Down Mulberry Lane

Catching my breath...

I am going to head off to bed shortly, but wanted to say hello.

Things have been busy on the homefront, as it is with all of you... you all are busy too!  To date, we have over 100 lambs, still alive.  Since we found out about the selenium deficiency, things have improved, in that we know how to treat it and our attitudes are accepting of these slow starts.  At one time we had 15 lambs in the house... yes, 15!  All of my laundry baskets were full of lambies that were unable to get up (plus a wash tub and a horse trough).  Tonight, we have 5.  We still lose one occasionally, but that has gone down since we started treating for the deficiency.

Today we had 2 lambs born and they are quite small.  Both born with eyes shut.  Both not wanting to get up.  Neither with a bit of fat on them... and really short hair, and hairless in some places like on parts of their ears... yet, they are full term.  Just sad.  They seem to be perking up a little bit, however it will be a long haul for these two little ones to get through.  We had one born the day before that just is NOT getting up, even with her selenium shot.  This is too bad.  We are worried for her.  She eats well, but just will not sit up, nor try to stand at all.  Dh did make her stand, but she shakes and just falls down.  We wonder if the shot  missed... sometimes you can poke right through the skin and not even get the shot in, but you thought you did.  These lambies are born so skinny anyways, it is often hard to find any tissue area that is usable to give the shots. 

I do plan to share photos.  I have a cute one, if it turns out, of our lambies eating at the bottle station.  We have over 25 bottle lambs and Dh made a bottle feeding station as we were getting worn out feeding them all out one at a time.  With the station you can feed 9 lambs at the same time.  That is so helpful.  The ones in the house still need one on one care as they are like little babies, truly. 

We are tired and worn out, but we are almost done lambing with 8 momma ewes left to go over the next week.  We have some being born with normal strength and vigor here in the last couple days, but still at least one-2 lambings a day where we hold our breath over the outcome.  If they survive 3 days after birth and after the shot, they are likely to continue to get stronger and live.  If the deficiency was too strong, they are likely to die within the first 3 days from heart failure. 

We have had some wonderful blessings.  We had triplets in the house, none could hardly move, short short hair and not an ounce of fat on them.  Whenever outside they would chill within 10 minutes and their respiratory rate would double or higher with the stress of trying to get up or being with mom.  They lived in the house for 3-4 days.  Us milking momma ewe and trying to do these short 10 minute visits a couple times a day.  Although she would NOT let them nurse, which concerned  us.  When they got to eating better, we would leave them with mom and with a couple nice weather days, we left them out longer periods.  I put her into a smaller pen and the lambs finally were starting to get up on their knees and crawl... and on day 3 she just dodged them.  On day 4, she started to let them nurse.  And she took all three back.  We've had several momma ewes we've had to take babies into the house and return them in a day or two and most all have taken them back.  If the mother didn't have milk, we didn't give them back, but the ones that did, we have had only a couple reject their lambs.  This is just truly unusual and such a blessing. 

Dh told the girls, jokingly, "Just wait until spring break is over and you can go back to school and tell your classmates what you did over spring break!".  Now we homeschool and the girls just groaned at Dad's humor.  They've had a long break from typical table work.  There just isn't time and if we do get a break, you literally need it to catch your breath.  Dh says, this is why in the old days parents would pull their kids out of school to help on the farm... you truly needed their help.  Plus in the old days, it was accepted.   There is so much learning going on, however, this will be a year the girls never forget.  They will know that these lambs were completely dependent on our care... 24 hour care at times for them to survive... you just don't give up when you are tired.  You just don't say, I'm too tired, and serve yourself... you give, give, and give some more.  They learned how important selenium is to a lamb's life.  They know now how to treat a deficiency.  Kate has pulled several lambs and made alot of BIG decisions when Mom or Dad were not able to be there due to other needs that had to be done.  Meg and Chelsea have assisted their sister and parents with duties that needed to be done.  The girls pitch in extra around the house, even when they are tired, knowing that others are giving much extra as well. 

