Lottie Update

Last night the webcam was pointing into the garden where Lottie's mum spends a lot of time. It is a nice sheltered place and this is where we put Lottie to the female lamb twice a day. Lottie still needs to be held while the female lamb suckles as otherwise she would not let it. Lottie is fine letting her drink when she is being held but when the lamb butts upwards to get milk, it makes her jump and she is not best pleased. This is why we still (and probably will have to continue to) hold Lottie and lamb while it drinks.

Lottie has recovered from her lambing ordeal and is back to her normal tame self and it is good news that she is at least not kicking the lamb off when we put them together. Hopefully, after doing this procedure for a while, the lamb will drink from Lottie without being held and Lottie will allow it to drink without being held, but this is not likely for a while yet if at all.

From time to time, the webcam will be pointing at Lottie's mum and her two lambs while we put Lottie to the female lamb for it to drink so if you see a strange view then this will be it. We put sheep and lambs in the garden so that we (and now you!) can keep an eye on them. Lottie's mum doesn't have enough milk to support two lambs and Lottie still has lots of milk so this is why we are doing this. Lottie's mum is "one papped" - meaning that she only has milk on one side of her bag.

Thanks for the information Dan, glad Lottie is feeling better and that she is letting the lamb feed, even if oyu are holding her. Hows Patch?

Patch is OK too Christine :) She is actually due to lamb any time now. At one point earlier in the week she was threatening to re-prolapse but the stiches held out and she is fine. We will be relieved when she gives birth. As soon as she starts to show signs of giving birth we need to take out the stitches that the vet put in otherwise she wont be able to give birth! So we are keeping a close eye on her too :)

Ohh Im glad she is ok, keep me informed on her, is it her first lamb? If you can get some video footage of her and lamby. You'll have to call him/her Ned. Ive always wanted to call a sheep Ned lol

Thanks Dan for letting us see the lambs in your garden - lovely to watch them jumping around for a short time before they cuddled up to their mother and went to sleep. I was looking forward to seeing them again this morning but was too late as the webcam was focused on the field as usual. Never mind the field will soon be full of lambs 

Hi, Dan,
I'm just beginning to explore the site, so I'm coming across old conversations, etc.  I just came across your lovely photos of daffodils - they make me jealous but ours will come!  And the bushes that are gradually  turning yellow - that looks like what I know as broome but I know it has a couple of other names, firze being one of them, I think.  They are brilliant when they are fully in bloom.

I had a good look at Lottie's mum (does she have a name?) and the two young ones earlier, and some interesting birds at the feeder. Do you know if there is a lesser redpoll  in your area?  It is the same length as the blue tit but thicker body and shorter tail, has a brown back with no markings, a slightly forked tail, and a rosy throat and white  or buff-coloured breast.  This may be the mystery bird that Margaret and I have been trying to identify - the rosy throat was the real clue this morning (which is afternoon for you.) 

Hope the newborns are doing well.