The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: danndans on March 30, 2008, 10:20:29 pm

Title: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on March 30, 2008, 10:20:29 pm
 :sheep: Has every body started lambing now? hows it going, has anybody come across anything different for the first time?

Good luck all you first timers!!!!!

Dan
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Blinkers on March 31, 2008, 09:02:27 am
Due 20th April....onwards!!   :sheep: :sheep: Only 2 to lamb now though :(
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on March 31, 2008, 10:08:43 am
a ewe who won't have her lamb?? what do you take for the gestation period on average? (days)
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on March 31, 2008, 01:14:53 pm
Due 20th April....onwards!!   :sheep: :sheep: Only 2 to lamb now though :(

Dont over doit blinkers ;D youl be to warn out for the move ;D
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on March 31, 2008, 01:18:59 pm
a ewe who won't have her lamb?? what do you take for the gestation period on average? (days)
approx 150 days, do you know the date the ram went in or the date your ewe was with him?
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: woollyval on March 31, 2008, 01:22:44 pm
This is a great table for working out when to watch for lambs!! Don't forget to use the date of service as day ram went in if you are not using raddle and writing dates down.....if you use date ram went in info you can use the corresponding date as the earliest day you are likely to get a lamb!!!
Don't forget that gestation length will depend on breed and number of lambs!............can be from approx 140 - 160 days ::)

http://www.tvsp.org/gestation.html
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on March 31, 2008, 03:29:23 pm
I'll be honest I usually go on the ewe giving me signs as to when they are close but in this case i do have the date shes on day 155 from the date the ram when in and the day she was seen being serviced; if she wasn't showing signs of her body getting ready I wouldn't be so frustrated and would probably think she was actually pregnant from a later cycle. but i have never seen a ewe so ready to lamb and yet not give birth  :-\ I too worked on 145 day cycle,would have been mar 21st  seems she hasn't  read the book
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 01, 2008, 06:15:33 pm
Any lambs yet kanisha?
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Blinkers on April 01, 2008, 08:20:44 pm
Oh WoollyS....I like that chart...nice and simple....And before you say it Danndans.....Yes - simple like me  ;D ;D ;D ;D  
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 01, 2008, 08:39:25 pm
Hey would i realy of said that? I have got a simpler 1 tho if you'd like to borrow it;D ;D

Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 01, 2008, 08:42:39 pm
Thats a realy good easy read chart woolyshepherd, ive got one out of a farmers co-op diary, it covers sheep sows, mares, and cows.
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 01, 2008, 09:10:48 pm
noooooo :'( :-\ ewe still eating so i'm thinking don't worry ...............
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 03, 2008, 08:56:55 pm
anything yet kanisha? :sheep:
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 04, 2008, 01:15:57 pm
Not a thing ewe still huge all bagged up, slight mucous after losing quite a bit,   eating I don't think she is ever going to have this lamb. but thanks to al for the advice i am now fully prepared  and ever hopeful it will happen soon. lost track of days ( and  nights sleep!)  :ladybug: ladybirds cute too
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Pebbles on April 05, 2008, 12:54:37 pm
Hi Danndans

We're up to ten  :sheep: now with plenty more still to come!!!  :D I am eagerly waiting on one particular ewe (nicknamed Dominant ewe) to 'drop' - she is, and always has been huge, and I'm convinced it will be triplets (that'll make a change from all these twins we're having!  :-\)

We had a really bleak period just prior to things kicking off when we lost a couple of ewes - one in the middle of labour just rolled its eyes and it was gone, we tried to get the lambs out of her without success (could not find a head!!!)  :'(

For our first year of this it has been an emotional rollercoaster with every kind of complication and problem imaginable! We will be experts by next year.

Everything is going much more smoothly now. The 'rucksack' is constantly on standby and I am now on three weeks holiday so we're there most of the time.

Hope all is well with you - how many  :sheep: are you up to now?

Pebbles
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 05, 2008, 03:14:40 pm
Sounds like your having fun pebbles ;D 40 done and about another 20 to go!! Lambing out this year, blumin weather could be a bit kinder, saying that its not that bad at the mo. 8)
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Pebbles on April 05, 2008, 03:36:44 pm
We're doing it 'al fresco' this year too. There are covered pens scattered everywhere which we use when we can catch the b***ers! We didn't expect the weather to be so harsh and now their predicting snow for tonight!!!

