Meet Annabelle | Chickens in the Road

Jan
26

Back to the Sheep Farm, Part Deux.

Come here, baby.

We want to hug you and kiss you and love you all over!

Because, seriously, could this thing be cuter? Do you see how pink her ears are? Like a bunny rabbit’s.

Morgan picked her up and said, “I want to name her.”

My mind immediately reeled to all the names my various children have given our various animals in the past. Pink Pony. Yellow Pony. Red Pony. Purple Pony. (That was a pony phase.) Squirtle. Gastly. Haunter. (A Pokemon phase.) Duck Vader. Duck Maul. (The Star Wars phase.) Mama Tut. (An Egyptian phase.) Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. (A PowerPuff Girls phase.) Kenya and Tokyo. (Apparently, a geographical phase.)

Then she said, “I want to name her Annabelle.”

I nearly fell over in shock. Then quickly leaped upon my good fortune. “That’s a wonderful name! Her name is Annabelle!”

Whew.

Annabelle wears a diaper. (Newborn size.)

Which, of course, leads to diaper changing.

A little hole has to be cut out of the diaper for her tail.

Her tail will be docked because sheep tails attract maggots and flies and are generally a nuisance. It will be done by banding the tail, which will cause it to fall off in about three weeks. (This is similar to how goats and sheep are castrated.)

I’m glad I wasn’t the one cleaning the poop off that tail.

Now it’s time for the fresh diaper.

And a bottle of milk.

She’s drinking prepared instant sheep milk replacer.

A new lamb has to be fed every four hours. Having a bottle lamb is a big job. At the sheep farm, they’re still hoping she can go back to nursing her mama. She has a twin, a ram lamb, who is nursing, but this little ewe lamb wasn’t quite aggressive enough to get her turn at the udder.

She felt pretty frisky after drinking her bottle.

I just love her soppy, milky mouth.

And look at those long legs.

Sigh…….

Sheep are sweet, mild-mannered creatures. They stick together because they’re prey animals, not because they’re stupid. They are souful and grounded and I think they have a lot to say even though they can’t speak. I’m looking forward to getting to know Annabelle, and to building a whole flock around her. I will tell their stories for them.

But for now, her future stardom in my barnyard still but a twinkle in my eye, she has to put on her little lamb jacket and spend some time in the barn, time to bond with mama and remember that she is a sheep.

In the barn, she joins her mother and twin brother in the “lambing jug”–a special pen for a new mama and babies separated from the rest of the flock. Annabelle sits under a heat lamp to stay warm.

Goodbye, little Annabelle. I’ll see you soon!

I have cookies!

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52 Responses
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1-26
3:40
am

oooh she is so adorable, I wouldn’t mind having one here, hahaha, no room i’m afraid, but this way I can enjoy it a little bit through your writings.
wonderfull,

hugs
gwen

gwen -
1-26
3:44
am

and I voted for you, so with a little luck……

gwen -
1-26
4:18
am

Annabelle is adorable! Can’t think she isn’t smart when she found a way to be pampered indoors in this weather.
I thought lambs were born in spring?

Kathleen in Michigan -
1-26
5:00
am

Annabelle is the perfect name for her. She’s so cute and she looks like she’s always smiling!

beekudzu -
1-26
5:03
am

Oh, she is so precious!!

Michelle Willingham -
1-26
5:04
am

Ahhhh bless! She really is gorgeous. I thought it was a statue in the first photograph.

Hard work for you but very worthwhile. Just wish I could cuddle her too. That photo where she’s resting her head on someone’s knee is absolutely beautiful. Annabelle really steals your heart!

winifred -
1-26
5:07
am

What a perfect name! Annabelle is a beautiful baby.

Kathryn -
1-26
6:11
am

Annabelle is adorable!
Now I want one.

Becky -
1-26
6:45
am

That is the perfect name for her. I want to sleep with her in my snuggly bed.

Mental P Mama -
1-26
7:10
am

Your farm is growing! Soon you will have little Annabelle home. She is so cute and cuddly! The name is perfect for her. Love the diapers
too!

Gail -
1-26
7:17
am

Oh Annabelle is tooo cute!!

