Lambing - My Schedule

I had no clue what to expect when I arrived at the farm. I didn't know what tasks I would be handling. I didn't know what hours I'd be keeping. I didn't know how many other people would be helping. I've never even seen a lamb being born. I was completely clueless.

A little beauty enjoying the sunshine.

My usual schedule:
5:40 a.m. - Alarm goes off and I drag myself out of bed, grabbing a piece of bread or bowl of cereal before heading outside.
6:00 a.m. (or a few minutes later if my bed was extra warm) - Arrive at the barn and use the propane stove in the caravan to mix up a batch of formula for the lambs. Feed orphans, usually around six or seven of them but at the peak I fed eleven. Keep an eye out for anything strange, such as bloated bellies or strange sucking techniques.
6:30 - 10:00 a.m. - Top up water and feed for ewes in the birthing pens, muck out pens after a ewe has been moved to the holding pen with her lambs, keep an eye on ewes in labour, and other random tasks as they arise.
10:00 a.m. - Hunger sets in so I'd return to the farm house for a proper breakfast and then back to the barn for more mucking, feeding, monitoring ewes, moving sheep, return the occasional escaped lamb to the correct birthing pen, etc.
1:30 p.m. - Return to the farm house for one of Margaret's fabulous lunches and then back to the barn and fields.
7:00 p.m. - Back to the farm house for a shower and then dinner at 7:30 p.m.
8:30 - 11:45 p.m. - Honestly can't remember how I filled this time each evening. I once tried taking a nap but too difficult to wake up for the midnight feeding so gave up on that option.
12:00 - 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. - Back to the barn to feed the orphans, top up food and water for the ewes, check ewes in labour, and then off to bed.

My view when feeding the orphans.
(Flowered wellies were a much-loved gift from my friend, Sarah!)

I never had trouble sleeping. Although I was tired, I wasn't as exhausted as I expected to be and even if I had wanted to complain, I couldn't possibly have done so in light of Henry's mind-numbingly exhausting schedule. I enjoyed the work and loved being outside all day - it made up for any amount of sore muscles and yawning.

Twins grabbing a drink in a birthing pen.