Ewe...

I think we may be in a race between my husband getting home to help finish the fence and the ewe giving birth.  When I went out to feed this morning, I could see that the lambs had shifted in her uterus and she's bagging up a bit.

It could be a couple of weeks (if she were a horse, I'd say two weeks), but sheep?  How do I know?

I just hope she holds on until we can build a separate place for her.  I am worried that the ram will hurt the lamb(s) in the fairly small pen.  I was feeling bad about the pen, but it looks like, even taking the high end of penned requirements, the sheep have more than twice as many square feet they need.  I am just not sure if that holds true with newborns.

Fortunately, our ewes have had a number of lambs, and haven't had problems.  I would hate to deal with a bottle lamb right now.  I have no way of providing the six feedings a day required, unless I were to take it to school with me - somehow doubt that would go over well with administration (or the carpets).  The kids would love it, for sure.  Even the baby mouse one child brought to school in his pocket (? Yeah, confused me, too).  I set it up in an old aquarium for the day and it was endlessly distracting and interesting.

I am so hoping for two ewe lambs, twins.  I am hoping we are not looking at ram lambs, because I will have to have a crash course on castration and then will have to figure out what to do with wethers.  I know that in an earlier post I talked bravely of taking lamb to processing plant - but the other day, a bird flew into the grill of my car, and I sort of quietly freaked out as I thought about it - particularly when the wing flew off separate from the rest of the bird.  Obviously, I am not ready to think about eating sheep born in my pasture.  I will have to get over this....but not sure my husband or kids will.