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WORLAND — What started as an innocent 4-H sheep project a few years ago evolved into a breeding frenzy this year with one ewe giving birth to quintuplets on Saturday, March 12.

Erin Larson said her daughter Aubrey Avant joined 4-H a few years ago and wanted a sheep project so she borrowed a neighbor’s bum lamb named Barbara, that Avant named for a character from “Stranger Things.” After 4-H, Barbara went back to the neighbor until last year. Barbara lost her lambs and the neighbor brought her over to Tharp Veterinary Clinic so they could get the colostrum to save for other baby animals.

Larson had four young bum lambs she was raising and tried to see if Barbara would accept them. Barbara accepted two of the bums, Beverly and Erica.

Fastforward to 2021, when Larson did not want to get rid of her nicer, sweeter bum ewes so instead she decided to breed them — Barbara, Beverly, Erica and Lanie. She also had five other ewes, Shmoo she had purchased at the sale barn last summer and four ewes she purchased already bred.

She contacted Carl Nielsen of C&D Targhees out of Hyattville for a buck for her unbred ewes.

Barbara has been the star this year giving birth to quintuplets on Saturday. Mom and all five lambs, one female and four males, are doing well.

Larson said Barbara started labor about 11 a.m. on Saturday morning and she gave birth to a small lamb first. Her initial thought was Barbara’s pregnant belly was too large for such a small lamb. She didn’t realize at that time there were four more to come.

When Barbara started giving birth to the fourth, Larson said she and those who were helping her just started laughing. Number five came along just after 1 p.m.

They were all given colostrum from their mother or from some available on hand, Larson said, noting without the colostrum they would not make it.

Larson said of her nine ewes she has 13 lambs as of Tuesday morning, 10 males and three females.

Lambing started for the ones that were purchased already bred in January and February.

She said the five from Nielsen’s buck were all due starting March 10. One lost her lambs prematurely.

Schmoo, a hair-breed ewe, gave birth to triplets right on schedule, two black lambs and one white lamb.

Beverly and Lanie are still waiting to go into labor although Larson believes Beverly will be any day.

On Sunday, Larson said Barbara, was doing just fine providing nourishment to her five young lambs. However, she said as the lambs get older, within the next day or two, they were going to have assist mother Barbara by helping bottle feed some of the lambs because Larson said Barbara likely is not going to be able to produce enough milk for all five babies.

On Tuesday, Larson said she Barbara was still holding her own producing enough milk to keep all five babies happy. She did note that she has assisted about three times since Sunday to give three different babies a little extra food.

Dr. Steve Tharp said twin lambs are not unusual and triplets are not uncommon but quintuplet lambs are quite rare.