Another Set of Twins

I went out to gather eggs as usual this morning. I was slogging through the mud thinking how lovely it was that the sun was shining when a movement in the back pasture caught my eye. With the way the pasture drops, I could not see an adult sheep but saw a tiny black lamb. In just a second I saw a Shetland ewe stand up next to it. I put my egg bucket down in a safe spot (the chickens love to try to eat their own eggs out of an unguarded bucket) & went down the pasture. The pretty brown ewe had an adorable little black lamb by her side but I could also see a few extra tiny brown legs sticking out under her belly. She had twins! The little black one is a ram lamb & the brown one is a ewe. They were already cleaned nicely, had well-fed little bellies & ran from me as I approached. They scattered in two different directions, travelled about ten feet then looked back in shock as they realized they were no longer with mama. They ran back to her & tried to hide on her far side. Katy was outside helping with chores so she joined me as we moved the three sheep into the stable.

The Shetland sheep are very hardy so they would be fine outside for the day. The reason we like to pull the newly-born lambs into the stable is so that their mothers can have lots of grain & fresh water without having to compete with the other sheep in the pasture. Amy, our Anatolian Shepherd who is the livestock guardian dog in that pasture, watched us carefully as we carried the lambs out of her field. She walked along with us briefly but then let us go. She is a huge dog & those little lambs would barely make a snack for her - it is amazing how she guards them when they seem like they would be such tempting toys.