The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: JMB on April 05, 2013, 09:20:04 am
-
Hurray xxx got our first lambs this year, twins at 8 am this morning,
Someone kindly gave me some plastic macs for lambs as we lamb outdoors and its a bit cold.
Does anyone know when they should go on? Obviously while we can catch them! But mum is still busy licking them and I don't want to interrupt things, or make them smell different.
Thank you
Joanne xxxxx
-
The box they come in says ASAP. Had a box, took it back to merchants as WAY too big for my little Gotland lambs.
-
We usually pop them on after mum has licked the lamb off, but we have put them on earlier especially if mum is slow to lick off or they look like they are loosing too much heat, then i dry off with hay or clean paper towel and stick the jacket on.
What's more important is getting the lamb on the teat for internal heat, that first feed is the lifesaver. They usually dry off a bit under the jacket, but can sweat a bit if too hot, ie in a shed.
If the lamb looks wet underneath then we pull off the jacket and dry off again.
We only usually leave them on for a few days if weather is bad or lamb a bit tiny. Sometimes mum will remove it for us anyway!
-
Thank you.
I've popped them on. They are massive for our little hebs but I chopped a bit off the back.
They do look great wearing them!
J xxxx
-
I put a couple of mine in some little lammie jammies made of fleece ( pics on my blog) as they were wet and cold due to mum struggling to deliver a still born triplet. I also made some pac a macs from childs raincoats but the suns been out since Easter so havent needed them them yet as their is no rain or snow. What do you think the chances of a hosepipe ban are by may?!
They soon grew out of the lammbie jammies though,
-
Thank you.
I've popped them on. They are massive for our little hebs but I chopped a bit off the back.
They do look great wearing them!
J xxxx
Hebs have a wonderfully thick birth fleece which they just shake dry, so unless they are out in heavy sleet or really severe weather they don't need jackets. As long as they are feeding well they will be fine.