The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: trish.farm on May 05, 2014, 09:53:00 pm
-
lambing finished on 7 march. 4 weeks ago i had to have one of my pet ewes shot as she and 3 others had been attempted to be stolen and were chased for ages in a paddock. The ewe who i thought was barren was about a month off lambing and the lambs died in her and she ended up being shot. Her barren friend (tinkerbelle) my last coradale ewe was chased about too. She has been home for 4 weeks and tonight popped me out 2 wee little ram lambs, one black, one white. She has never reared any lambs as the first twins she had, one was deformed and she rejected the healthy one (that be right!!) and the 2nd twins she had, one was dead and mumified and the 2nd was so tiny i had it under and lamp and tubed it for a week.
She hasnt got in lamb for 3 years so had spent the winter with the ram!! Low and behold, she got pregnant!!
She is doing a good job of mothering them, i have seen one feed so far and she stood for him, so fingers crossed she might actually rear some lambs at last!! I did just check that she had milk, on side is flowing nicely but how ever hard i try i cant get the other side to let any milk down. Will leave her for an hour then go back out and see if i can get it going!!
Its amazing what a ewe will do when you start talking about culling!! Had already decided that my ewe that had mastitis this year and has seriously bad feed will be culled when i have my lambs done, and Tinkerbelle was a question mark for culling, but she might just have got a reprieve for a while and can keep old Wooly company in the now very reduced retirement flock!!
-
Yes they can pull out miracles when under pressure!! Tried to send 2 away but still producing cracking x lambs they deserve to stay :excited:
-
Well done Tinkerbelle :thumbsup:
-
Hmm, just been back out to check on them, milk coming from both quarters but she has started butting one of the lambs away. Have walked away and left them for a bit so i can have a bath. In a dilema as whether to leave the light on or turn it off!!
-
It's a bit late for this reply now but I left the light on because I found it was easier to check on them that way. I always worried that putting the light on when it was dark would startle them. I am only a novice though so don't take this as the recommended method.
Hope she is feeding them both this morning.
-
woo hoo!! both lambs alive this morning, both feeding well and Tinkerbelle being the perfect mother! :relief:
-
:thumbsup: good on her
-
Go Tinkerbelle :excited:
-
Excellent news :thumbsup: :excited: :love:
-
She's making up for lost time ;D , :fc: it all continues well.
-
Fab news - sounds like she is ready to be a mum! :)