[wellies]

We have an old ewe who according to her raddle mark is now on day 152. She is bagged up well and has dropped a little in front of her hips, tummy has dropped too and she's not as wide as she was 2 days ago. She however seems to have other ideas and shows no immediate signs of labour. Do I need to give her a hot curry, hot bath (or is it a cold one?) or introduce the ram for some rumpy pumpy to get her to think of producing her offspring (or any other known old wives tale to induce labour) 

[SallyintNorth]

Oh, that's simple.  Make a plan to go out for the day, to do something you will really enjoy.

[Foobar]

She is probably a wise old girl and is waiting for better weather .  Does sound like it won't be long now though if her shape has changed.

[FiB]

daft question - what does 'bagged up' look like?  And how soon to popping is it usually judged to be?

[Dogwalker]

The rain and hail has turned to snow and there's a gale blowing, the lambs better off where it is.

[Foobar]

daft question - what does 'bagged up' look like?  And how soon to popping is it usually judged to be?

If you look at their udder it will be more developed than usual, and the teats will be obvious.  I tend to crouch down and have a look when the girls are eating.  If they have a lot of wool you might need to part it in front of their rear leg to get a better view.
Mine also start to walk like John Wayne at the rear .


How soon - could be weeks, could be hours .  The older ewes, from what I've seen, bag up earlier.  Mine tend to bag up the same number of days before lambing every year, so if you make a note this year and then you will know for next.

[andywalt]

when she walks off, starts figiting getting up and down, stargazing...maybe see the water bags...then you know your in business

[ZaktheLad]

I have a young ewe on her second lambing who is also on her 152 day of gestation - she should have lambed on Sunday 17th March.  She definitely didn't return to the ram, has a lovely full udder, but has shown no signs whatsoever of lambing - just very content laid in the barn!  She went 151 days last year for her first set of lambs, so not too worried at the moment.

[andywalt]

thats very interesting to know that they can go 5 or 6 days over due date

[Marches Farmer]

2011 - very cold Winter here - all mine went 9 days overdue.  This year two were 6 days early!

[wellies]

Well she's finally popped; a beautiful ewe lamb with no assistance needed  Lamb was on it's feet and suckling within 15 mins with the directional skills of a homing pigeon    I think the ewe came to the conclusion, along with the  rest of us, spring definately isn't coming any time soon so no point in waiting for better weather   

[Mammyshaz]

Congratulations wellies, so where are the piccies   

She is wiser than any,thinking not to depend on spring 

[ZaktheLad]

I'm still waiting on mine  now up to day 156!!  She's throwing out all my planning on what I put where after they have lambed etc - very inconvenient of her!

[wellies]

I did pop a photo on another post but just because I think she's lovely I will repost 

[colliewoman]