I visited a neighbor farm to learn about chicken and duck raising. The young man who taught me what I need to know about bird raising had the state champion chicken at the Iowa State Fair last summer.
This farm raises deer also. They bottle feed the females so they are easier to handle. The little babies make the cutest sound when they are waiting for their bottle. That day I made a friend.
They also have pigs, turkeys, pigeons, tons of rabbits, and other unique birds.
This morning I watched this ewe give birth to a set of healthy twins. It’s a amazing how fast the labor process is for a four-year-old ewe.
This particular ewe had trouble with her utter and teats. I discovered later in the day that no milk was coming out of either teat. The poor little ones were starving! I soaked her swollen teat in warm water and started to express the milk by hand. I filled 3 full beer bottles of collostrum-rich milk and fed it back to her little ones. Her other teat is not producing milk due to scar tissue build-up possibly from a past bout of mastitis. Ouch!
We are keeping a close eye on her and the babies to make sure everyone stays healthy.