Bad news

Got to the farm yesterday and found one of my Cheviot ewes delivering a lamb. She was near the barn walking around. One leg was out, and so was the nose, but the tongue was blue. I got Dan to help and we got her in the barn. I got her in a jug and began to pull. The other leg was straight, just further back. After remembering to pull down, not out, I got the lamb out. It was a beautiful ewe lamb. I tried everything I could to revive it. I did mouth to nose breaths, chest compression, swung her, rubbed her- everything. But, she was gone. I left her with her mother for a bit, because sometimes, miracles DO happen and babies can come back, but it was not mean to be. A little while later I put the baby in a feed bag, and checked mom for another lamb, but that was it. She was a big lamb, 9 lbs. May not seem big to some people, but she is a small sheep.

I cannot tell you how bad I feel about all of this. If I had gotten there earlier, I believe another outcome would have been had. Maybe not, but I bet so. Mother did pass the afterbirth. She's still calling for her lamb. I know this sort of thing happens, but my whole life is animal related. It's ME, and I failed big time. I hope and pray this was a fluke, but these are first time moms, and things tend to go wrong with them.

So, I went to bed last night and worried, but got up early this morning and drove up with flashlight in hand to check the sheep. Brother had the lights on in the barn, which was good. Nothing happening. New mom and her twin boys, Pen and Teller, I have dubbed them are good.

My brother told me that he checked the sheep at about 10:00 last night, and he could check them this morning for me. This is very good. I will be at the farm at least three times a day from now on to check the girls. This is not easy folks. It ways on you when you lose anyone. As it should.

So, please pray for us that things go okay from here on out.