[SallyN]

I have a couple of ewes which are long overdue their date and I'm thinking they may not be pregnant.

Really annoying. But anyway: today is three weeks after due date, so I was thinking that by now even if they missed a cycle they should be nearly there. Went and had a good feel this morning and though both rounded (and I know one of them barely showed at all last year so size/shape isn't a factor with her) neither have any other signs - not milking up, no changes around the back end, no changes in behaviour.

Now - how long would you wait before kicking them out of their cushty little paddock and back into the main field with ewes and lambs? The ram was in with them for 9-10 weeks I think. So should I wait another cycle before completely ruling it out?

[gapcap]

We had one very similar,she had scanned for twins, but as time went on, showed absolutely, no change in shape, udder size, We decided we'd turf her out when the remaining (due later) 2 ewes lambed ,assuming she's slipped her lambs, checking the camera early morning 6 weeks later and there she was with 2 bouncing lambs,and an udder full of milk, the night before there was nothing zilch  So I expect others with more experience will be able to advise you,but it just goes to show sheep dont read the books

[Bywaters]

WHy not now ? Not going to do any harm unless you are feeding the ewes with lambs more than the non lambed ewes.

I have 3 similar. I had a large prolapse last year so might well have not caught, one is a first timer who might have been holding out for a better offer and the other one is one of 4 I bought in late autumn.
They are all together with the others. Saves a lot of faff

[SallyN]

Well I was told never to turn out pregnant ewes with lambed ewes... learned this after I did just that one year with one ewe who was late and had terrible trouble as the lambs nicked all the milk (i.e.colostrum) from the about-to-lamb ewe. As it turned out her lamb was born dead but I was ready to tube it had it survived, I couldn't keep the older lambs off her and promised myself I'd never make that mistake again.

Just a bit concerned in case I'm wrong and these two drop without me being there and without any colostrum to give to the babies even if all does go well. I have such a small flock that even one or two losses are a bit of a disaster.

[Slimjim]

If it's no problem to leave them where they are, I would do that. Gapcap's experience above is not unique, so IMO, if the tup was in that long, I should wait a bit longer.