[Hillview Farm]

Was just wondering what the first signs of a ewe being in lamb. My girls are all shearlings and due in April, what do I look for?

Plan to get them scanned but i cant wait till then! 

[Brucklay]

I don't scan as small number - I find it hard to tell with the shetands till later but with the moorits they changed shape - such slim wee devils most of the time and then round out a bit sooner in my opinion,  I'm April too and think I can see some changes or could be wishful thinking.

[SallyintNorth]

Aye, it's a bit early for symptoms, really.  Scan results - usually two months before the due date though some new systems seem to be able to tell a bit earlier - is the earliest!

After that, there's some rounding of the belly - greedy girls full of food can be misleading, of course  - and the first dead cert sign, development of the udder.

[kumquat]

For a moment Sally i thought you were going to end with...."As soon as you see a lamb...she's definitely pregnant" 

[in the hills]

 


I watched mine VERY closely last year (first lambing) and couldn't tell for def. that they were in lamb until udder development occured. When my farmer friends wife came to look at our first lamb, she correctly picked out which of my ewes would twin.    ...... nothing like an experienced eye. 


I don't think they looked particularly round until about 3 wks before lambing, but they are Soay, and I guess more commercial breeds may show sooner.

[ScotsGirl]

I have commercial types, mules, suffolks, Southdown x, and they definitely change shape about 2 months from due date but last year udders developed really early and vulvas really pink and swollen almost 8 weeks!


They don't seem so visible this year bar one first time Wiltshire Horn who has been swollen for several weeks and udder starting to swell. She isn't due for at least 2 weeks....I hope!

[Hillview Farm]

Thats very useful thank you scotsgirl. Mine are suffolk x mules or muffolks as I like to call them:) I hope they do start to show, just have to wait for scanning!

[ScotsGirl]

The other way i believe you can tell once lambs reasonable size is to put hand one side of sheep and push other so you 'bounce' lamb and you should feel it. Problem is I can't remember which side you hold and which you push!


Also if you gently press up just in front of udder it will feel hard if  lamb present and hollow/empty if not. It's a good way to tell once one lamb out if there Are more to follow.

[Hazelwood Flock]

The very earliest potential sign is holding to service, if the ram is raddled you can see how many ewes return when the colour is changed fortnightly. After 3 or so cycles those ewes marked only once should be in lamb, but many factors can cause ewes to lose foetuses early in pregnancy so by no means reliable!
Patience and scan results are your best bet 

[Marches Farmer]

Better clue can sometimes be for them not being pregnant.  If they're skipping around and playing they may well be empty.  Our Badger Face graze dispersed among the Southdowns for 7 months of the year, but once they're pregnant they tend to stick together in the same part of the field.

[Bionic]

Better clue can sometimes be for them not being pregnant.  If they're skipping around and playing they may well be empty. 

Mine never skip around and play so I don't think this would work as an indicator 

[in the hills]

And mine always do 


Stood watching them the other day ..... don't know what had gotten into them. Chasing, butting and the tup was leaping all four legs into the air. The ewes seemed quite aggressive with each other and an hour later were back to normal. 

[colliewoman]

Better clue can sometimes be for them not being pregnant.  If they're skipping around and playing they may well be empty.  Our Badger Face graze dispersed among the Southdowns for 7 months of the year, but once they're pregnant they tend to stick together in the same part of the field.

I really hope that doesn't apply to all breed or I won't be getting a single lamb this year! Mine were all going nuts the other day, pronking and leaping, even the ram who looked suitably embarrassed when he was spotted
Mind you they are all very sedate today standing waiting for me to deliver hay because of the white stuff on the ground. Being sheltands I thought they would scrape the snow away, but no they just shout louder for more hay

[Remy]

Mine are due in March and I can definitely see changes of shape in many of them.  I've got a fair few first-timers this year so it will be interesting to see what is produced - hopefully something healthy!  Most of the experienced mums are quite obviously pregnant but not all the first timers are as easy to tell.