Catching lambs - not a  problem! Catching ewes - crikey (!) no amount of chasing, bribing or begging will make come quietly! The lambs are all numbered, iodined and tail banded. We've had mostly rams  :-\ and I don't know how anyone 'bands' there bits within seven days??? There is either nothing there to band or it's so high up there is no way of it being done! Job for the vet me thinks! Any tips?

Spent the last couple of days cleaning bottoms and cutting off what seems to be super tough resin off their tails - what are these ewes feeding their lambs?  ??? I can't even face cleaning up after my dog when it is sick or poohs (job for the men that!) so I am very proud of my ungloved performance in this extremely smelly department.  ;D

Oh well, back to the farm!

Pebbles
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 05, 2008, 09:10:23 pm
 ;D well you are doing good!  Try catching the lamb and putting it between yourself and a fence, hold it there by its back legs and the ewe should slowly come to it, hey presto one big pounce and grag and youve got your ewe ;D  as for castrating after the first couplits easy,  you can hold them a couple of different ways, but i hold them on therebums sat on me, if one or both of the balls havent come down you can leave them and go back after a few days, if they pull them up as soon as the band comes in sight you can gently push at the top of the sack, the end attatched to hes bellly :D and it should be enough to pop it back down but youll have to keep the push on untill the bands on.  and remember dont pinch hes teats!!! owch :o
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 08, 2008, 08:36:35 pm
ended up with some hebrideans last year!!!  Blumin ek :o first one lambed today, never seen anything so tiny :o most of our other ewes are suffolk cross, so most of them are like elephants when there born, but these little things were amazing!!!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Blinkers on April 09, 2008, 09:07:16 am
My elastrator and rings should arrive today   :o  Could you nip down here to West Sussex Dan and give me a lesson!!  :-\   First one due around 20th April  ;)  :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 09, 2008, 12:57:50 pm
  ;D ;D its easy peasy :D but just remember its not the oh after a big arguement ;D  just take your time with it but make sure youve got something to take the ring of with if you do end up with just 1 there :P :o

Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: pigsatlesrues on April 10, 2008, 09:24:59 am
We have just had our first lamb - a Ouessant male - SAM!

He is black as black and beautifully soft and curly, Not at all what I expected having held other lambs.

This is our very first time with our very first little 'flock' and have two more ewes waiting to lamb.

It is just so exciting!

We were very lucky to see an advertisement on a French site advertising a small flock of eight and guess what? She liked us, and guess what? we bought them!

Having already got Norman and his two friends, this little group came as a bit of a shock with other intact males amongst them, but they are all getting on ok. Of the new group four are female and three are in tact males. The other male is castrated.  I am going to have to either castrate or move some on.

I did promise the lady I would keep them altogether so I guess castration is the way to go.

A really wonderful, sunny and exciting time in our little tiny part of Normandy!

How do I put on some pics? I have quite a few!  HELP PLEASE?

Kate  :sheep:  :sheep:  :sheep:   :sheep:  :sheep:   :sheep:
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: woollyval on April 10, 2008, 02:50:22 pm
Congrats Kate :)

Ouessant lambs are very different to 'normal' lambs I think! They are very entertaining too!! Get all the surplus lads castrated asap as otherwise they will serve anything that moves(from about August) and become agressive to you too!!

In all my years of keeping rams I have been floored twice......once by a Dorset Horn ram who nearly broke my leg and second by a......Ouessant :-\


Enjot your lamb!!!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Blinkers on April 10, 2008, 04:46:49 pm
My elastrator and rings arrived today :sheep:....... but how on earth do you get the ring off again if you happen to not get it quite right the first time??? :sheep:  :o :o :sheep:
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: woollyval on April 10, 2008, 06:33:24 pm
My elastrator and rings arrived today :sheep:....... but how on earth do you get the ring off again if you happen to not get it quite right the first time??? :sheep:  :o :o :sheep:

You can't!!!

You must do it right first time
I have put a detailed guide to castrating using rings on the river cottage forum under other livestock
reproduced here!

Right, Its best to be shown how to do this but if you cannot find someone then this is how.
First you must do this at under a week old as it is illegal to castrate over this.

