[FiB]

Yay, I finally managed to save one, I hope.  Yesterday morning on her side and looking a-gonner, just like the last one that died (pneumonia), brought her in, antibiotic and TLC and she is looking normal again today.  Just going to dag her and let her out.  Daft Question alert - do non pregnat sheep sometimes get stuck on the sides, not able to get up?

The others are all milling around happily with various states of mucky bums - fresh grass effect or need a differnt wormer?  (they were only done 5 weeks ago with vet prescribed levacur).  Love to you all, Fi

[jaykay]

Well done 

Mucky bums could well be new grass, especially if they've been recently wormed. What will be the worm status of your pasture?

Yes, sheep get stuck on their backs. Hereabouts they're said to be 'riggwelted'. Hence the name of the strong Jennings beer Riggwelter 

[Fleecewife]

Here it's 'cowped'.  As well as being right over on their backs and unable to find any purchase for their legs, heavily in-lamb ewes can get stuck just over the bump, but not quite on their backs.  We also observed the year our bad neighbour didn't bother shearing his texels, that a huge amount of wet fleece can cause even young fit sheep to cowp.   Gases then build up in all the wrong places and they can die if left long.  In 2000 we went with the Shetland Sheep Society for a conference in Shetland, which included various coach tours etc.  At one point we all spotted a cowped ewe, way out in a boggy bit and yelled at the driver to stop.  A stream of well-dressed sheep breeders then all neatly hopped the fence and set off towards the ewe, in their city shoes.  She got such a fright she managed to leap to her feet and hare off over the hill    Wet feet all round but she could have died if left.
When you stand a cowped sheep, you should hold on to it for a while to check it has burped a few times and got its equilibrium back.  If left cowped for quite a while, pneumonia can easily set in.

[SallyintNorth]

Yes, sheep get stuck on their backs. Hereabouts they're said to be 'riggwelted'. Hence the name of the strong Jennings beer Riggwelter 

Here it's 'cowped'. 

In between the two of yous, hereabouts 'cowped' means knocked over, a ewe on her back is 'kessing'.  I'm not aware of any beverage named or nicknamed 'Kessing Juice' - those marketeers at Geltsdale Brewery have missed a trick, there!   

And yes, if a sheep can get itself stuck, it'll do so.  A molehill on a slope and a thick fleece can be enough.  Being a little portly will work.  And some will manage to do it for no reason whatever in a perfectly flat field.

[Fleecewife]

Yes, we had a Shetland in-lamb ewe cowp on a molehill (she later lambed on it too - what a messy set of twins).  Then a Jacob expecting triplets cowped in a shallow depression and was amazingly difficult to stand up again.  The soaked two-years-worth-of-fleece sheep next door did the flat field version, maybe blown over, maybe just toppled by the huge weight, poor things (we spent a lot of time that year in our neighbours fields standing his sheep up)

Kessing juice - mm - 

[FiB]

Wow they are daft!!!   So the poor thing may have had a jab in the bum for nothing!!!  She was on her side rather than on back tho and not a particularly fat or wet ewe lamb  (must be just over 12 months old)..?  Mightily glad to still have her.