Guessing, like the rest of you

Now that my lambing contest is over, I'll give you my best guess - and let me tell you, it is truly a guess! I thought anticipating this year's lambs would be easier. After all, I used CIDRs to time estrus, I know the exact (few) days the rams were exposed to the ewes, so I know the two narrow windows during which lambs can arrive. Well, we are one week away from the first due date, and the only ewe who looks like she may have Barish lambs is Annabelle.
She's not particularly large or bagged up, but her vulva is beginning to change. So I'll guess she has a single in there - and am praying it's a poll-carrying katmoget ewe lamb!

Katie looks pregnant, but nothing like last year. Here is Katie today:

And here is Katie last year two weeks before delivering twins:

One week before lambing:

And two days before lambing:

Based on last year I'd say she's not due for, oh, another two months. But since that's not possible, I have to assume she is carrying a single Blake lamb, and is due around March 26.

Bramble doesn't look at all pregnant, and because of the vaginitis she had last year, I'm not surprised. Bronwen doesn't have a pregnant-looking belly, but she's developing some thickening in her udder,
and I noticed this morning that her vulva is changing, too. (She asks that you excuse her bad shearing job!) So I'll guess Bronwen will also have a single. Whether she surprises me with a black-based Barish baby or waits to present me with a brown lamb from Blake, time will tell.

So that is three lambs from three ewes for my guess, which generates strangely conflicting feelings. Is it too much to ask that such a small showing could be all ewe lambs? After all, last year gave me only ram lambs.

Spring is coming - I just don't know when!

That's it for now from . . .