Thursday, July 13, 2006

small hay bales


I'm going to post my story, and try to save someone my agony.
I grabbed two lambs this morning...and so they wouldn't get hurt going in with the other ram lambs...one a ram ...one a ewe.....I put them for a little while in a pen in front of a room of small hay bales.
Now I should have known better, I put a ewe and her lambs in there over night, and I had to crawl on the floor sideways to grab a hind leg...and pull one of the lambs out from the wall between the hay bales. BUT....I was trying to keep them safe until I had time to get my cdt shots ready....so a couple of hours went by until I went out to give them their shots....and they were GONE.
I called for them, and knowing how the other lamb had wedged herslf into the corner...I climbed on the bales and looked in the cracks to see if they were stuck. Then, in a panic, I went out to find their moms...and see if they had somehow gotten loose. I couldn't find the moms or the lambs in the front...so I ran across the creek...and all the way to the end...no lambs...so I climbed the hill and ran down the sheep path near the fence...no lambs. Then coming back down the snake path....I saw one of the ewes...she had her ewe lamb...not her ram...
I paniced again...and ran fast back to the barn...this time the other ewe came into the barn and called for her lamb.... the lamb called back. But, I couldn't see her....fortunately for me, the room the hay bales are in has slat walls...it was an old horse stall....after waiting for the ewe to call again....I stood next to the open wall...and heard the ewe lamb call back....I pulled a board loose and saw her head....she was alive!....I climbed again into the room and started throwing hay bales over my shoulder....as I felt in between each gap in the hay bales. At least I knew she was there...and finally I moved the right hay bales...and she flew to the top and jumped the top of the wall to the next pile of hay bales...then to the floor.
While I was over-joyed to see one of my charges alive...I was even more sure the other one had fallen in between some where else where he couldn't breathe. So now...I removed the top bales and piled them outside in the barn. As I reached each gap I stuck my arm in to feel for fleece all the time praying aloud ....please! don't let him be in here! Finally I got through the room without finding him...then I started the other pile of hay....all the time knowing I could be reaching down into the gap to find wool...and might find another snake instead.
Not finding him...I ran to the house and sobbed to my husband on the phone what had happened...and how I couldn't find the ram lamb. He told me to stop and sit with some water...it's now over 90 degrees...and I am all in....
When I ran back to the barn...I saw a familiar head....YES...sure enough! It was the ram lamb....eating grass and trying to snatch a drink from another mom.....He wasn't dead....BUT...he could have been!
I have said this before...don't do as I do....Small bales of hay are no place for a shetland lamb to play. Please save yourself some grief...keep those lambs away from small bales that are piled up....I know....the lambs are so small and so active...something will happen.
I was very lucky I hadn't killed my little lambs by putting them some where unsafe...while I was trying to keep them safe. New name....it's got to be lucky.
bopeep no longer...now the lady called lucky.

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