Author Topic: Do you count your new lambs? (Read 4049 times)

Roxy · « **on:** March 31, 2011, 11:13:14 pm »

My ex partner was a sheep farmer, as was his father. Hardly ever saw him at this time of year - out till all hours lambing!! When he did finally arrive home, I used to ask about the lambs and he would tell me how many singles, twins and triplets had been born that day. But, he would never actually count up a total until all the ewes had lambed. Said he took it as bad luck to do that, until all the ewes had safely lambed. My argument was how did he know all the lambs were actually there every day if he did not know how many there was supposed to be in the first place??

Does anyone else have this strange superstition??!!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2011, 11:44:30 pm »

No, I tally ours as they arrive, but it wasn't sheep we kept when I was a child so I don't have any of the superstitions bred into me

I do have a bit of an obsession with counting them all to make sure they are there whenever I'm in the fields - I might not know the overall totals quickly but I know who and how many should be in each paddock. The lambs can be little devils to count when they are leaping around all over the place

Freddiesfarm · « **Reply #2 on:** April 01, 2011, 09:55:44 am »

I keep a tally as they lamb, but when it comes to checking them in the fields I have singles in one field and doubles in another so I know by looking at each ewe whether all is well with the world. Occassionally I will lose one in the field but if there are two missing from one ewe I know they will be under a hedge somewhere. Trouble is with 80 ewes plus lambs in the field - could you count them all without double counting some and missing others?

If I have something that I am concerned about I will single that one out and hunt it down each day (not in a nasty way) to make sure it is ok and if need be removed either the ewe and lambs or just a lamb.

supplies for smallholders · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2011, 10:05:19 am »

Hi,

I try counting mine ..... But always seem to fall asleep

Blinkers · « **Reply #4 on:** April 01, 2011, 10:33:43 am »

Quote from: Fleecewife on March 31, 2011, 11:44:30 pm

No, I tally ours as they arrive, but it wasn't sheep we kept when I was a child so I don't have any of the superstitions bred into me I do have a bit of an obsession with counting them all to make sure they are there whenever I'm in the fields - I might not know the overall totals quickly but I know who and how many should be in each paddock. The lambs can be little devils to count when they are leaping around all over the place

Ditto completely

Fleecewife · « **Reply #5 on:** April 01, 2011, 11:45:43 am »

Quote from: supplies for smallholders on April 01, 2011, 10:05:19 am

Hi,

I try counting mine ..... But always seem to fall asleep

Actually, if I do that I find it wakes me up - I check how Stumpy's limp is doing, how Juniper is bagging up, oh Prudence could do with a dag, Gentian's ewe lamb has broken a horn......no way to get to sleep

andywalt · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2011, 06:12:29 pm »

Yes mee too I count the ewes and the lambs everyday and make sure all are looking fit and well, at the moment i have a little group of bandits !!! for the last two nights 3 ewes and 6 lambs (some lambs are not with there own mothers) they have found away out of the field and sneaked into the barn where the ewes to lamb are, and the feed is !! they have ambushed the hay and a sack of feed !! I hunted around the stock fencing which is all new !! and worked out that they must be sliding under the gate where there are wheel ruts !! I have tied netting to the bottom of the gate and today no escapees, little devils !!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2011, 07:46:35 pm »

Quote from: Roxy on March 31, 2011, 11:13:14 pm

My ex partner was a sheep farmer, as was his father. Hardly ever saw him at this time of year - out till all hours lambing!! When he did finally arrive home, I used to ask about the lambs and he would tell me how many singles, twins and triplets had been born that day. But, he would never actually count up a total until all the ewes had lambed. Said he took it as bad luck to do that, until all the ewes had safely lambed. My argument was how did he know all the lambs were actually there every day if he did not know how many there was supposed to be in the first place??

Does anyone else have this strange superstition??!!

Oh yes indeedy! OH absolutely ditto. And I say exactly

Quote from: Roxy on March 31, 2011, 11:13:14 pm

how does he know all the lambs are actually there every day if he does not know how many there are supposed to be in the first place??

to him!

What I have noticed, however, is that with the numbers we lamb here (280 ewes tupped this year, we're lambing them in three batches in 7 different fields), you can get overconcerned with counting and miss noticing one lamb that's a little bit slow, or whatever. So I am coming around to his way of thinking - if you check every lamb you see, and check all around the field(s) for any problems, then you have done the job. And if you try to remember too many things you'll end up remembering none of them correctly.

You do need a quad bike, though!

jaykay · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2011, 09:19:36 pm »

Yes I count. I look a lot. But before I go away, I count. Just in case one's vanished somewhere silly - this is sheep we're talking about after all

bazzais · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2011, 10:38:19 pm »

I made the mistake of writing this years birth numbers on a calendar that the goats munched on when they escaped.

I try to count in the field but its almost impossible - an 'anywhere near' approach does me on normal counts.

We only really count and record when treating or having them in.

Your ex-father-inlaw sounds like a kind of 'dont count your eggs untill the chickens hatch' guy.

Baz