I have such cabin and spring fever that any sign of fairer weather sets me off! Sunshine, above-freezing temps ...the anticipation of arriving lambs, kids, new chicks and spring bulbs bursting from the ground ... all keep me awake at night. I need to call the shearer and clean the barn stalls for lambing...clean the old garage shed for chicks scheduled to arrive the 14th or 15th of February...fix fencing in the back paddock so the boys can be relocated...the list of "worries" is long.  Kismet, from a litter of quads, is so large with "child" or, in her chase "children" that I'm afraid I'm going to find chilled and immobile lambs in a snowbank some morning. Katrina isn't as large, but she was a single birth herself so isn't expected to grow to the size of Kismet. Luckily the goats - all four girls - aren't due to deliver until the middle to end of April - warm weather birthing. Lola and Lobelia, too, shouldn't be lambing until May.

When planning fall breeding - the natural time for most species, a breeder needs to consider many things.  There are pros and cons to early fall breeding and to late fall breeding.  Statistics show that early fall breeding produces more lambs and kids.  Nature's preserving the species seems to kick in full force. The drawback, however, to early breeding is lambs and kids are born in February and March - the coldest months in Iowa - which places the offspring at higher risk of dying.  This year, I'm trying both.  The older ewes are bred for earlier delivery and the young gals for late delivery.  I'll do some comparisons, then decide what I will do this next year.  Some people also breed in the spring, for fall delivery - especially with goats, if you want a continuous milk flow production.

The Romeldale CVM sheep which we raise, are a natural fall breeder.  I spoke to a seasoned breeder recently, and was told that on occasion they will also breed a ewe in the spring, just to see if they can get a fall delivery.  Late born or summer lambs would be a choice for this practice.  Otherwise they're almost two years old for their first delivery.  Lannie, who was a very late born lamb, won't be a year old until mid-April.  I'm going to see if I can get any fall lambs this year, too. I will keep everyone posted.

In addition to expected deliveries of lambs and kids, I ordered new chicks this year.  Other than broody hens setting and raising clutches of Heinz-57, we haven't purchased new chicks for a few years.  We culled the chicken flock a couple of weeks ago and gave away all but a few full-sized hens and Ada's mini-banty flock.  We're trying two new rare breeds - the Barred Holland and Iowa Blue - and replenishing the Buff Brahmas.  February delivery is early for us, again, due to the usually cold weather of Iowa.  But, if we want them fully developed and mature for July Fair showtime, we need to get them earlier.  My plan is to hang multiple heat lamps, so if one burns out they always have a warm source to huddle under.

Yes, I know its still January and the patches of unseasonably warm weather are simply mother nature teasing me.  But, every bout of those days makes the especially cold and blustery days more tolerable. Its makes the curling-up-on-the-couch-to-watch-a-great-movie-in-the-middle-of-the-day an enjoyable thing - instead of something to endure because cabin fever is at the lethal stage. Getting outside often always makes me happy and all those "worries" seem less fearsome. Maybe I'll start my tomato and pepper plants next week ...