Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Leap lambs!

We awoke to a couple inches of snow this morning, and it has continued to snow heavily all day. Thankfully, we were just “warm” enough for a net loss of the white stuff, and wet instead of slippery roads on which to drive to our homeschool co-op.

Of course, Annabelle waited until this morning to go into labor. I got a second maternity ward prepared, and ushered her in. She hadn't made any visible progress by the time we had to leave, so I hoped for the best and asked Rick to come home and check on her if he could. He stopped by about 2:30 and there was still nothing showing, although he said she was fully dilated. As soon as co-op was over, Brian and I scooted home. By the time I changed and got to the sheepfold shortly after 4:00, Annabelle was cleaning up beautiful twins, a supercrimp moorit ram and a moorit gulmoget ewe, both with whispers of white on their heads, just like Bing. Since both are brown, I just had to go with chocolate names; meet Bloom and Bittersweet!


These lambs complete Annabelle's genotype for me. Last year she produced fading black-based lambs when bred to Blake, a musket, proving that she carries black and solid. By producing brown lambs this year, she has demonstrated that she also carries brown. So Annabelle is Awt/Aa, BB/Bb. Genetics are so fun!

That's it for today from . . .

14 comments:

Mac said...

congrats michelle!!! they are soo cute!!!:-) cant wait to see how they all develop! especially the rams! :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh... so beautiful (and of course cute). Glad everything went well and they are all doing great.

Tombstone Livestock said...

congratulations on the additions. I have to wait til mid May before I have Shetlands due.

Nancy K. said...

Good job Annabelle! I always loved it when the ewes had their lambs when I wasn't around to fret and interfere.

I like the legginess of the ram lamb.

Sue said...

What cuties! And fun that you now know her color genetics. Wish that was possible with mine (Romeldales), but not knowing is part of the fun of lambing for me.

Christine said...

Well, hello little ones! Nice of you to join us!

A :-) said...

Yay!!! Congratulations :-)

thecrazysheeplady said...

What a good momma :-).

Laura said...

Woot! all done!!

Kim said...

Great looking lil' ones!

Anonymous said...

You're so creative with your lamb names! And aren't they all too cute! Little Bing looks like he might be a charmer. Good that they're all doing well and thriving.

Anonymous said...

Very pretty babies. I love the fleece on the ram lamb!

Kelly said...

I see your gals have been busy while I've been gone. Congrats all around. Is there any sign of horn buds on those rams yet? Crossing my fingers that you don't get any.

Michelle said...

Unfortunately, Kelly, I think both the ram lambs are half-polls....