We are so appreciative of friends and family who have been offering help, giving help, or simply just understanding our plight.  Today was such a nice warm day.  And time moved quite a bit slower and we all were able to catch a breath at some point during the day.  A little bit of normal returned for some moments.  I took the girls to town for orthodontist appointments then went grocery shopping, with a list, no less, and a clear head of what I needed to get.  I even remembered to pay our LP bill.  The girls all went this evening to a little singing practice for church.  A lady at church is offering to teach a group of girls to sing and she will help them learn parts and learn singing exercises, etc.  My girls came home so excited from their practice and were so full of life and bubbly enthusiasm... something that has been not so evident at home with all the lambing troubles.  I just rejoice for the breather that God gave us.  Yes we still had some troubles today with a lambing, but we just take it one step at a time.  And really ONE trouble a day (two if you count both lambs) is alot easier than 5-10.   Plus, we're all getting good at nursing these little lambies back to health.  It sure takes patience and alot of tender care, but looking into their faces... who wouldn't do that for skinner, or teddy bear, or pickles, or Baila, or Bruce (almighty), or Arthur, or Brandy, or Bambi... Yup all these babies that were in the house... most all got names... all the ones that didn't go back to mom, anyways. 

In the house, I did manage to move my desk and computer upstairs and move the old loveseats into the old school room.  Now the downstairs extra room is truly a second family room.  And it works well that way, too.  We can monitor the tv watching a bit better with the spare tv downstairs.  And now the fish upstairs may just get a bit more attention, now that they are sitting next to my desk.  I know in the last 3 days they have gotten more to eat than probably the entire last month.  We have incredibly viable fish... they just won't die.... they have gone months at a time with no food... I wonder, do they hibernate?  LOL.  Well, I can say one thing for sure... I will be filling up the fish tank as the filter noise is driving me batty ( the tank is currently half full)... which a 10 gallon tank half full is still plenty of water for two little goldfish.  The fish were my daughter's school project a year or so ago.  Once done learning about fish, she lost interest in them.  However my youngest now likes the fish and our cats like the fish.  I fear if I fill the tank too full the cats will be able to swipe at the fish!  We will see how they do, as the filling will be gradual. 

Our chicks are also doing well.  The ones outside no longer need their heat lamp and have found a hole in their little room to squeeze out and enter the adult kingdom of chickens in the barn.  However they often run to safety from the big adult chickens through that little hole.  It won't be long and I can send the second batch out to the barn as well.  Today we went out to the barn to watch chickens, my youngest and I.  And while out, she just stood and watched and watched and watched and I scooped a bit of poo out of the barn.  When we got ready to go, I noticed that apparently the chickens left her a thank you for visiting as she had chicken poo in her hair.  She never fussed or flinched from in landing on her... I told her we had to show Daddy her hair and she said...Daddy ...Ewww (meaning Daddy will say Ewww).  And he did, exact words! LOL

I am trying to get pictures of all the goings ons around here.  I just need to download them and downsize them and find some spare time when I am not too tired to explain the picture. 

As for now, my day is done.  I am tired and I have been doing the nightly checks... 3-4 am and 5-6 am.  Somehow I seem to awaken during those hours and am able to feed the newborn lambies that cannot get up... once they get up, they no longer get the nightly feedings, but until they are strong enough, they get to eat.  Then I do barn and pasture checks.  Sometimes all is well, other times, I have had 3 mommas ready or currently lambing plus having lambs that are cold or lambs in the barn not eating well... so I am up for much longer periods. 

G'nite everyone, talk to you all later.

Warmly, ~Melissa

Untitled Comment

5:52 AM, March 23, 2007 .. Posted by BlueApple

My goodness, Melissa, I'm exhausted just reading all you've been going through! You have truly been tested in patience and perseverance. I hope you are able to get a break soon -- you certainly deserve it. I sure wish I lived closer..I'd come and help!
Hugs,
Julia

Busy Bee

6:18 AM, March 23, 2007 .. Posted by Chas

You are a busy bee aren't you! I hope you had a good nights sleep from all that work!! But, I know after a good, long, hard day it feels very rewarding in the end! Usually! :)
Blessings,
Chas

HI Melissa

9:44 AM, March 23, 2007 .. Posted by Breezey

My! You girls are getting a good education!!! I need to go back and see if you posted why the whole flock has a deficiency. I am sure this is exhausting.

Angela (AHE)