be black, buff and blue but the blue looks more white. They are tiny compared to the Buff Orpington.

Right now my coop is being finished and looking very nice. The chicks have all eaten, had some water and taken a poop. I'm a little disappointed that 2 chicks didn't arrive but at least so far everyone is healthy and the ones that arrived will have more room in the coop.

Xeno and Chloe are doing very well and hopefully the weather will get warmer and drier so they can go outside and I can get some good pictures. They are both so cute. That's all for today unless more surprises greet me later :)