The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: paulrollings on April 17, 2012, 02:04:33 pm

Title: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: paulrollings on April 17, 2012, 02:04:33 pm

I arrive to the sheep shed this morning and see my week old ram lamb with its head stuck in a sheep hurdle.  I apply lube and rotate the lamb, but no way its coming out.  I get the car jack and extend open the bars and phew its head comes out.

http://instagr.am/p/JgkaZVJR9t/ (http://instagr.am/p/JgkaZVJR9t/)

I then notice that its mouth is open and that the lamb can't seem to close his mouth.  I had a feel around its mouth and it didn't feel dislocated or broken!  I took the lamb to the vets who x-rayed it.  It wasn't broken or dislocated, the vet reckons that it might have strained its muscle on the back of its head when it was struggling to get out. 

I'm not sure if the lamb is able to suck from mum, it certainly tries.  We've given him some Metacam and I've taken some milk from its mum and been able to feed it.  I just hope that it gets better over the next couple of days !!

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: jaykay on April 17, 2012, 03:37:44 pm

Poor thing - they do have a way of finding trouble to get into, don't they  :D

I hope he mends quickly and can still suckle.

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: Rosemary on April 17, 2012, 03:38:27 pm

Poor boy  :( That's sheep for you though  ::)

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: Sylvia on April 17, 2012, 03:45:13 pm

If there's trouble around a sheep will find it! Hope the poor little soul mends soon.

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: in the hills on April 17, 2012, 04:30:19 pm

 :( Silly boy.

Hope he soon recovers.

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: doganjo on April 17, 2012, 04:31:53 pm

Do you think this was one of these SSA's? (Sheep suicide attempts) ;D

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: deepinthewoods on April 17, 2012, 05:10:25 pm

my little sister once got her head stuck in the hurdles of a huge sows pen at hereford market many years ago, there was hell up! they had to call the fire brigade. i still laugh about that now. normally when shes got a new boyfriend :D

Title: Re: Lamb's head stuck in sheep hurdle?!
Post by: darkbrowneggs on April 17, 2012, 05:15:23 pm

I had two of the tiniest BWM lambs born one year.  Had to put them in the bottom of the Aga, got them going, took them up to mum, made sure they were suckling.  Left them in a nice warm pen.  Next morning one had squeezed inbetween a pipe and the wall and was dead.  Following moring the last one had put its head through the hurdle, then threaded it back through the other way and hung itself.   >:(

You posted about your sister whilst I was typing  ;D ;D ;D