Author Topic: At last all lambed! (Read 2319 times)

Remy · « **on:** April 08, 2013, 06:31:25 pm »

My last ewe had a healthy ewe lamb this morning, so I have a grand total of 25 lambs from 16 ewes. I would have had 32 if all had been healthy but I lost seven lambs - 2 were born dead, 2 taken by foxes, and 3 (all triplets) were found dead after a few days as despite being up and suckling the ewes can't have had enough milk. I had even started feeding one of them and she seemed to have picked up a bit, so it was very sad to lose her. The weather was bitterly cold though, even in the barn.

All ewes and lambs are out now, I just have the latest ewe and lamb, one ewe with twins and a little bottle fed triplet who I had to take off the mum, close to the house in a large stable with outdoor access.

Despite my losses I count myself fortunate in that all the ewes except one had trouble-free births, and not to have been affected by SBV - I did have one little newborn who couldn't straighten her front leg and was neglected by her mum, but I managed to get her suckling and within a couple of days her leg had straightened and the mum accepted her.

Fingers crossed we don't get horrendous weather again, although it's not looking brilliant (wind and rain) for the next couple of weeks! $:-\$

Chris63red · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2013, 07:09:26 pm »

Hi,
well done- sad to hear about the seven losses, you are right though fingers crossed about the forthcoming weather change.

.

Chris

Remy · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2013, 07:28:34 pm »

Couldn't believe it when I just looked out my bedroom window - there was a fox sitting right in the open stable doorway watching the lambs!

Rushed outside with the dogs and it just slunk away to the field where it sat and watched again. Bet it was the same one who took the lambs last time.

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:08:46 pm »

Oh no, Remy. Foxy cannot do that! He'll ave to be sorted

Sorry to hear you lost some. Still a good result in the end

Need some piccies

Rosemary · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:11:46 pm »

Well done! Enjoy a few good nights sleep

ScotsGirl · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:33:36 pm »

Get the gun out. I had trouble with foxes, got one shot and we managed to scare the other off before it touched lambs or kids.

One thought, make sure you clear any afterbirth/bloody bedding far away from the lambs. I had left the barrow full as lambed evening and when I moved it out of field trouble stopped and afterbirth was gone!