[maddy]

I have 3 ryeland shearlling ewes who were tupped 19/20th October.  The third one (a coloured ryeland) lambed with beautiful twin girls at midnight on Saturday but the other two don't look as if they are going to lamb at all.  Sometimes I think they are abit quiet and then the next minute they are happily munching hay.  I didnt have them scanned.  They haven't really bagged up (although the third one didnt until she lambed).

A farmer came and looked last week and said none of them were in lamb! 

As this is my first time I am anxiously getting up all hours to check, but how long do you leave it before you really start to worry.  Their vulvas look pink and fleshy but not wet. 

Over to you experienced guys!!

[ScotsGirl]

If the vulva looks a bit swollen and very pink I would say in lamb.  If quite tight then possibly not. When did you take ram out?  If you count 147 days from then you have a rough idea when you can give up.  I had some marked who didn't lamb for a further 3 weeks and it may be they were marked, not tupped and he got them later when they were cycling.


At this late stage you could also squeeze out teat. If in lamb you should get a waxy substance out, I think I have that right! Also if you can bounce their belly ( I have not mastered this) you supposedly can feel the lamb if there.


Good luck

[Bionic]

Maddy, I can sympathise as I am in exactly the same position.
One lambed in the early hours of Tuesday morning although she hardly bagged up at all beforehand.
There is another who was due before this one and although fairly big isn't showing any signs of giving birth yet. We are also up all hours checking. It may be that, although she was raddled, the ram didn't get her the first time but may have done so in the next cycle. Having said that I would be surprised because of her size.
I have been told not to worry until a few days after the ram came out.

[wellies]

I have a Ryeland who is on day 150 and I'm feeling a little frustrated. We had two who were due at a similar time lamb on Saturday (149 days) and Sunday (148 days) and this little madam just refuses to do anything but demand food. She has bagged up and her stomach has dropped a little but still no immediate lamby signs  . We had one that was empty this year and it was quite obvious towards her due date as their was no bag, she didn't change shape and she was just rather energetic. We bounced her in the end as we were pretty sure she wasn't preggers and couldn't feel anything. Personally I wouldn't bounce them if you think they maybe pregnant as it can't be good but if your pretty sure their empty no harm done and you can get some sleep 

[sabrina]

Maybe hanging on for better weather .

[Pedwardine]

I'd be reluctant about squeezing the waxy plug from the teat as it's there for a reason ie: to keep out nasties.

[Marches Farmer]

I'm with Pedwardine on that one. 

In 2011 we had a particularly vicious Winter here and everything lambed nine days late - messed our nice neat plans up no end!