[firemansam]

I am lambing for the 1st time.
One of my ryeland ewes is lambing for her 2nd time, the 1st year I am told with no problems.

She is very well milked up now, yesterday morning I checked her and she had a clear discharge from her vulva which was nice and red.
I thought here we go and penned her in.

As the day day progressed the redness went and the discharge stopped. She has spent more and more time laying down with the occassional  tooth grind. I sat up most of the night with her and nothing changed. She will stand to eat mix out of a bucket but then return to her favourite spot.
She seems ok chewing and bleeting and doesnt seem in any discomfort. So we are now almost 36 hour on and no signs from the back end?


Any ideas? While she is not in pain do I leave her alone?

[Hillview Farm]

I know its a different anaimal but I often find with cattle they tend to have a clear discharge! We had a heifer the other day who had tonns of the stuff, she didn't calve for another 2 days! And i found they dont eat for about 24hrs before hand so if shes still eating its a good sign shes not about to pop!

Best thing you can do is check on her in the night and just wait for the water bag to show! Dont get too tired!

[ZaktheLad]

Another good pointer to look for is if the ewe has changed shape in front of her hip bones - slightly more dipped than she has been - this is a sure sign she will lamb within 24 hours.  Also does her tail look a little shorter than usual as when due to lamb the muscles above the tail/end of spine relax and this can give appearance of tail a little shorter - another sign of imminent lambing.  Quite often ewes will have some discharge a day or so before lambing - watch out now for her pawing the ground, getting up and down and generally very uncomfortable.  Her vulva will also have a very open/squashy appearance and be very red in colour. Her udder will be quite tight and shiny looking - all signs to look for in imminent lambing.  Good luck - try not to disturb her too much as some ewes will give up lambing if too much going on around them.  Also I would let her out in to a larger area if possible and then shut her in the pen once lambed.  Some ewes may have already chosen their space in a larger penned area and then not want to lamb once penned in a smaller area away from the chosen spot! 

[Marches Farmer]

I would guess that the tooth-grinding is contractions.  We too look for the hollow in front of the pelvis that indicates the lamb(s) have moved into birthing position, but it's not always that obviousn in some breeds, particularly if the lamb is malpresented.  If a ewe's been on her side with her legs stretched out, pushing, for more than 20 minutes and no sign of nose and/or feet, or the nose and front feet are there but not progressing out, I generally scrub up and investigate, just to make sure the lamb is lined up OK, it's not a big one that needs a pull and the ewe isn't suffering from ringwomb

[firemansam]

Thanks for the advice, that puts me at ease a bit, clearly she is showing signs of being close to lambing but not quite there yet. I bet she keeps me up another night!!!!!!!!

[Big Benny Shep]

Personally id investigate, ive had sheep eating with a lambs head hanging out of the back!
See if she's stretching her neck out as  this is what most of my girls do


HTH


  good luck!

[firemansam]

she is showing no signs of imminent lambing, no discharge, no redness, no sign of contractions, body language normal other than spending a lot of time laying down, but she is on her feet a little more this evening.

[ScotsGirl]

I wouldn't worry too much, just keep an eye from a distance. I have one who won't drops her lambs if being watched and there are no signs of contractions with her. She just stares into space and the out it flies!


I have one at the moment looks like a beached whale, thought she should have lambed two weeks ago but despite a lot of lying down she keeps on eating and grunting. Occasional turned up lip, swollen vulva, udder fit to burst but those lambs don't want to come out!


If your ewe has lambed before hopefully she will pop them out when you go for a cuppa.

[ZaktheLad]

Definitely do not consider investigating unless the ewe has, like Marches Farmer says, shown obvious signs of labour and has been pushing hard with no sign of lamb for over 20 mins.  You can do more harm than good by being too keen to stick your hand inside.  Once the ewe really starts it will be quite obvious, even if you miss the first plug of mucous discharge.  I have also had a ewe keen to come to the trough with the tip of the front feet/nose showing, but then at least if you can see that, you know for sure the lamb is on its way!  Ewes can be in labour for quite some time with contractions starting at least 24 hours or more in advance of anything significant happening.  Luckily with this ewe she has lambed before and therefore will know what its all about - typically, you will probably sit outside all night with her, return to the house for a coffee to warm you up, and then upon return to your lambing pen will find the ewe licking off the new arrival 

[SteveHants]

If she's not having contractions, keep well out of it. If she is - be patient.

[suziequeue]

Go out for lunch/supper/visit a friend. The lamb is sure to come 

[firemansam]

Checked on her early this morning and it looks like her sides have sunk in just in front of her hips, I will leave her for an hour or 2 and check on her again.

[woollyval]

Breathe...have tea....get sleep.....don't worry.....despite all the lambing live and problems talked about sheep mostly cope by themselves and get really cheesed off with being continually looked at!!!...... good luck!

[Foobar]

her sides have sunk in just in front of her hips

It won't be long now .  Look in from a distance and try not to disturb her.  Maximum observation but minimal interference, that's the key .  Good luck!  I'm sure she'll plop them out just fine.

[ScotsGirl]

Well my ewe lambed late last night and let the whole neighbourhood know!! She was hand reared and likes me to be around she calls as loud as she can if I go away and constantly talks to me.


She produced a huge ram lamb and slightly (only just) smaller ewe which had a leg back. Very quick and I had hoped would encourage my other ewe to go into labour but apart from lots of groans and a very red bum, no contractions.


Looks like another sleepless night.