Long Meg gives birth to Durrington

I’ve just become a mother again.  I have a new boy.  He is a big lad – over 15 kilos – and as usual I sought the attention of our people before I gave birth.

What I like to do is walk over to the window of their offices and stare intently at them.  I stare and stare until they realise something is up.  It gives me comfort to know they will help me if I need.  Now, normally I have sensible sized cria, but my boy Durrington Walls is the biggest cria I’ve had, and I’ve had seven cria.  Usually I deliver standing up and get it over with pretty quickly.  This was a bit more of a struggle and I lay down in the barn to give birth.

Your normal presentation is ‘nose ‘n’ toes’ and it’s always a slightly anxious time waiting to see if all is well, but within minutes I’d produced head and front legs.  When our people see this they can relax and they coo and encourage me, but, my word, big shoulders are no fun, and Durrington has VERY BIG shoulders.

A good bit of twisting from me (and I don’t mind admitting a fair bit of noise too) and the shoulders were out.  Phew!  Suddenly, the shearlings move in for a close look.  All our younger girls get real close for a good gawp before I’ve even finished delivering.  Our person pulled Durrington out as he was a lively one and I stood up to see him properly.  He’s beautiful.  Mottled brown and very gorgeous.  Mind you, he looks as if a bird has pooped on his head.  He has a little white dribble down the side of his face.  He’s still very handsome and I love him.

My daughters Tintagel and Hazelton were particularly keen to see their new brother.  Mothers have to keep a close watch on older daughters at this time.  The girls were so pushy, wanting to see Durrington that I had to tell them off, quite severely.  I went weak and squeaked when Durrington flopped down between Tintagel’s legs, but she was a very good girl and she ever so gently picked her feet up and stepped backwards.

I told our people that as it was sunny I’d like to go back to Home Field.  I gave Durrington his first feed at the top of the slope and watched as he tottered down the slope.

Less than six hours later my boy was playing with Marden’s Dorstone Hill and Maes Howe’s Kilpeck Castle.  The three are immediately the best of friends and they entertain everyone as they run and cavort around the field.

Crias are brilliant.  We just have Hetty Pegler to go and then we should have a field full of furries.

More news from Golden Valley Llamas soon