[melholly]

Morning all,

Well I'm feeling out my depth and losing my confidence here with lambing about to happen. I've only got 1 (maybe 2) Polled Dorsets expecting and they've lambed before but it's my first time!

I'm all set up, planning on it all being natural outside (based in the SE) but have the barn set up just in case. Due dates are officially next week. Honestly though, I'm dreading it and feel very inexperienced and therefore at a detriment to the sheep instead of being an assistance.

It all happened this morning, after one of the worst nights weather this year I arrived to find 'Dolly' on her back, bleating away, shaking uncontrollably and in a filthy state from her back end etc. I feared the worst, was cursing fate that my 4 year old happened to see her like that (her favourite sheep) After ringing local farmer (such a help) I went back, pulled her over and she got up, v scared - she went back down 4 more times but she's had food and was left having joined other Mum Dors and standing up. Now aside from feeling a) stupid (nobody told me sheep can get stuck on their backs!) and b) a bit set back from the whole experience what was interesting was whilst on her back I saw Dolly's teats were slightly raised  - about 1-2 inches. She's also wider than Dors. The reason I find this interesting is I'd assumed Dolly hadn't got in lamb as around 3/4 weeks ago Dors started to get a big milk sac and bigger teats which is clear to see from looking at her from behind whilst nothing of Dolly's has appeared to drop down, even accounting for her being caught by the ram in her next cycle. But looking at her on her back and looking at her width I now completely and utterly don't know and am feeling even more out of my depth! Is she or isn't she?!!

Mx

[sabrina]

Time will tell, relax. sheep are well know for getting on their backs.  Did both get covered at the same time. Did you keep a date of when the tup was taken out.

[MrsJ]

We've all been there, every single one of us has been a first timer at one stage.  Even now with my vast 3 year experience (!) I come across things I haven't seen before.  It's a constant learning curve but if you didnt go through it, you'd never learn anything.  And this site is so helpful and supportive. 

We had a ewe that tried to jump a fence and got her back foot stuck in the top rail.  I thought she would die of fright but she's fine now so I'm sure Dolly will be fine.  Some of our ewes look like they're ready to lamb and then they are the last to go, each one is individual so it's hard to tell from what you've said.  You just have to keep an eye on them. 

Tip:  I always find that a cake or something goes a long way to getting help from the local farmer!

[Moleskins]

The thing about ewes is they are female, some females have big boobs others have small ones, all quite naturally.
Some females produce a lot of milk others don't, some can feed from the teat others can't. Some females have their young early some late, some females need help most don't. Sit down with a cup of tea and think logically, oh sorry that's a male trait 

[melholly]

Mrs J - I've been bribing my farmer with so much wine he'll probably end up in AA meetings! But he has been brilliant . I started out with 3 of his orphans so did the bottle feeding and this November they'll hopefully go to the ram there. As I've only a few (3 orphans then I bought the 2 Polled Dorset Mums and their lambs last April so 7 in total so far) he's done my fly striking, shown me how to do their feet and taken the mums for shearing! But there comes a point when for me anyway you've just got to 'get out and do it yourself' so I've been resisting calling him as much as I can. Difficult as mine are a nightmare to catch and when needs be there's nothing like a sheep dog to round them up!

I just don't know if she is. I had it all clear in my head - simple, I had a Polled Dorset Ram in over 7 weeks to catch 2 cycles. He appeared to be a pretty good ram and all that. Both Dolly & Dors I thought were pregnant up until 3/4 weeks ago when Dors milk and teats suddenly appeared but nothing seemed to drop in Dolly. I thought she must have been caught on a different cycle but even allowing for that nothing seems to have happened until whilst she's on her back, wider than a bus, oddly shaped and with small teats but no 'sac' seemingly!!!  Now I'm not so sure of my thoughts!

Ah nature, must you mock this ex city girl trying to learn!!!

Mx

[melholly]

moleskins I was liking your post until the last sentence!!!  I am a logical thinker - I had it all worked out but then nature throws me a dummy!

Thanks for your post though, the fact bits were useful and appreciated. :-)

Mx

[in the hills]

Moleskins .... really ..... good job that it is the female of the species that gives birth!!!! 

My first time lambing this year. Lost the first lamb. Just dead on the field and still mostly in the bag. Devastated and felt awful. Watched the others like a hawk.

The first ewe to lamb was the least one I expected. Nowhere near the udder development of some of the others. She obviously has milk and lamb doing well. Another ewe who looked noticeably smaller than the others has just had a really big ram lamb. Dont think you can tell.

