[Clarebelle]

I only have two ewes to lamb and it's only my second year of lambing so I have not seen many births at all. Last year the weather was better so I lambed outside.

This year my first ewe lambed in the field and I took them inside afterwards. She had two ewe lambs, cracking lambs, straight up and suckling.

The ewe has been great, very attentive. I've also seen her eat and drink since she lambed. She is alert and looking after her lambs.

I just have a tiny tiny concern about her breathing. She is panting quite a bit, not with tongue out or anything, just quite rapid breathing. I don't know if this is just her being hot indoors, still recovering from labour or something more sinister. She has no other symptoms that I can see, hers is the first birth ive seen every minute of so as far as I know she's perfectly fine, I just want to make sure.

[shep53]

Impossible to say ,but if you want to take her temp then you would be certain

[SallyintNorth]

Have you seen the afterbirth?

[Clarebelle]

I have just been out and bought a thermometer and will check her temp when my OH gets home in about 10 mins. and I'll update. I have seen the afterbirth she now has just a little bit of reddish mucousy discharge, it's only a small amount and isn't smelly or anything, I understand this is normal?

[Clarebelle]

temp is 39.4 which again is normal I think? She also doesn't seem to breathing 'as' fast as she was this morning. I'm wondering if it was maybe residual pain from labour. I think I'm maybe just worrying too much

[Fleecewife]

You don't mention the breed, but many sheep don't like being indoors and, especially if they are wet, they can develop pneumonia.  Your ewe clearly doesn't have that as no temp, but just be aware - when you bring them in, make sure there's lots of ventilation.


A quick check of health is cold ears, or drooping ears, as well as the other things you've checked.


Congratulations on the cracking lambs 

[Marches Farmer]

How long are you planning to keep them inside?  If the weather's not wet or if they can have access to a shed if they want they could be turned out so long as the lambs continue to thrive.

[Clarebelle]

Thanks everyone, I think fleece wife may have been on to something when she said she was perhaps a bit hot. I never usually bring my sheep indoors and only did this time because we had rain and high winds forecast. They went outside today and she seems to be much better I tried to post a pic but it’s too big!