The July 5th, 2016 started out as a wonderful day that ended on such a tragic note.
We woke up with Tilly in labour and by early afternoon she was in her new whelping box. Marva and I stood by in great anticipation. Then at 1:10 PM a complaining 14.5 ounce, blue merle female puppy was born. This was followed 10 minutes later by a black tri girl and continued until 4:25 PM. When all was said and done we had 4 females and 2 males. We also had 4 blue merle and 2 black tri puppies. Click to see pictures of puppies.
We were so happy and excited with this litter of six. When mother and pups were all settled in nursing and sleeping. I went out at 9:00 PM to put the farm animals in for the night and to collect the days eggs. As soon as I entered the yard I knew something was wrong. My three white ewes with the baby ram were waiting for me at their usual spot by the fence but there was no black ewe. I put the sheep in the barn an went out looking for "Periwinkle Minx" with a sinking feeling in my heart. She was always with the others and usually one of the first to greet me in the evening. I went first to the goat barn to see if she may have settled in with the goats. Minx was not there. The feeling became worse. A hike through the fields found no sheep. I decided to check the creek first and then the woods. I followed the mostly dry creek bed to the pond and found Minx lying in 2 to 8 inches of water with her head submerged. She was gone.
It was such a sad ending to what had been such a happy day. I am amazed as to how attached one can become to an animal that was with us for such a short time. Minx will be missed.
We woke up with Tilly in labour and by early afternoon she was in her new whelping box. Marva and I stood by in great anticipation. Then at 1:10 PM a complaining 14.5 ounce, blue merle female puppy was born. This was followed 10 minutes later by a black tri girl and continued until 4:25 PM. When all was said and done we had 4 females and 2 males. We also had 4 blue merle and 2 black tri puppies. Click to see pictures of puppies.
We were so happy and excited with this litter of six. When mother and pups were all settled in nursing and sleeping. I went out at 9:00 PM to put the farm animals in for the night and to collect the days eggs. As soon as I entered the yard I knew something was wrong. My three white ewes with the baby ram were waiting for me at their usual spot by the fence but there was no black ewe. I put the sheep in the barn an went out looking for "Periwinkle Minx" with a sinking feeling in my heart. She was always with the others and usually one of the first to greet me in the evening. I went first to the goat barn to see if she may have settled in with the goats. Minx was not there. The feeling became worse. A hike through the fields found no sheep. I decided to check the creek first and then the woods. I followed the mostly dry creek bed to the pond and found Minx lying in 2 to 8 inches of water with her head submerged. She was gone.
It was such a sad ending to what had been such a happy day. I am amazed as to how attached one can become to an animal that was with us for such a short time. Minx will be missed.