Wheezay -
1-26
7:24
am

Annabelle is just the cutest little fluff, I want to cuddle up with her.

IowaDeb -
1-26
8:00
am

That is just too freaking precious!!!!!!!!!! Makes me want to have a farm again…..that is….until I think about feeding up! Maybe one day

Wayfaring Wanderer -
1-26
8:06
am

What an adorable little baby!!!! I wonder what my cat would do if he say that little cutie running around the house!! LOL!I know you can’t wait till she gets home!

MARY -
1-26
8:10
am

She is cute to an almost ridiculous degree.

On the other hand, I *did* have lamb chops last night…

Robin G. -
1-26
8:10
am

OOOOHHHHH!!! Have you EVER seen anything so precious!? AB, tell that ram brother of yours to STEP OFF! lol…

Traci

Traci Best -
1-26
8:16
am

Annabelle is a sweetheart. Have always loved the name

I also voted for you Good luck!

Angelia M -
1-26
8:20
am

I am right with you on not wanting to clean the poop off the tail!!! or anywhere for that matter. so cute though, you can see each fuzzy hair and you want to reach out and touch for sure. hope you get more than one so they wont be lonely – how will the goats take this new addition?

jane -
1-26
8:23
am

Suzanne,
I am new to the blog world, but am reading a blog that I thought might be interesting to you. Life of a Southern Farm is about a woman in Georgia who is raising a baby sheep just as you are about to do. It thought you might find it intereting. By the way, your writing is wonderful and I read it every day. Thanks for sharing your life with us! Bonnie

Bonnie Schmidt -
1-26
8:48
am

Awwww co cute !!Yesterday I sent pictures to my daughter hoping to incease the multitudes at her farm.She has mostly rescues not many askits.Shes now working with wild baby domestic geese. Already in residence is Lucy an adult who is in love with a Clydsdale.
Want to know, Is that a Lambs wool jacket on Annabelle? Her name fits her well also.

FidLdd -
1-26
10:51
am

Oh…Ohohoh…I love her. Every inch of my body is clamoring to hold her. When I spent childhood on the farm and sometimes the momma sheep would not let their babies nurse, I got to feed the lambs. There’s a picture around here somewhere I just may have to find and post. So cute.

Lucy -
1-26
10:52
am

Oh…Ohohoh…I love her. Every inch of my body is clamoring to hold her. When I spent childhood on the farm and sometimes the momma sheep would not let their babies nurse, I got to feed the lambs. There’s a picture around here somewhere I just may have to find and post. So cute.

Lucy -
1-26
12:49
pm

She is just adorable! And Annabelle is perfect!

Dessa -
1-26
1:06
pm

That photo of her with Milk Mouth was adorable! And you made my heart sing when you said you would tell their stories. Thank you.

jean -
1-26
1:26
pm

SWEETEST little lamb EVER..however, I was sad to learn of her new name – but that is because it has a personal meaning to ME, which is not good. LOL I’ll deal…
I loved all the phases of the names the children went through. That was funny. LOL

Donna -
1-26
1:36
pm

Annabelle is such a darling. I think she is going to wrap everyone around her little finger.

Susan -
1-26
2:29
pm

Holy moly, the level of cuteness here is off the charts!

Mimi -
1-26
2:42
pm

I Love Annabelle, she could’nt be any cuter and the name suits her fine!

Leah -
1-26
2:47
pm

What a sweet little face!

I am looking forward to sheep shearing stories , sort of the equivalent, I would think, of goat milking stories….

I really enjoy your blog, Suzanne. Today I had a panic attack when I kept getting a “403 access forbidden” page! Obviously, I was eventually able to access Chickens in the Road, but it was scary there for a while!

Debbie in PA -
1-26
2:55
pm

Precious! I want one!! (Or a whole flock!)

Sara -
1-26
3:13
pm

Annabelle is adorable and I’m singing “Little Lamb” from Gypsy again! She’d make the perfect costar, rather than the stuffed lamb my daughter had to use.

