This Year’s Toughest Lambing (So Far)

I knew the moment I walked into the barn we had a problem.  Ella had just delivered twins and while the girl seemed alert though not standing yet, the boy was spread limp on the matted hay floor.  Whereas in the past, I would stand frozen in place unsure of what to do, I moved quickly over to the nursery side to set up a jug, turn on the heat lamp, drag a panel out and slowly walk the 18 lambs and their moms out of the barn so that I could have a clear path for Ella.  I opened the gate that separated the birthing room from the nursery, scooped up a wet lamb in each hand, bent over low so Ella could see and smell her babies, and walked backward as Ella followed and put mom and babies in the jug.

The heat from the lamp was not going to be enough for the boy. I jogged back to the house to make up some Save-a-lamb milk, heated it well, grabbed the 60ML syringe and the orange rubber stomach tuber.  I’ve now tubed enough lambs to feel if not totally confident, at least not terrified.  I climbed into the jug, kneeled next to the boy, and drew him up on my lap, facing away from me.  With the syringe loaded with formula, I clenched it with my teeth while I slipped the tip of the rubber tube into the lamb’s mouth.  Every so slightly he began to suck on it and slowly with each suck I slid the tube down his throat, about 14 inches in all.  I took the syringe out of my mouth and slid the rubber end of the tube over the base of the syringe where a needle would screw in if I was using it for an injection.  I began to press the milk replacement through the tube as Todd (who was coming up the drive as I went out with the milk) joined me in the barn.  Over the next ten minutes or so we gave the lamb 7 ounces of really warm milk replacement hoping that by heating him from the inside he’d recover.

He didn’t.  The inside of his mouth was still too cold.  We agreed we needed to do more.  Wrapped in a beach towel I carried him into the house.  We filled the laundry sink with warm water and while Todd held his head up, I scooped water in a glass jar and basted the back of the lamb.  His body temperate was 95 degrees when we started, anything below 100 degrees is consider hypothermia.

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With his temperature still low, we pulled him from the bath and I dried him with the towel.  While I rubbed him I pulled a stool up, sat down and tossed a clean towel in the dryer and set it on high.  For the next 90 minutes we rotated through fresh hot towels, taking turns holding him close.  Routine checks showed the lamb’s temperature slowly rise. 

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When I felt he was out of the woods, I set him down on a towel on the floor, waited a moment and then lifted him off the ground a bit to see if he’d carry his own weight.  For the next several minutes we watched him gain confidence on his legs (click below for the video) and then agreed we should bring him back to the barn. 

1620's First Steps

1620’s First Steps  (video)

This boy lamb had recovered quite well, but unfortunately his mom Ella had no interest in him. Was he gone too long? Had she written him off from the start, in the sink had we washed away the smell that let Ella know her son? We don’t know, but we both knew this lamb had recovered and deserved a chance.  We put Ella in a stanchion that prevents her from walking away from her lambs – or worse, kick the little guy around – and today, about 24 hours in the stockade, Ella is still confined to the stanchion.  I hope tomorrow we can let her out and I hope she’ll accept the ram lamb.  We’ll see.

Peggy

4 Comments

  1. Linda Gartz on April 28, 2016 at 12:43 am

    What a great feeling to have saved another living being-especially one of your own that you nurture. I can tell you really love all this. As Todd said to the lamb, “Good for you!”

  2. RoAnne on April 28, 2016 at 1:11 am

    You are now official farmers, 100%.
    Good Job!

  3. Mary Ellen on April 28, 2016 at 1:44 am

    Watching all of this is so heartwarming! Love that little guy that you all took such good care of! Hope Mama will find it in her heart to love him❤️Thanks for sharing. It means more that we have stayed with you all and was able to meet the sheep we did.

  4. Liz Edgarton on April 29, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    It was like reading and watching a mystery.
    You have to feel so fulfilled bringing and keeping that little life in the world

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