The local news stations have been calling it “Winter Storm 2011″ but it has not been too bad. We were lucky and have not lost power except briefly last night. The second round of ice has made all the pastures like ice skating rinks with the only problem being the pastures are not level. After putting out fresh straw bedding for the ewes due to give birth in March, I slid on my buttocks from the barn, down the hill, and into the road. Thanks goodness for the padding of Carhart coveralls. Scott used the tractor to break through the ice and make walking paths for some of the sheep. We will need to make more trails tomorrow because some of the sheep are refusing to venture out of the barn. The cattle have been faring better, but they still move with caution.
Lots of lambs have been coming the past couple of days. Sunday, Monday and today all started out with sets of triplets! Some of the triplets have been very wee (birth weights of 6 pounds) while others are closer to ten pounds. There are three more ewes due to give birth in the next day or two and then there will be a break until mid-February. Some of the oldest lambs are almost three weeks old. When we compare these “old-timers’ to the newborns, it really shows how fast young lambs grow. A high-performing lamb will double its weight from birth in 15 days.
Speaking of growth, one of new puppies, Woody, has not doubled his weight in the last three weeks but he is up to a whopping 13 pounds. In his picture he was about 10 pounds. The two puppies together are eating a TEN cups of chow a day. I am not sure where all that food goes, but they sure are fun.
