First 2014 lambs
Posted: Wednesday 2 April, 2014
First 2014 lambs born at teatime.
Smudge, a coloured gimmer, was 147days on Sunday, scanned with twins; she's been looking a bit preoccupied for a couple of days but started lambing properly at about 4pm. I caught her and had a little feel; two feet and a nose well into the birth canal, so left her to get on with it. Of course, at that time of day, the others wanted fed, so Smudge put lambing on hold while she had something to eat. Ryelands always get their priorities right :-)
After feeding the hoggs, I came back to keep an eye on her; she lay down and gave two or three heaves and stood up - and both lambs were there! Two ewe lambs. What a girl! She was chuntering over them so I left her to get on with it while I corned the hens. Mistake. Came back about 20 minutes later and Jinx had "adopted" one of the lambs - she's not due for two weeks yet :-(
Anyway, beat off Jinx, put Smudge and her two lambs in a pen, dipped the cords in iodine and checked that the ewe had milk. All good, so left her to get on with it.
Smudge's ewe lambs
Both lambs have suckled and are right vigorous; I don't think Smudge has huge amounts of milk yet, but hopefully it will come in response to the lambs. She's had a feed and drunk a bucket of water, so she's good to go.
One lamb has one eyelid slightly turned in; I've flicked it out once and will check it again overnight. It should be OK by tomorrow.
Pixie and Poppy are on 147 days today and scanned with twins and triplets respectively. Poor Poppy looks like a white whale - maybe I should change her name to Moby :-)
Right, better go see if anything's happening.
