[Bionic]

I want my ewes to go to the ram this year so, hopefully, I will be lambing for the first time next spring.
From those of you with experience what would you say are the essentials for my lambing kit?
thanks
Sally

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi Sally,

This subject has been discussed many times on the forum, do a quick search and you will find the threads - basically the list can be as long or short as you like depending on what situations you foresee.

Thanks

[Moleskins]

Gloves long
Gloves short

Iodine
Jelly
Elastrator bands
Tool for putting them on
Lamb boost
Old coke bottle
Teat
Colostrum replacer
Powdered lamb milk
Lighting in lambing shed
Heptavac ewes prior to lambing (Jan. for me)
Tablets that I can't remember the name of ........... My farmer friend gives as a matter of course

[MrsJ]

All of the above, plus wine, plus chocolate!

[Bionic]

Moleskins, whats the old coke bottle for?
Sally

[supplies for smallholders]

Moleskins, whats the old coke bottle for?
Sally

If you dont want to buy a dedicated lamb bottle then you buy either a pritchards teat or pull-on teat and these fit onto the 2 Litre coke bottles (or lemonade etc)

Since the thread is underway then also consider:

Prolapse spoon / Truss - In case of prolapse pre or post lambing
Lamb puller - For difficult births when you simply cant get a grip.
Lamb adoption musk - for adopting lambs onto other ewes
Needles + sutcheres
etc etc - as I said the list is endless, unless you decide up front how much you are prepared to do before calling assistance from a vet or experienced sheep owner.

[kaz]

Scour Halt
A must to help prevent watery mouth.

[Bionic]

SfS,
I am a complete novice so will only attempt basics this time round.  I will have the vets number on redial 

[supplies for smallholders]

If you can please try to spend some time with a local farmer during his lambing - it is so easy to lose a lamb due to not knowing a normal from a potentially problematic birth and hence waiting too longe before intervening.

[Foobar]

A must have book: "A Manual of Lambing Techniques" by Agnes C Winter.  If I recall there is a list in there too.
And ditto SfS's comment - spend some time with a local farmer whilst they are lambing.

[Crofterloon]

All of the above, plus wine, plus chocolate!

Mrs J I can see you are a practical sort of woman.

[Moleskins]

Moleskins, whats the old coke bottle for?
Sally

The teats you buy screw onto it, so it's cheap. Obviously you don't need a 1.5ltr bottle 
SfS suggests needle and thread but that's probably a bit beyond most of us.
Agree to try to see some born first as suggested by others.

[Bionic]

Between all of you there is a long list.  I had better get saving
Sally

[Moleskins]

All of the things on my list including an expensive bag of milk powder would be about £50
those tablets I couldn't remember the name of are Trimacare I think.
Gloves, KY jelly, iodine etc will last you years.

[in the hills]

We lambed for the first time this year and kept our box fairly simple. Didn't seem much point buying some things as with very little experience we would have needed to call for a friend or the vet anyway.


Colostrum replacer
Long and short gloves
Torch
Head torch
Lubricator/ jelly
Bottle and teat
Old clean towels
Iodine


Some meals prepared and in the freezer ...... if you spend as much time as I did staring at ewes bottoms in anticipation    and some thermals!