Amy in West TX -
1-26
3:13
pm

What a sweet little puff of a sheep! Love the name –

Beth in PA

Beth Brown -
1-26
3:16
pm

Oh, golly! Look at that cute little face! How can you stand not cuddling her? *G*

Brandy -
1-26
3:32
pm

She’s adorable and I just want to give her a kiss on her cute little nose….milk and all!

SuzieQ -
1-26
3:50
pm

She is so adorable. How could a person not fall in love.

Okie Sister -
1-26
4:01
pm

She’s just to adorable for words. Look at those ears? so cute. Will she ever nurse her mother? How long will you have to bottle feed her? I know full of questions but I have no idea about sheep.

Treasia/TruckersWife -
1-26
4:13
pm

Oh. My. Gosh. Too cute to …well, I don’t know what. But very cute!!

Kacey -
1-26
4:18
pm

How cute is Annabelle? Morgan picked a perfect name!
I bet you can’t wait to get her home and start taking care of her. She will thrive at your farm.

I had a little trouble getting to your blog this morning. I don’t see that anyone else had trouble, so it must have been on my end. I felt dejected…it said I was not allowed to see Annabelle! How mean! All’s well now though.

Claudia W. -
1-26
4:36
pm

Chickens and goats and sheep, oh my!

Annabell looks like a big, walking stuffed animal, she is that cute.

Welcome to the farm, Annabell!

Amy -
1-26
4:56
pm

I’m sorry about the trouble getting to my blog today! I was down for about three hours. I had to make an emergency change of servers due to traffic.

Suzanne McMinn -
1-26
5:15
pm

Those eyes, those lips, those ears! Oh my, and a milk mustache
too! What a cutie pie!

Melissa's Cozy Teacup -
1-26
5:45
pm

Annabelle is adorable!

Estella -
1-26
6:13
pm

I voted! Good luck!

(I want a sheep baby! But I’ll have to settle for a human one. In 6 months. *sigh…*)

Tracey -
1-26
6:40
pm

Just more adorable than words can say – are you going to get her a brother or sister?

catslady -
1-26
7:13
pm

VERY cute! And I love the name!!!
I am in agreement though…would
definitely want to skip the poop part.
Swing by this week, have several giveaways going on.

The Jillybean -
1-26
7:20
pm

She is just absolutely adorable. I just love animals. They are the cutest!!!! By the way my sourdough is ready and put in the fridge. Can’t wait to make sourdough pizza for my honey tomorrow night!!!

Kay -
1-26
9:19
pm

I found you via the Bloggies and promptly voted and bookmarked you I love the bloggies as I get introduced to blogs such as yours Annabelle is a darling. As a spinner I love sheep, baby ones too darn cute.

amy -
1-26
9:22
pm

Oh My Gosh! How adorable! We never kept sheep ourselves, but had neighbours and friends around who did. I loved lambing season as I was able to go with my dad. He “assisted” with difficult deliveries – he was very gentle and had long skinny hands – and I remember him saying “just like a jigsaw puzzle, get the right little leg connected to the right little lambikins”. My favourite part of those days was bottle feeding some little waif that couldn’t or wouldn’t nurse. Boy, if I could travel back in time! Since I can’t, I’m sure relieved to know your Annabelle posts are going to be a great substitute.

PS: My Dad had an Annabelle when I was growing up … an Angora rabbit.

Lola-Dawn -
1-26
9:25
pm

I never realized that lambs are really as cute as a stuffed animal or maybe MORE so. I want to squeeze her (gently). XXXOOO from Texas… had to wait until I got home to see the column today as your website now is on our banned list!

Jodie -
1-29
12:21
pm

AWWWWW She is so cute! I love baby lambs. We had a bottle fed lamb once and she was the sweetest we have ever had

Sarah S. -
2-3
8:13
pm

I love your website/blog. I grew up in WV and miss it alot. It would be a dream to move to a farm. I aspire to write and published my own prayer book, but that is as far as I have ventured.
I feel like I can enjoy your “livin the dream”, just by checking in. I love the slanted house! The baby lambs are cute and I too am a big fan of Nora!!!.. Awesome.
I will vote for your blog. Denise P in Ohio

Denise P -
2-13
9:55
pm

Beautiful, fragile looking and will be loved by all.

Cranberry -