I might be a little premature. But I think he will live, he must live after that terrible day, so I am calling him Marcel. His mother died yesterday morning. His sister died the day before. Marcel must live.
I really am of a mind that he will survive (though my mind is already sleep deprived with two hour feeds through the nights.) Yesterday he began to bleat like a real new born lamb, only once or twice, but the insistence was there, the volume. He stood. By himself. Not for long but it is a huge improvement. The bleeding from his navel and nose has stopped. And he is alive.
Though Boo would rather he stays safely in Kupa’s box. Wooden floors are hopeless for Lambies who are still learning to walk. Boo hated seeing the lamb do a splat with all his legs going every which way. So he was gently put back in his box.
Marcel has the face of a mime, the legs of a goat and the body of a Biafrin. But he is drinking, peeing and pooing and when he is not asleep he is rocking back and forth pushing himself up to standing. Collapsing then trying again.
Yesterday it snowed pretty much all day (probably 6 or 7 inches) with a little frozen rain mixed in just for a change. We lost power most of the afternoon, but the generator was primed and ready to go and the power came back on before anyone was much bothered. Though I did put some snow on the wood stove to melt for the dogs, alongside the chili that had been cooking there most of the day (my secret ingredient is sherry! Don’t tell anyone – they will think I am a wino).
Look at the delightfully Loyal and Common Birds taking a Bird Bath in a thunder snow storm, though they do have a look out. No girlie bird wants to be caught in her bath. The thunder was very deep and loud, such a surprise when it is snowing. 

What are they thinking?!
Lots of snow, we had to cut all new paths to the barn and the rat house again. They will be gone by morning though. I am getting good at this snow thing.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy
celi








106 responses to “I am calling him Marcel”
Welcome, Marcel. You’ve got a whole lotta’ folks pulling for you out here in the Fellowship!
(Hope you can get some rest today, C…)
Sending prayers and good thoughts for Marcel….get some rest…you are a new mommy all over again!
I’m so sorry to hear about Meadow, but so relieved that Marcel is still fighting. Those birdies are crazy, bathing outside in weather like this!
I know! Those bathing birds in a blizzard were a surprise to me also, One day I will have a good long lens so i can capture those moments better. c
If he’s named after Marcel Marceau, he needs a stripey jersey! He has a tenacious but good tempered expression; I think he’s going to be a cheerful little wether. Boo is proudly doing Guard Nanny duty across the door of the lambie-pen, very aware of his responsibility. Such a kind dog… Now all you have to do is train him to heat the bottle and hold it for Marcel to drink from!
He does remind me a little of Marcel Marceau. Especially when he was captured without his make up. And he just walked right around the dining room table.. wooden floors are not ideal for lambs though! c
Hurrah for our little warrior. After all he has conquered already he does deserve a name! 🙂
Sweet Marcel. So glad to see he is getting stronger.
he is so cute! i am glad he is doing well!
Happy to meet you Marcel! You are a cutie and Boo is keeping such good watch over you. Hope you get some sleep C — Marcel might grow up to think he is a dog like some of CSL’s flock.
C — what is a Biafrin?
I was going to ask that.
Good luck little Marcel and a big hug for Boo for being such a good nanny.
Biafra is the old name (late 1960’s – early 1970’s) for modern day Nigeria, North Western Africa. The country was always at war as well as enduring drought and famine. To call someone a Biafran (early 1970’s slang) means they are gaunt, malnourished and painfully thin and spindly. Laura
thanks. I think I knew that, but the context seemed wrong somehow.
I know, it was the late sixties I think and we followed their plight even from NZ. My mother used to say, ‘Eat up, think of all the starving Biafrins..’ and we did and we did.c
Your mum and mine must be related! The number of times I was told how grateful the starving children in Biafra would be to be able to eat my dinner…. I even offered to send them one particularly nasty dinner of boiled tripe, white sauce, slightly burned potatoes and brussel sprouts. I got a taste of dad’d belt for that remark and my pocket money was confiscated for a month and put in the Missions Box at church.
(Laugh) I think they were related!! c
Something I’ve found helpful with all bottle lambs, especially weak high riskers, is vitamin E. I use the gel caps you get at the grocery. Poke a hole in the end with a pin and squeeze it into at least one bottle a day. Might help with his wonky legs, too. As I’m not a vet, you should check with your vet to be sure, but wanted to pass that along. I also use a hit or two of some sort of nutri-drench for lambs (not goat kids) that I get at the feed store.
Oh I have some Vit E, we have been in a storm so getting to a feed store is out of the question, but I gave him Vit B on Day 1. I shall add a cap of E today. thank you.. He has egg and honey in his raw cows milk and is doing ver well on it too.. c
Pulling for Marcel and what is a Biafrin????
google Biafra Miss T. It was Biafra for only a few years in the midst of a terrible civil war, its people starved and is now Nigeria. Our African Fellowship members will fill us in a bit more. c
I thought it was an animal at first but I do remember the turmoil in Biafra. t
Hey, Celi? Are you sure Boo’s not a Healer? The little dude couldn’t be in better hands. You’re my hero
If Boo is a healer he does it with Gusto, no gentle healing in his book. But he sleeps next to the lambs crate night and day. c
I’m so glad Marcel has him. And you, too : )
That dear little large-eyed lamb. I agree with publiworks. Boo-the-Healer. Marcel is the perfect name. Long live Marcel!!
All things considered, he’s doing well – I’m sure Boo had a lot to do with that (and you of course) 😉
Viva miss C and Boo, Viva! Welcome to warrior Marcel, we are looking forward to being part of your story 🙂 C, I have a question … how are your heated water bowls heated, and how long do they stay warm/unfrozen? Never having had to deal with all your ‘white stuff’ in all its forms ever obviates the 2nd 🙂 Laura
I buy heated double sided buckets from the feed store. They are run on electricity. Lucky for me I have power in the barn. The one in the snow for the birds is a heated dog bowl, which reminds me i had better go and fill it up. The birds flock to it.. c
I know Marcel’s momma was in bad shape, but I hoped she would somehow survive. Come on Marcel! I’m sending positive energy your way.
And today we’ll have sunshine with temperatures in the 40’s. Of course it also means we’ll have lots of melting going on.