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Lambing! Whooo what a rollercoaster!
Andie Stevens-Moore • Mar 11, 2020
Meet our new farm babies from our first lambing season - Clyde, Clara and Clarence!
Just over a year ago we followed our hearts and bought a small flock of rare breed sheep - Greyface Dartmoors. Greyfaces are a very old breed, originating from the wet and harsh moorlands of Dartmoor in Devon. A hardy and friendly type, we decided these gorgeous sheep were perfect for our first venture into doing our bit to save Britain's rare breeds. So along came Bonny, Blossom, Betty, Bessie, Baby and new boyfriend to be - Bertie!
Fast forward a year and all of our beautiful girls were most definitely in lamb and we were getting ready for our first ever lambing season! With much excitement and lots of preparation, the due date loomed large and we waited patiently.... and we waited.... and waited.... and waited.... It appears we knew their due date but they apparently didn't! We had researched all the signs of impending labour and observed those signs often. The stretching, the star gazing, the scraping at the floor, the grinding of the teeth, the lying in strange positions.... Night after night, we were sure 'tonight was the night'.... and then... it wasn't! The girls would happily skip (well more like a slow cloud waddling by this stage!) out of the barn each morning as if it to say 'What baby? Why did you think I was going to give birth last night?'!
After a week of sleeping in the barn, Tom called time on his nighttime duties and 'moved back in'. We set up a rudimentary CCTV system to watch and wait in more comfort! Night after night their wriggling, strange positions and odd antics seemed to imply a birth was imminent and out we'd rush into the night, only to be confronted by confused ewes who were really only hoping for a 2am head stroke!
With bags under our eyes and pure exhaustion setting in, we both eventually decided it was time to sleep properly. With promises to check on them before we 'properly went to sleep' we both woke up with a start, grabbed our phones to see what was happening in the barn, only to see a little fluff ball had been born to mum Bonny while we caught 40 winks... or was it 30?.....!! Thankfully little 'Clyde' was none the worse for us not being there to play midwife, and he was happily on his feet and feeding without any fuss! Welcome to the world little man! We made it, our first lamb and we were still standing, if only just! Well done Bonny!
A few days later, after watching and waiting even more avidly, we sat down to eat a bowl of soup and wham! Baby, our smallest girl and first time mum, gave birth to twins! She hadn't even shown she was in labour, so it was a real surprise to see not only one but two lambs! Sadly Baby's little girl was stillborn and her little boy, who we called Chico, was too small and didn't live more than a few hours. Our hearts broke for poor Baby who was so confused as to where her babies had gone and why she had only been a mother for a few short hours. But as is the way with animals, her mourning was short lived and by the next day she was happily grazing, nuzzling us for treats and playing with Clyde - Bonny's boy.
The next to go into labour, and thankfully in a text book like way, was dear Betty! She was showing all the signs and having mild contractions in the early evening and by 9pm we knew a baby was imminent. With very little fuss and lots of strokes from her human parents, Betty happily and easily gave birth to her little boy who came out fighting fit! She fell in love immediately and licked him all over to seal the bond so lovingly apparent between mother and lamb. We were so busy with the new arrival that we failed to notice, and Betty didn't show a single sign, that another tiny pair of hooves were poking out into the world! With just one little push, out popped twin sister Clara! A fair bit smaller than her big brother Clarence, she'll have some catching up to do, but so far so good! A gorgeous, healthy and happy pair for beautiful Betty!
So now there's just Bessie and Blossom to give birth. Both have had babies before so we're a little more relaxed, knowing there is less chance of complications with experienced mothers, but that doesn't mean to say we still won't be watching their every move! Our sheep, like all of our animals, are a huge part of our family and until all of the mums have birthed and all of the lambs are settled and feeding well, these two farmers will just carry on collecting baggage under their eyes! Wish us luck! <3
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