Well, when we visited the barn, we found three new lambs had been born. One was about three weeks old, while the other two were less than one day old. The mother was neglecting one of the two lambs in favor of the other. We're not sure if the one lamb had eaten since its birth, and it had not been cleaned off after it was born. I don't think the lamb would have survived had someone not intervened.
So...we decided to ask the folks who maintain the farm if we could take the lamb to our house to try to nurse it back to health. They had been trying to find some local farmers who would take it in, but no one was able. So instead of studying, Jobe has been trying to get our little lamb to eat (and has finally been successful!). Miriam named the lamb Biddy Betty after the sheep in the book "Mountain Born" by Elizabeth Yates. Ironically, Miriam had just finished reading that book about a week ago. We're hoping she survives, but we have prepared the kids just in case...
Pictures below include (in order) Biddy in her stall, Biddy's sibling and mother, Daddy and the man at Horne Creek trying to get Biddy to nurse from her mother before we leave, Daddy taking about an hour to get Biddy to drink 2 oz. of colostrum, and the kids with Biddy.
2 comments:
The little lamb is so precious! You have a wonderful family!
LOVE THE LAMB! Susan said you're about fed up with it though. What a memorable experience for the kids though! Hang in there :)
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