41

Sheep / Lamb hernia repaired - question

« Last post by JFW67 on May 13, 2026, 05:37:41 pm »

I have a lamb born this morning with a serious protruding umbilical hernia.

Because I am daft I took her to the vet to have it stuffed back in and stitched. (Bang goes any profit)
Lamb back home.  Mother accepted her back.  Lamb has fed a few times . . . I have had to help her find the teat twice. . . . . Clearly as daft as me.  Seems vigorous enough for a day old.

The vet suggested there could be issues with a twist in the intense so even though repaired the whole system may not work.

Question . . .
If the system doesn’t work how long will the effects take to show?
I’m wondering if I am looking at potential starvation, shock . . . .

Any comments welcome.

42

Sheep / Re: planning a sheep shed go welsh hill breeds

« Last post by JFW67 on May 13, 2026, 05:05:39 pm »

I have a small flock Welsh black mountain sheep.  10 breeding ewes.  I’m in Northern Ireland on the north coast where we are subject to pretty nasty northerly and westerly winds, high rainfall and the classic four seasons in a day weather of the region.

The breeding ewes are all very biddable - not the wild mad sheep often associated with hill breeds.

I have two small holding pens that I bring the ewe and lambs into for about two days after they have lambed in  my lambing field.  The pens are two meters by three meters and have an open half and a roofed half.

They come in to the lambing field on the date they are due to lamb.  The lambing field has a few well established trees, some Hawthorne bushes, grass and Reed’s.  Loads of options for them to choose to lamb in.

I don’t meddle with them at all.

In the five years I have been keeping sheep I have had to assist three lambing.  All due to slightly difficult presentation with a foreleg out of position.

I have lost only two lambs.  Both from triplets where the mother had too little milk for the three and I failed to be able to get the smallest to bottle feed.

Early on I let them lamb wherever they liked and they almost always chose the furthert spot away from the home field that they could.

The few times any of my sheep have been enclosed in a more serious building they have been pretty unhappy.

43

Wildlife / Re: Swallows 2026

« Last post by Rupert the bear on May 06, 2026, 08:20:53 pm »

Its been almost a month since the first arrivals, the rest have now arrived. I can count about 48 ish , more cardboard down.
But one bird stands out , its Dopey, the swallow that cant collect water on the fly but has to splash down into the puddle, I'm sure its the the same one , if it is she will be 3 years old now.

The best thing so far, sitting in a warm sunlit corner of the yard watching the aerial display whilst classic fm is playing Ron Goodwins 633 squadron theme , perfect

44

Pigs / Pig Fencing & Deers and wildlife

« Last post by Chicken_House on May 04, 2026, 09:06:31 pm »

Spent the last few days training the pigs with the three strand electric fencing - they’re smart, it’s going great.

We want to move them to some woodland (cleared and ready for the fence). Is there a way to make the fencing safe for deer and other wildlife or to make it more visible so they don’t hurt themselves and / or take it out??

Any other advice welcome? Thank you so much x

45

Sheep / Re: Bereaved ewe management

« Last post by Richmond on May 02, 2026, 06:38:12 pm »

Update: Twin ewe lambs born at lunchtime. All well
Given the weather forecast they are penned in a shelter and I'll probably put Jenny in with the other mums/ older lambs. She is certainly very interested in the newbies and I think would be pushing her sister aside given half a chance.

46

Sheep / Re: Bereaved ewe management

« Last post by Richmond on May 02, 2026, 09:32:32 am »

They might co-parent 

They might, they are closely bonded, although Jenny (the bereaved ewe) is the dominant one and certainly bosses her sister about at times, which is why I'm a a bit concerned. No lambs yet anyway.

47

Sheep / Re: Bereaved ewe management

« Last post by Rosemary on May 02, 2026, 07:10:27 am »

They might co-parent 

48

Sheep / Re: Bereaved ewe management

« Last post by Richmond on May 01, 2026, 08:59:48 am »

Can't be certain she'd accept it and then I'd be stuck with a cade to hand rear. She's a Soay and they know what they want, and what they don't!

Her sister looks fit to burst this morning, she's got to lamb today or tomorrow. I'll see how the other ewe reacts and if she's a problem I'll move her. I need her close by today as have to give her more antibiotics, after that I can move her.

49

Sheep / Re: Bereaved ewe management

« Last post by Rosemary on May 01, 2026, 06:29:02 am »

Can you not get a lamb to put on to her?

50

Sheep / Bereaved ewe management

« Last post by Richmond on April 30, 2026, 06:04:20 pm »

One of our last ewes to lamb had complications lambing yesterday needing vet intervention  - both lambs had died inside her, one was very big and needed a lot of manipulation and tugging from vet to deliver it. We only have her sister left to lamb now, due any day. All the other sheep lambed in March and are in another field now on better grass. Bereaved ewe is calling for her dead lambs. I'm actually wondering whether it would be better to move her to a different paddock in case she tries to steal her sister's lambs when they are born, although I'd like to keep her on poor-ish grazing to help dry up her milk and I think the other fields are too lush for her at this time, despite the lack of rain! 
Should I move her or leave her where she is and risk her trying to steal her sister's lambs?