The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: shrekfeet on February 23, 2010, 04:32:11 pm
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Hello folks - gosh it's wet!
Anyway, one of my in-lamb ewes has started standing with her back legs stretched out behind her. I'm probably not describing it that well. If you imagin standing normally on all fours and then taking half a step forward with both front feet so as to stretch your stomach muscles a little. (got it now?)
Anyway she looks quite heavy in lamb and is around 3-4 weeks off lambing. Seems well enough in herself but has this strange standing position and could be a just a tad panty. Is this normal. Is she just a bit uncomfortable with the lambs?
Any ideas?
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Hi Shrekfeet,
I had the same thing last year with one of my rather fat in lamb ewes. Looked like she was having a good stretch. This would have been about a month before she was due to lamb. There was no problem though, she lambed as usual, at the right time. I think its just discomfort.
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Hey Morri thanks for the reply. I was guessing that could be the issue - remembering what it was like when my wife was pregnant!
You have Poll Dorsets too I remember
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Hi,
They do really odd things before lambing, One of our southdowns always sits like a dog a couple of weeks before lambing time - still won't fetch a stick though ;-)
Thanks
Gareth
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk
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Make sure she is feeding OK as the lambs can get so big that it makes not only breathing difficult but also eating enough.
How old is she and how many lambs is she due?
Ta
Baz
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my in lamb shetland ewes seem to be lying down a lot more than usual, well one of them is anyway - is this normal and just due to the weight of the lambs do you think? She's eating fine and comes to the bucket and doesnt look unwell
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Hi Again,
We have found that if the Ewes are eating Ok, not scouring, no limping, and dont look as is they are in discomfort that they are usually OK.
However, sheep being sheep, they can go from being OK to being dead in the blink of an eye, even, it seems, an odd shaped cloud in the distance seems to be able to kill a sheep if it's that way out!.
Keep a closer than usual eye on them as lambing approaches, if any are stood alone in a corner or not coming for food as they normally do then take a much closer look.
If you have any doubts at all then at least speak to your vet, often advice is free - even if there is a charge it's better than losing a sheep + lambs + fallen stock charge.
Thanks
Gareth
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk
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Gareth Hello I long ago decided that sheep only have one aim in life.To cause you as much bother as they can whilst committing suicide :farmer:
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That (and the maggots) is precisely why I decided to keep pigs instead ;) ;D ;D ;D
The saying I remember about sheep is 'they're either well or dead' :o
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Hello again Shrekfeet, guess what, another of my ewes has started adopting the 'strange standing position' again. Must be a trait of the polled Dorsets. This one isn't particularly fat, just heavily pregnant so it could be that the lamb(s) are lying in an awkward position perhaps! This might not be relevant as I am human (at least I think I am!!) but when I was pregnant, some years ago the baby was lying on a nerve and I kept having to stretch my leg to the side because it kept going numb. Could be something like that. When are yours due to lamb? Mine are due around mid-March. I was wondering if they are at the same stage in their pregancy.
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Hello again not a silly comment this time an observation.Piggy's are delightfull to keep (I am referring to well kept in or outdoor out free range best) They are happy going about the business of ploughing and wallowing in their mud I am told some ladies pay a small fortune for a wallow piggies do it for now't if you make em a hollow filled with water They are loving mums in the main although can be a bit clumsy and lay on baby Then comes the eating of a good pig thats had a lovely carefree life It shows in the meat you know or maybe you didn't Ive published several posts about pigs and what to do with the killed pig I forgot until now I promised to tell my way with faggots I will do it in recipes when I'm back from rehab;Bye for now :farmer:
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Hi morri, yes, due rom mid March so around 3- weeks to go.
You know what, for some reason I thought you were a bloke!
And as for pigs...you simply can't beat lamb as a Sunday roast
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Pleased you think so shrek I never have it Expensive fat over rated tasteless Its as bad dead as it is alive ???
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"Must be a trait of the polled Dorsets"
Our polls do not typically do that, and would agree with others would suggest a large lamb giving mum some discomfort. When you ahev them all doing it, send in a photo !!
Good luck
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Not all my Dorsets do it either - just two out of twenty so far! The (fat) one who was standing oddly last lambing season didn't have a particularly large lamb, or a difficult lambing, hence my views on lamb position. The one who has started adopting this hind leg stretching thing this year is a small ewe who's tum is quite large so I think she's having twins. In all other respects shes fine - one of my best ewes. Be interesting to see what happens when they lamb this year. Lets hope its straightforward.
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Hello Oaklands welcome to a proper good site Regards George