Spring is Here! (We Wish)

Newborn Lamb

   Yes, I know it's still almost two months before the calendar says "First Day of Spring," but I just can't help feeling like it's already here when there are so many new babies.  The sheep began lambing yesterday, chicks are hatching like popcorn, and the goats start kidding this week.  Thankfully, it's been fairly warm, great for lambing and kidding season.  There is even a hint of green across the pastures.  We might have an early spring (which is exactly what I said last January, right before Montana was hit with such horrible weather that some likened it to the winter of 1886-87, immortalized in Charlie M. Russell's painting Waiting for a Chinook: Last of the 5000).
   Four does are due in the next couple of weeks.  Krebs Farm LVT Sunshine 3*M 3*D was due on the 19th, but she's holding out on us.  Her udder began obviously filling yesterday, though, so she should kid within the next few of days.  She is bred to CH Old Mountain Farm QuentinQuinn *B, a repeat of the breeding that produced triplet bucklings last year, including our gorgeous buck Krebs QQ Daye Quinn *B.  Hoping for doelings this time.
   The second doe due is Krebs Farm OT Steelic Mist 2*M 2*D AR.  Misty is bred to Krebs SR DeClaire *B*S.  This is a linebreeding on one of our all-time favorite crosses, Hickory Leaf Claire 1*M 1*D AR x MT Rivendells OLV Oliver Twist.  Excited to see how these kids turn out.  I won't take color over quality, but maybe, just maybe, a nice moonspotted sundgau-chamoisee, please?  Misty was due on the 21st.
   The third doe is Krebs Farm OT Clairebelle 2*M 2*D AR.  Belle is bred to CH Old Mountain Farm QuentinQuinn *B.  This is a repeat of the breeding we did with her last year that produced a litter of quadruplets, every one of which we have retained for now (Krebs QQ Avalon Quinn, Krebs QQ Ruth Quinn, Krebs QQ Marcus Quinn *B, and one buck pending registration).  They are some of our favorite kids from 2019--talk about nice rumps, especially on those doelings.  Belle is due on January 26.
   MT Rivendells HW Dove 1*M 1*D is due on January 28.  She is bred to Krebs SR DeClaire *B*S.  Dove had a beautiful first-freshening udder.  DeClaire should be a complementary cross for her, as his dam (Belle) has an excellent udder (it's developed quite a bit since the photos on her page--we plan to update with recent photos this year) and is one of the easiest milkers in the herd with her plump teats and large orifices--she loves being milked, too.  DeClaire's sire's dam appraised at EEEE91.
   Updates will be forthcoming as the kids are born!