Rye Lamb

March 21st, Marshal announced there was a surprise in the barnyard. Three lambs and one ewe! Our first ewe to lamb of the season had triplets. One of her little ewe lambs has Rye Neck. First she was not using her back legs. I rubbed her dry and supported her body while she sucked hungrily first colostrum from her calm and attentive mama. She found her legs later that morning, but had a hanging head. Twins were born to another ewe, as I was checking on Rye. Five babies in one morning! Two days later, Rye was cold and still. She had the will to live though. I brought her in by the fire, and she had just enough life to swallow warm raw milk with a nutritional conconcoction to cure or kill her. Her little mouth warmed, and she was standing again in a few hours. Mama ewe did not completely reject her, but doesn't stand to let her nurse much. She gets to hang wth mom and siblings, and is eager for warm milk from the cow afer milking morning and evening. She is doing well now, and enjoyed running around in the sunshine today!