Author Topic: Yey!! All lambed out (Read 5858 times)

pikilily · « **on:** April 08, 2009, 08:19:23 am »

Yippee...this is my first time lambing.

All five ewes have lambed. 11 lambs, no losses, f4 boys and 7 girls, all ewes and lambs fine.

I only had to assist with two of the lambs. One presented with just one hind leg and the other, a head and one foreleg. Thank god for my reasonable understanding of anatomy, cos working blind in the middle of the night, in driving rain and wind is not conducive to picturing what is going on inside the ewe. Excuse me while I give myself and my girls a big pat on the back. We didn't need any outside assistance!

God bless the full time shepherds, I take my hat off to them! My lambing paddock is right next to our log cabin. So, I could snuggle down on the bed beside the wood burning stove, make myself hot cups of tea, and listen to music in between my hourly checks of the ewes. I could even just open the window and cast the torch beam around the paddock and listen for lambing sounds...I did have a giggle to myself in the middle of the night.....thinking that this must be the most luxurious shepherds hut in Scotland. Most shepherds I know have a beat up caravan in the field or just are out on their quads all night long.

So, Ill just blow my trumpet just once more...I feel like Shepherdess of the Year 2009!

Have tried to put up some photos but they get blocked, 'upload file full' is the message. And then the message disappears too...The pics are below the max size...any ideas what I can do to get some shots on the forum....Rosemary?

Cheers Emma

Rosemary · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2009, 08:33:34 am »

Congratulations! Juno's still hanging on to her lambs. And Jura's not due until end May. Early hours checking will be suspended after Juno until mid May.

By the way, it's not farmer-like to be so positive. You should be complainng that with all these healthy lambs and ewes, there will be a shortage of grass.

dixie · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2009, 08:39:55 am »

Congratulations and well done!! I've had 3 lamb so far with 1 left to go! all twins but one still born. One rejected (tried hard to keep him with mum) so he's now bottle fed along with 2 orphans I took to keep him company!

pikilily · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2009, 09:00:07 am »

Ahem,,, yes well Rosemary.. I will try harder to be true to the fairmers way.

I do have a shortage of grass at the mo, and far too many crows and foxes around, and no gun!!!
I ned to get more feed in ....and the prices are going up...and i have run out of coffeee.....and its pouring with rain so the sheep will poach the ground....

ah!........................ but just look at the view and the lambs are jumping about and it is still quite mild and the daff are so lovely...
oh drat I cant stop Pollyanna from returning!!!

that was my fave book when i was a kid. and i have followed her principles ever since. Must to the anoyance of some of my friends and colleagues

Emma

pigsatlesrues · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2009, 10:56:46 am »

It is lovely to read from someone who so obviously loves what they are doing so much despite the adverse weather conditions.

I have just had an email from a freind who has worked with sheep for most of her life and has been in the UK assisisiting with lambing. She reported that to date they have lambed 800 of which 30 are orphaned. Mind boggling to be sure!!

I take my hat off anyway. We have births all the time, but our animals pretty much take care of themselves and as we are in attendance we are just able to stand back and enjoy the moment - no drama's to date so I guess we are pretty lucky.

Spring is the best time isn't it

Kate

dixie · « **Reply #5 on:** April 15, 2009, 10:03:56 am »

Yep we all done now too! last ewe lambed sunday, twins! she needed a bit of assistance as the first was a big ram lamb! all doing well now, such a relief its all over and without too much drama!!

hexhammeasure · « **Reply #6 on:** April 15, 2009, 10:05:04 pm »

There are so many lambs this year its unbelievable. It must be a carry-over from all the lush grass last year

I've just lambed the 150th triplet out of 600 ewes (including 17 quads) I had so many Ive had to run 36 as triplets already and still have 18 sets in the lambing shed hoping to set on
only trouble is we only had 80 singles 16 left to lamb

Rosemary · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:29:38 am »

Aye, lamb prices will be terrible in the back end

pikilily · « **Reply #8 on:** April 16, 2009, 08:16:30 pm »

So Hex' do you always try to take one of the triplets off and put it to a single mum? mine were all twins apart from one set of triplets.....so if i wanted to take one off the ewe id have to bottle feed it...and all by itself!

I had wondered about taking one of the 3x but they seem to be doing well...the ewe was the one with the heeeeenormouse udder. it is smaller now but still seems to be giving milk
Emma

ukag0972 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:28:22 pm »

I'm down to my last 6 (from 500, beginning January 5th). I have ended up with 2 blackie orphans which are on the shepherdess feeder, 2 crosses which my goat has adopted, and one which will not suck from the feeder or a bottle, so i'm tube feeding it and I'm still "topping up" my pure leicester tup, whose mum is a wee bit thick!!

Roll on the last 6.........

Don't you just love lambing time!!!!

Pentre1230 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:34:39 pm »

If the triplets are doing ok and she's managing alright and you have plenty of grass she'll be fine, as they get bigger they will be more of a "drain" on her, but with such a small number you can always help her along with a bit of cake.
It has been a tremendous year for lambs, we have just finished lambing 1700 inside, sorry I stand corrected 1699, there is 1 to go, she was empty last year and escaped the "killing field" and to prove me wrong is in lamb, she is miles behind the rest and will prob lamb in June!! as said the downside is with such a good year prices will fall for sure!! Oh well, off for a lie down in a darkened room!!