1Sit on a bale taking lamb onto your lap in a sitting position
2 put band on pliers, if you havent already
3 get lamb to relax and take hold of scrotum gently, lamb will automatically retract balls!!
4 stretch band with pliers and place over scrotum in wide open position right down to body
5 gradually, and I mean very gradually make band smaller whilst making sure you have BOTH testicles in the ring , make band smaller still coming under both but making sure you have not caught the teats.
6 ONLY when you are happy and sure let the pliers relax and with draw them using other hand to gently slide the band frim the metal 'teeth'

You should have neatly bagged testicles and should be able to feel them and nothing else.

Lamb may just look a bit uncomfortable for a few minutes or may throw himself around alarmingly.....don't panic, he will be fine in a while.

Now having given that list there is NO substitute for being shown in the flesh so if you have a local shepherd or sheep farm ask for a lesson!


Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Rosemary on April 10, 2008, 08:04:51 pm
I bet there are  a few retracted balls when this post gets read. If I had any, they would be retracted!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 10, 2008, 08:40:58 pm
Is now the time to confess I have removed a band and redone it ( at the time of banding not after) saved the odd womble  :-[ ;D :sheep: fingers crossed my forever pregnant ewe may be lambing tonight either that or shes not right  :-\
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Blinkers on April 10, 2008, 09:07:13 pm
Thanks all ..... its seems it is something that some farmers have had to do at times....but obviously better to get it right first time ;D
WS - thanks for the tutorial - that's really helpful.
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: woollyval on April 10, 2008, 09:23:16 pm
Kanisha....I reckon I could just about retrieve one from a Ouessant but not from anything bigger ;D ;D ;D ;D Good luck with Ouanez tonight!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 10, 2008, 09:49:20 pm
It can be done. I reckon ive had to take 2 of in the last 25 years, (taken the bands of that is :o) but like WS ssays get someone to show you how to put them on and you shouldnt have to take them back off :)
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 11, 2008, 08:17:14 am
Danndans you think hebredians are small  ;D ;D they are BIG compared to ouessants. getting two of those little testicles in the same place at the same time can be quite tricky. still no bleeding lamb I think a vet visit is in order :(

scratch vet visit we have scratching up  ;D ;D oh happy me!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 11, 2008, 10:56:19 am
9.55 am little Joavan was born  ;D ;D Black ram lamb with white poll spot just what I was hoping for  :sheep: yey
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: woollyval on April 11, 2008, 11:20:28 am
Congratulations!!!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 11, 2008, 01:22:25 pm
wicked ;D  Nice one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After suffolk and suffolk x's they are ;D
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: Rosemary on April 11, 2008, 02:50:18 pm
Best news, kanisha! Well worth the wait, then?
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 12, 2008, 08:17:19 am
Hi Rosemary well worth the wait ;D Danndans suffolks hmmm  yes I think I still have part of one in the freezer  :D I'll stick with my ouessants and of course Esmi my larger than life cotentin
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: pigsatlesrues on April 16, 2008, 05:10:02 pm
Hi Everyone

Number two Ouessant lamb has arrived this afternoon. Bindi has had a little girl - I thought Lindi was a nice name. It is so exciting! Just one more due to produce - Widget, who is Bindi's daughter from last year. I am off to UK tommorrow until Monday, so will worry the whole time that Widget copes alright!

Widget is sticking to her mum like glue, even more so now she has a new sister. Is this a family thing? Is she feeling safer with mum with her own baby imminent, or is it a touch of jealousy?

Will get some pics sorted asap.

Isn't life just great!!


Kate :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:

 
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 16, 2008, 05:38:27 pm
Well done Kanisha!! i'm sure your last one will be just as succsefull ;D Well no lambs here for a couple of days now, but we did have a calf yesterday ;D!
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: kanisha on April 16, 2008, 06:15:37 pm
Oooh a calf too cute I'm with Kate life is just great and this time of year is fab Danndans I have another 8 left to lamb I think but none just yet ( famous last words!!)
Title: Re: Lambing time
Post by: danndans on April 16, 2008, 06:43:37 pm
wotta wally i am :P just noticed it was pigsatlerues ;D

Anyway, yep life is just great this time of year!!

Dan

Congrats Kate ;D!