Daydreaming while waiting impatiently!

[tortoise]

One of the quads died. Of course, the girl. I feel bad. She was thinner and she was the only one to accept the bottle. Ava was mothering her so I assumed she was getting milk when I wasn't there. I was feeding her half of what an orphaned lamb would get. Big mistake, shoulda trusted my guts. Cause of death: negative energy balance.

I dozed most of the afternoon yesterday, slept >12 hours last night. I feel human again. Still haven't kicked the cold, I have a bit of cough left. My plan is to turn on PBS Kids for DS2 and take a nap again.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Aww sorry about the baby! Hope you get some rest and feel better!

 

[tortoise]

One of my yearling ewes had lambs. Triplets. She didn't mother them. They are dead. 2 were still in the sack. I'm annoyed. Without having ewes in lambing pens, they don't get tame. And not I'm going to have a spazzy wild ewe. Not cool.

Would you cull a first time ewe for not mothering? I'm tempted.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ugh sad! I might... Why invest another year feeding her and risk losing another bunch of lambs? I know "they" suggest giving a second chance.... Depends on how attached you are to her. I sold a first timer this year because she attacked other does' kids. No time, space or patience for that.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh wow - not great luck with lambing this year. I dunno either.... lousy mama's are no fun - but TRIPS as a FF.... I might be tempted to give her one more chance.

 

[NH Homesteader]

True, I breed for milk and prefer twins. But if you want triplets...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

If mama can raise 'em... it's all good. If not - they aren't so much fun for sure. The folks that pull and bottle feed anyway love trips. With that doe not mothering well - it would definitely be a gamble.

ARGH! I'm a total dork. Forgot we are talking sheep here - not goats, lol.

 

[tortoise]

Nah, we have the same problems with lambs, but bottle raising lambs is more difficult than goats. My sample size is small, but my bottle goat was easy and fine, bottle lambs have been a crapshoot. DH wants to put down lambs rather than attempt bottle feeding. I want to bottle feed, but no use those lambs for breeding.

 

[tortoise]

My initial breeding stock were all quads. Because more lambs is better, right? Having second thoughts...

 

[NH Homesteader]

One of the first breeds I ruled out was finnsheep, because they have quads and quints all the time! Are lambs that hard to bottle raise? I had no idea.