Tuesday, March 04, 2008

A contest for the patient

So here's the deal. I have three ewes who lived with Braveheart 24/7 from the end of September until February 11. The only two breedings I actually witnessed were in late November. No one looks obviously pregnant. Am I going to have any lambs this year? I'll give you until St. Patrick's Day to put your guess in the comments (tell me if, who, how many lambs each, and total number of lambs). The person who comes closest to reality, however long it takes that reality to be revealed, will get a set of six photo notecards (you can even choose the subject matter). You can blame my big-headed assumption that you even might want my photo notecards on Garrett, who recently asked if he could purchase some of the photos featured on my blog. (Thanks, Garrett; they were mailed yesterday!)

My "handsome little horror" (thanks to Jenny for that apt descriptor!) in a comtemplative moment.

Taken through the window, a pic of one of the non-feathered visitors to our bird feeder:
Sitting in the cherry tree outside our bedroom window, one of our "red birds" (either a Cassin's, house, or purple finch - I can't tell them apart) waiting for the squirrel to leave (as always, click on photo to biggify):
Let the contest begin at . . .

6 comments:

Tammy said...

Hmmm... Since I usually don't read the contest rules right.. I hope this is what you meant! ha.... My guesses as follows:

Rechel: April 1st--Twins
Dinah: April 21st-Twins
Valentine: April 27th Single

Michelle said...

I didn't ask for dates but it's probably a good idea in case several of you guess the right number of ewes and lambs. Thanks for entering, Tammy!

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

Question; have any of these ewes been bred before?

Michelle said...

Rechel and Dinah have both lambed once (for the numbers, you'll have to do your own research on my blog :-) Valentine was bred, but didn't lamb.

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

OK!
Rechel - T/April 26
Dinah - T/April 28
Valentine - T/April 24

ps. I did do a search, found nothing before NOV 2007, maybe Im not doing it right?

Carol B. said...

Rechel: April 5th, twins.
Dinah: April 8th, twins.
Valentine: April 15th twins.

I would guess dates that were even earlier based on ram exposure, but you would probably notice more signs of pregnancy if they were actually due in March. So I feel fairly confident that you will have lambs the first and second week of April. Less confident that they will all twin, but Shetlands usually do, so that is a good guess anyway.

I think my girls have another week or two before anyone pops, but I will be setting up a lambing jug this weekend so they get used to seeing it in their barn.

Good luck lambing.

Carol