Sunday, March 1, 2009

Little Orphan Lambies

I have fond memories of raising an orphan lamb as a kid. The sheep farmer not wanting to bother with bottle babies would call a friend of mine when he had an orphan lamb or two. One day she called me and said the farmer called and had a black lamb that needed bottle feeding and she couldn't do it, would I like it. Of course, I said yes.
So when it came to my attention that there were two brown bottle lambs, whose mother had died suddenly, and needed to be bottle fed I jumped at the chance. The sheep farmer went out the day after the lambs were born and their mother was dead. So off Hubby and I went Saturday morning to pick up the babies. They look like two little deer. They are purebred Katahdin sheep. A hair breed of sheep that are raised for meat and shed their wool so there is no need to shear them. Sure I like to knit but I can not ever imagine myself shearing, combing, washing, spinning and then knitting my yarn so no shearing works for me. And to be sure, they won't be eaten here either.
So this is what I picked up on Saturday.



But she also had this.



This could not be denied.



I went for this.



But Hubby said, "Well, as long as we are here, you might as well take all of them."
I figured that maybe someone else might want a little orphan lambie or she could stay here. Either way it seemed a shame to leave her all alone.

So we took her too.


On the way home we stopped and got milk replacer. I was taken aback at the cost of milk replacer. It has gone up in 35 years. I had also forgotten how cold it is in the beginning of March so the babies are in a large dog crate in the spare bathroom.




I feel bad for them because the farmer had banded their tails before I picked them up. I would have left their tails long. I know it is done for cleanliness but they will not grow as much wool on them as wool breeds do and a lot of Kathadin breeders leave them. Besides the brown ones have the cutest white tips on their tails that will fall off when their tails do.


Now the little brown ones are tiny and darling but the white one has personality plus. She is friendly and inquisitive. She will make a good pet lamb....for someone.

21 comments:

Holly said...

awwww, they are so cute. Good for you for taking all of them.

@JDHealingTimeOnEarth said...

very sweet, Wendy! Maybe you should form a non-profit rescue center for animals? Don't know if that's worth the paperwork and all, but feed and care is not a cheap thing these days.

Have fun! p.s. maybe on my next non-emergency trip over I will contact you about visiting all the animals. =;)

goatgirl said...

Holly, Yep, Hubby twisted my arm:)

Clare, I would love you to come visit the animals. You might leave with the door prize, either a dozen eggs....or a lamb, depending on the day.
I am really starting my own petting farm. I joke that I am going to make signs for each pen explaining what is in it, just like at the fair. I have several classes at school that are coming this spring to see the animals. Since the farm is in walking distance from the school it is a perfect outing on a nice day. The kindergarteners have a farm unit so I will take the lambs in for the kids to feed. Part of the reason I took them was for the kids at school to see.

Anonymous said...

Oh! I must make sure my housemate Anette does not see these pictures or I can PROMISE you that she is going to send for that AMAZINGLY ADORABLE little white lamb!!!

Want to trade her for a kitten? Our neighbours' cat just place three in our yard again and this time, I'm hoping Dennis won't kill them!

Staci said...

I found your blog through "Chickens in the Road" and just had to tell you that I love your photography. Animals make all of us better people, don't they? I love the lamb!

goatgirl said...

Wow Esther, I wonder what shipping to Africa would cost.
I did tell a group of kindergartener that I was doing a literacy group with about how to tell the difference, at a glance, between a sheep and a goat when they were calling the sheep in the picture a goat. I told them about you and how your African friend told you, sheep tail down, goat tail up. Now I can show them. See, you don't know how you will make an impact many miles away!
Oh and no on the kitten. It's easier to say no when the animal is all the way in West Africa:)

Welcome Staci and thanks for liking my pictures. And yes animals do make us better people.

Pat said...

OOO OOO OOO, I want the lambie!!!
But, I live in a one bedroom apartment on the second floor in the city with two cats...lol. She is just like Mary's little lamb! I think someone named Mary should adopt her, yes?

goatgirl said...

Is there a Mary out there?

Marigold said...

No, but there sure is a Danni. :)

Danni said...

Oh, for PETE'S sake! You guys.
I want a lamb. I used to have a lamb. When I was 19. Her name was Savannah. I went to a sheep farm and picked her up after her mama died, too. Brought her home with a big red ribbon around her neck as a gift...for my MOM. (right).
We lived in a suburban neighborhood at the time. She was a much loved little girl who thought she was our third pet dog.
Look at that picture with the milk around her mouth. So precious.
How old is she, Wendy?

Danni said...

Look at that face. She's a Lucy, if I ever saw one. Lucy Lamb.
Gawd.

goatgirl said...

I knew I brought her home for a reason! And since you named her and all. She is only two weeks old.
Yes, Lucy Lamb is two weeks old. I have a red bow.
Danni had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. Danni had a little lamb who's fleece was white as snow.
See it works!

Tracey said...

Thank you for sharing those precious babies!! You and your husband are my kind of folks!!! :)
Tracey

Stephanie said...

I wish I could have the little lamb! She's adorable! By the way, is that Stormy's crate? How big (or should I say how small) are these little guys?

Stephanie said...

I wish I could have the little lamb! She's adorable! By the way, is that Stormy's crate? How big (or should I say how small) are these little guys?

Heart of a Cowgirl said...

Oh, that little white one is adorable!!! Can you ship her to Arizona? :)
Love your blog, just now found it. I'll be back!

Marigold said...

Okay, we're waiting for that lambie to show up over on 'On The Way To Critter Farm'...of course this DOES NOT get her out of getting goats!

frugalmom said...

Right? Have the lamb arrangements been made for a transfer to danni's house? Huh? What are you guys waiting for?

Anonymous said...

if you were on the east coast then i would take the white one from you in a heartbeat! we have room and it would give me practice for my baby that is due in sept!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Hmmmm....I'm thinking that little darling white lamb thinks you are it's Mama. The 'someone' for that sweetie should be you. :)

It's been over a year since my sheep were little lambies. It seems so long ago when they were sucking from a bottle and curled into my lap. Awwww. I miss that a little bit.
I do plan to breed my two sheep one day if I can find the perfect Karakul and Churro Rams for them ;)

I'm smiling just imagining baby lambs bouncing around here on Laughing Orca Ranch :D

~Lisa

Pat said...

Danni had a little lamb, little lamb...