If it helps .... I was really anxious after losing our first ever lamb ..... couldnt even tell she was about to lamb. Felt so guilty. I am not sure what happened. Three ewes have lambed since then. Everything that I read didnt help that much. I can see when they are in labour now but they havent really shown many of the classic signs. They have more or less stayed with the flock until the last 20 minutes and then made their own way to the field shelter and just given birth very quickly. No scraping of the ground, star gazing and not much pushing. Hope the next ones follow the same pattern.

I cant offer you any advice, just say that I know how you feel. Others on here are brilliant and Im sure will help you all they can. 

[melholly]

Thank you 'in the hills' I'm completely learning the hard way with everything I've tried since acquiring the smallholding 2 years ago! Ducks, pigs, sheep, ponies...all have come and gone in some way shape or form. Your first dead lamb must have been a bit scary and worrying , poor you but glad things are picking up. I think you are so right, books (Ive read loads), talking to experienced people (which I often find difficult having to ask what bits of terminology mean - thank god for google!) and even watching lambing in action on a local farm so far hasn't prepared me for what lies ahead. Nature has it's own way for every one of them I guess!

Funnily enough I was about to put my 'kit' together today - gloves etc but was a bit lost as to what I should spend money on for 2 ewes! A pack of 200 tail bands seems ridiculous. I've so far got antibac spray, paint spray,and will have gloves and been told to use bale rope for 'lambing rope' if needs be (not that I'd be confident about when to use it but bale rope seems a tad unhygenic?) and use rubber bands for tail docking tied tightly? Any hints and tips for putting together a sensibly priced lambing pack?!

Mx

[Moleskins]

moleskins I was liking your post until the last sentence!!!  I am a logical thinker - I had it all worked out but then nature throws me a dummy!

Exactly, nature is not logical and hence is known as 'mother' nature.
Sorry there's only a  smiley not a tongue in cheek one.
Just reading back, all sheep are hard to catch, but they are suckers for some cake, sheep cake that is not the sort you will be taking to your farmer friend. They say it takes a few days to train them to it, mine come galloping whenever they hear the tractor, and originally it took them 2 goes to realise that if I had a bucket in my hand it meant food.
Elastrator bands are very cheap so jump in and buy a box. Buy the best quality applicator you can mines a bit rubbish and makes the job harder.

[MrsJ]

we used an old dressing gown cord for lambing rope but I'm sure farmers use all sorts of things!  As for the bands, I find that by the time that some of them have pinged off the applicator before ever reaching the lamb, 200 won't last that long!  Perhaps there is someone near you that could let you have a few?

[colliewoman]

I wouldn't improvise on the bands, but curtain tie back cords from charity shops well washed make lovely soft lambing ropes, and if you can get a few in different colours is extra helpful. If you come to use them make a mental note of what colour went on what, ie blue rope on head, yellow left leg, green right leg. Then after a big deep breath you can gently pull the right bit in confidence.


(Says she who has never had to assist any of her own ewes, but plenty of friends ewes. It IS LESS scary when it's not your pet )
So bands, spray or iodine, twin lamb drench (I have used honey in a pinch) but most important, your vets number(s). Having that one number you know you can call takes a very large weight off of a new shepherds shoulders!
Also coffee and chocolate

[in the hills]

There was a thread on here a while ago about lambing box essentials. You can probably search for it.

Complete novice but I have - iodine for umbilicals, long gloves, short gloves, head torch, bottle, teat, colostrum sachets, towels, lubricator, heat lamp at hand, hot water bottle. Think thats it. If it comes to needing rope ..... I AM RINGING FOR HELP!!!!   

Catching them ..... yep ...... mine too are trained to the bucket. When we had them as ewe lambs they were unapproachable but it only took a couple of weeks and they started to respond. Go out several times each day and just give tiny amounts ..... ewe nuts or whatever you feed them. Mine are Soay and some are friendlier than others. Out of seven, four will eat out of your hand. A couple jump up like dogs and will have a cuddle. I spend time standing about with them when I can so that they dont always assume that I am there to do anything to them.

[melholly]

great advice! Thank you. I'm am starting to feel bolstered once again and no doubt will keep posting!!

Shows you how important asking is though - I didn't even realise the bands would need an applicator! Doh! Thought they felt very tight!!

Mx

[Fleecewife]

I don't think you'll need the spray paint melholly with only two ewes 

I'm sure all these tv programmes are to blame, showing shepherds diving into their ewes back ends for every lamb.  Relax - most ewes will lamb perfectly happily on their own, especially if you give them space to do so.  Your job is to recognise if the unusual has happened and something has gone wrong, but please don't think all this up-to-the-elbow stuff is essential for every birth.  Lambing on a smallholding scale is different to lambing several hundred ewes.

I hope you get some lovely lambs 

[in the hills]

Colliewoman - when do you use twin lamb drench?

I dont have any of this.