Author Topic: First lamb arrived unexpected (Read 2920 times)

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **on:** February 27, 2017, 01:02:13 am »

Went out for lunch
And came back to a lamb
Didn't expect her for another 2 weeks
1st time ryeland lambed unaided
But begs the question as to when the rest are due
I hadn't fed her 2 much as I was building the feed up

pharnorth · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2017, 03:38:19 am »

Ha me too! Just finished kidding the last goat Saturday. Hurrah at least a week until the first lamb due. Had a nice day at Windsor Castle. Back at 4. There's a lamb in the field. A what? A lamb. Oh!

Not a first timer but a well experienced ewe. Nice healthy ewe lamb. Doesn't look like an early.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2017, 08:41:59 am »

i changed my dates from tupping due to the marker colours so thought she had come back in the second cycle,
the lamb seems healthy and the ewe has plenty of milk
all best laid plans and all that

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2017, 08:51:22 am »

Early arrival can be influenced by the weather. One year we used raddle harnesses and left the tups in for only 18 days. All the ewes lambed 4 to 6 days early next Spring. Only variable had been the weather.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2017, 10:49:22 am »

lamb seems a bit week not very vigouous
its had a lamb kick start and colostum and stripping some milk from the ewe as we speak
is there much more else i can be doing

Jukes Mum · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2017, 01:22:04 pm »

Get it warm as they can't digest if they are cold. Are they inside? If so place her over a pop bottle filled with warn water.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2017, 02:00:23 pm »

yes all in doors and got heat although ive just got a new bulb as im not sure its giveing enough heat
i reckon i am been over careful
thanks
he feeding and ive been been stripping the milk off the ewe hopeful will burst into life
hes also moving around with the mother

pharnorth · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2017, 02:10:36 pm »

Yes managed to get her in, and all the others! Ewe and lamb nice and dry and warm and doing well. I like Marches Farmers theory. As it happens, I would have bought them in on Thursday but couldn't because of the storm, and then full on storm damage and kidding and didn't prioritise because I thought I had another week to play with.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2017, 08:48:32 pm »

Well got home lamb looked a bit empty put new lamp in stripped bit of milk off ewe gave it lamb
Laid it under lamp
Checked on it couple of hours later still under lamp but looks like it has fed from ewe it even came over to stand on my feet
I put it back under ewe it had a few slurps
And went and laid back down.
Thinking of putting more colostrum in its tummy before bed
Will also weigh him tonight and see if he maintains weight over next few days

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2017, 09:23:17 am »

Well you're certainly doing a fantastic job [member=106584]Princessrubyk[/member]

a big thumbs up and well done!
All the best
WBF

harmony · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2017, 10:03:52 am »

Round here the farmers definitely would say weather is a big factor.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2017, 11:05:53 am »

checked at 3 this morning lamb not interested in colostrum and fed off mum, shes a bit tender on one teat so will keep eye on that
weighed it this morning and weighed 7.8lb not sure how that compares to other Ryelands of around 36 hours old
but least he feeding and wagging tail when he does

picked up loafds of valuable experience
looking forward to the next lot lambs and hopefully been there for the lambing ha