B-a-a-h, B-a-a-h

Last week, three guys who were working out in the oilfield brought into our office two little lambs who had been deserted by their mother for whatever reason. The lambs were on the verge of becoming dinner for a couple of golden eagles when they were rescued by these guys.

Because we had no milk and these little lambs were at the point of dying, Trina mixed up some dairy creamer and water, placed it in a couple Ziplock bags, pricked a hole in the corner of the bags and proceeded to try to get them to drink.

It was very hard in the beginning to get the lambs to drink as it appeared they had never even suckled from their own mother. They seemed to be no more than two days old, still had the markings of afterbirth and their umbilical cords still attached.

Eventually they begin to nurse from the bag and then I even got into the act and tried to help with the feeding. The little white one finally got the hang of sucking the corner of the bag and his brother then stepped up next to him.

The one with the markings planted himself next to the bag and began sucking off my finger where some of the creamer residue was dripping from the bag. That's how you feed two little lambs at the same time with one plastic bag teat!

They went home with Trina at the end of the day to join her zoo as she has much more experience at mothering little lambs than I. And, can you imagine what the dogs would have thought had I brought them home and put them in that back yard?

Another New Adventure - Banding the Lambs

Last weekend Joe and I went to Kaycee, Wyoming (population 249) where my friend Trina lives. Kaycee is about 70 miles north of Casper and this was the furtherest north I would have traveled on this side of the state. (Trina works in the same department in the oilfield as I do). For some reason, Trina, and her husband Brian, have become parents to several "bum" lambs. These are lambs that have been rejected by their mothers for some unknown reason or are orphans. On this particular day, they were mothering some 20+ lambs.

Trina had been talking about how she lived in the country (imagine that) and all the animals they have on their small ranch. Yes, ranch, not farm. So, since it was supposed to be a nice weekend, we made arrangements for Joe and I to go up around noon on Saturday and help feed the lambs and see her other animals.

Steve (who works in our department also) and his family were also coming up as they were going to take some lambs home with them to their place outside of Casper. So ultimately Trina had a lot of "help" that day when it came time to "band" the lambs going home with Steve and Jill and their two little girls Brianna and Octavia.

Banding is where a rubber band - a tight rubber band - is placed near the top of their tails so that the bottom part will eventually fall off. Also, a rubber band - a tight rubber band - is placed around the male genitalia. In other words, their balls will fall! Never having seen this done before was quite shocking and disturbing to me. Let's just say it was no picnic for the little lambs either.

I have been told though that banding is much more humane than the two other alternatives used - razor blade cutting off or bitting them and then ripping them off!!! No fooling!!!

All I can say is YEE HAW girl - you're in Wyoming now!!!

This is the rubberband going on the tail.
This is the rubberband going on the ball, y'all.

These are poor lambs trying to hide before it's their turn!

This is Steve helping Trina. Notice the bag of rubberbands hanging on the fence.

Run lambs run!

This one didn't run fast enough and look at all the other stupid ones hanging around to watch. Do you think they think she's going to feed them?

You know what they say about curiousity?