The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Foobar on April 14, 2014, 11:39:54 am
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Okay, so my lambing started at the beginning of March, and I pretty much knew the due dates of most of my girls, and everything went to plan. I wasn't 100% sure on the due dates of the ewe-lambs though as the ram that was in with them was very very keen and jumped on them at every opportunity, so he had marked them on several occasions. Luckily for me the raddle marks don't last long on my black sheep, especially with all the welsh rain we get, so I was able to distinguish between new and old marks, and thus note down the last day that the ram marked each of the ewe-lambs. This has been fine, for 5 out of 6 of the ewe lambs, they all lambed around the day that I was expecting (back in March, bar one). The last one however, who I thought was due on the 18th March has shown no signs of lambing at all, but did look pregnant. I thought maybe that she didn't take the first time (I had another that this was the case for), and I missed the re-marking, so then she would have been due on April 4th, but still nothing then either.
I've never had a ewe (or ewe lamb) not catch after two cycles, so I stop marking the ram after 35 days (he stays with them all winter). So I guess there is a chance that it's third time lucky and she might pop next Monday. She does still look pregnant, I think. I don't know if it's my imagination or not but I've been thinking that perhaps she has changed shape slightly. Hard to tell as there is so much wool :). She is doing the "being careful" when she sits down, you know, she plops down her front end, then jiggles a bit before plopping down the rear end. I've looked at her udder and there is a little development there. There has been no discharge from her rear end. Her vulva doesn't look much different to any of the other ewe lambs that have already lambed but then they are all young and pert, and don't really go "saggy" like the older ewes :).
My thoughts are ...
... has she given birth and it's been taken by a fox? I've ruled this out I think for a couple of reasons - I can usually tell the signs of one of them thinking about giving birth, and they are such good mothers I would have expected her to have been going mental if she had lost a baby. And I think she still does look pregnant.
... the lamb has been in a breach position and that has meant that she hasn't shown any signs of actively straining to get it out. It'll be dead by now if that's the case. Never saw a water bag though. She isn't showing any signs of illness.
... she's actually not pregnant
... she's still pregnant and it'll pop sometime soon (maybe next monday :))
I dunno what to think, or do. Any thoughts anyone?
I've tried feeling her tummy to see if i can feel any lambs inside, but it's not something that I've had to do before so don't really know what it should feel like. It did feel quite full and heavy, taught even. (I did the lifting the tummy method by wrapping my arms around her (as per my Agnes Winter book), rather than tipping her up, for obvious reasons)
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The watched pot never boils ;D
She could have taken to the tup at any point through the winter as he stayed in there with them. Just let her get on with it and don't over-calculate what's going on.
There is a possibility the lamb has died inside, but until you see signs of illness, discharge or high temps then you can't know.
As you are so keen to know what's going on, is it possible to ask someone more familiar with feeling the tummy for lambs to check?
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As you are so keen to know what's going on, is it possible to ask someone more familiar with feeling the tummy for lambs to check?
Yes, I might do that. I might also have a feel of the others and compare :).
What is the process if the lamb has died? Will something be expelled at some point? ie. nasty infected discharge etc? And I assume it will have to come out at some point - is that a job for a vet? Meds to make her open up etc?
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Well, she did lamb this morning. One nice ram lamb. That'll teach me to be more patient!!!
So, it's "Hoorah I've finished"!! Final count is 17 lambs from 5 ewes and 6 ewe lambs, 7 boys and 10 girls. Yay. :thumbsup:
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Bonnie lamb :thumbsup:
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Lovely pic :love: :sheep:
Congratulations!
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I've got one still hanging on and, like foobar, I'm beginning to doubt if she's actually pregnant.
She did scan with a single lamb (and my scanner's never been wrong) and I've seen no evidence of abortion. My vet says she could have reabsorbed the lamb - but I can't think of any clear reason why she would. It hasn't been a hard winter, they have plenty food and they aren't stressed (although she IS bonkers).
According to the raddle mark, she was due last Wednesday, so come Wednesday this week, I'm putting her out. Poor Dickie, our wether, has been brought in to keep her company and he looks gie fed up ::)
But foobar's ewe has given me new hope :thumbsup:
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:thumbsup: yep I'm still waiting for one too; nice to see it end well for you Foobar, :fc: mine is soon :) .
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hi rosemary, has she got a bag yet. We still 1 to lamb(also started beginning of march) I moved her down to other fields as thought she wasn't inlamb. Anyway she bagged up a few days ago so she back up home now lol
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hi rosemary, has she got a bag yet. We still 1 to lamb(also started beginning of march) I moved her down to other fields as thought she wasn't inlamb. Anyway she bagged up a few days ago so she back up home now lol
Nope, nothing. :(
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fingers crossed she'll have gone over again rosemary :fc:
have 1 that's not in lamb, shame she a good strong ewe, missed last year but give her another chance so she'll be off now