Anna made a friend today. The little cripple Icelandic ewe, Georgie, has trouble with distances, so I scooped her up and put her in Anna'a day pen. Anna was interested in Georgie and smelled and her and even head butted her a little, I guess to see what her reaction was. Georgie is only about 6 weeks old, not old enough to wean, but she can barely walk. The ewes and lambs went out to the far pasture today. Georgie was crying as she attempted to keep up and I could not bear it, so she spent the day teaching Anna sheepy things, like what grass is. Anna was not interested in grass, being just two days old, but Georgie did not have access to her mother all day, so grass was better than nothing.
Georgie has spider leg syndrome, a crippling condition caused by a larger twin crowding her in utero and also usurping the nutrients required for strong bones. Her front legs curve under like a spider's legs and bow out when she puts weight on them. She is alert and has managed to keep up to her mother, but her mother is excellent and waited for her or went back and walked with her when she was slow and left behind. Lately though, Georgie is more and more left on her own. She is lonely and cries and cannot run with the other lambs. Normally Icelandic lambs are so vigorous they cannot be caught except by at least two people who are determined. Georgie does not mind being caught and she does not run from me, plus allows me to stroke her gorgeous chocolate coat and tickle her ears. She very much enjoyed Anna and when it was feeding time for Anna, Georgie cried because she missed her and did not want to stay alone. As soon as they were together again, she was content. It rained incessantly today and the little pen was protected with bits of plywood to shelter the lambs. Georgie showed Anna where to hide from the rain under the protected area and they curled up together and fell asleep. My heart breaks for little Georgie. Her prognosis is not good for a long happy life, but for now, she and Anna are friends, and that was all that mattered.
Georgie has spider leg syndrome, a crippling condition caused by a larger twin crowding her in utero and also usurping the nutrients required for strong bones. Her front legs curve under like a spider's legs and bow out when she puts weight on them. She is alert and has managed to keep up to her mother, but her mother is excellent and waited for her or went back and walked with her when she was slow and left behind. Lately though, Georgie is more and more left on her own. She is lonely and cries and cannot run with the other lambs. Normally Icelandic lambs are so vigorous they cannot be caught except by at least two people who are determined. Georgie does not mind being caught and she does not run from me, plus allows me to stroke her gorgeous chocolate coat and tickle her ears. She very much enjoyed Anna and when it was feeding time for Anna, Georgie cried because she missed her and did not want to stay alone. As soon as they were together again, she was content. It rained incessantly today and the little pen was protected with bits of plywood to shelter the lambs. Georgie showed Anna where to hide from the rain under the protected area and they curled up together and fell asleep. My heart breaks for little Georgie. Her prognosis is not good for a long happy life, but for now, she and Anna are friends, and that was all that mattered.
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