# Lambing/Breeding 2014-Parsnip



## Parsnip

Officially on lamb watch now!
I figured I'd make a big thread to cover the whole thing instead of spamming everyone with smaller threads 

BUT YES
Wendy is really restless today. She'll eat a little bit, then go off by herself for a little... and eventually go back to the hay feeder.
So she's acting a bit different. Also, she's been pawing at the ground the past few days, which is new for her. 
She also had a tough time squatting to pee, like she tried, and then went to a different spot, and tried again, then came over to me and peed in front of me...

There will be photos of udders and sheep lady parts, so beware 
AND lambs, when the time comes, of course.
Wendy's daughter, MaryEllen is also supposed to be lambing here in February, so I'll post her lambs on here too, if she has any.


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## Parsnip

Here's some udder pictures

On the 1st of January




AND yesterday!


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## bonbean01

Yup...she's getting there...my two that I thought would have lambed a week or two ago still haven't...looks like we will be lambing at the same time!


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## Parsnip

You changed your little icon thingy!
AAH IT'S THE CUTE BLACK LAMB
so adorable.

Lambs at the same time  
Sounds like a party


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## bonbean01

Yup, a lambing party


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## Parsnip

Wendy's udder was radiating heat this morning XD
Plus our wether lamb kept trying to nurse off of her... Jimmy is such a big baby lol

I have three ewes that are really into tail wagging right now, and those three are ones that I'm sure are bred, or are still waiting to find out.


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## Four Winds Ranch

We are waiting Wendy!!!!!!


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## Goat Whisperer




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## Sheepshape

Any pattering of tiny hooves?


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## Parsnip

Not yet!
I just went down to check and feed them.

Looks like it's going to be a barn day for everyone though :/
Half the pasture is in water. It's been raining non-stop for the past two days. lol


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## Kitsara




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## Parsnip

Went down to the barn to check on everyone again, AND on either side of Wendy's tail it looked kind of.. "caved in" just a little? I have a picture, but it's inside the barn and the lighting is bad lol.
Or more hollow looking than it has been. Does this mean something?





Also Wendy's daughter, MaryEllen is getting rounder, and her udder is small, but growing 
Just about another month until MaryEllen should lamb!


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## bonbean01

Wendy will probably go before my girls...checked back on my calendar and I am wrong, wrong, wrong...Dolly is not due until the 30th and who knows about Chickapee???


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## Kitsara

Do sheep have pin ligaments that drop when birth is eminent like goats do? If so, that could be it.


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## bonbean01

I've never had any luck checking those back ligaments for impending birth...have also tried a few times on ewes in labour...have seen and read lots about how to do this, but no luck here.  Long strings and a water bag, and then I'm positive...LOL


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## bonbean01

In that pic she is holding her tail out a bit...could mean getting closer to lambing.  Is she yawning and stretching out her neck at all?  Once she is pawing and getting up and down...grab your birthing kit and your camera!


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## Parsnip

I hope Wendy has her lambies soon!
This week would be great 
The weather is supposed to clear up and be in the mid 40's
SUNSHINE thank goodness, I absolutely hate the rain.
I get so depressed in the rain!

I don't know what to feel for with the whole tail ligament test.
I felt hers, and it felt like mush, there was nothing there? 
I just felt her spine basically! lol But yeah, where it's caved in, it's just squishy.

Yesterday Wendy's tail was basically horizontal, but today she's just holding it out a little.
She always stretches her neck before she eats, and she always yawns when she lays down SO I'm lost for those signs XD
BUT I did notice that this morning she was shifting her back feet a lot and stretching her back?
Maybe that is just because she's uncomfortable right now though. I would be too if I had a baby in me.

MAN I am such a newbie to all of this THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HELP


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## Parsnip

She's been pawing at the ground the past few days too.
WHICH IS NEW


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## bonbean01

If it's squishy where she is caved in...bet you get your lambie soon!!!!  I've never felt the ligaments squishy ever...and I have hair sheep, so you'd think that would be easier than wooly ones.  Can't wait for your post saying she is in labour!


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## Parsnip

Yup yup, REAL squishy, like I was "am I supposed to be feeling something?"
SOON? 

Maybe I'll stay up a bit later tonight and keep an eye out on her 
I'm gonna take more pictures in a bit because they are out in the pasture right now.
Perhaps the extra exercise will do Wendy well!


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## bonbean01

I personally would bring her up...but know many people like them pasture born.  Good luck...sounds like it is getting close!!!!


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## Parsnip

I put everyone in the barn around 4:30pm JUST to be safe!
I've heard there is a cougar who lives close by... 
We've had so much livestock taken in the past by cougars and bobcats!

So they're in the barn right now!
Wendy still has quite the appetite!


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## bonbean01

LOL...so far none of our ewes have ever gone off feed...have had it happen several times where the ewe gets her pellets first, and then proceeds to go into labour.  My sheep have not read the lambing manuals.


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## Parsnip

GRAIN IS IMPORTANT  

Haha, I'm so glad I have someone here to chat with lol
Somehow I feel less crazy???


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## bonbean01

Lambing season goes more smoothly with some craziness...LOL


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## Goat Whisperer

You aren't crazy! You aren't crazy till you sleep in the stall, or the hay feeder (it was pretty comfortable actually), or even on a cinder block, that was outside in the wind, and the temps were in the teens  Some of the goats enjoyed the company thru the night, but didn't kid! Little brats   

I will be waiting for updates  I love kidding/lambing threads


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## Parsnip

HA I actually thought about sleeping in the barn. 
My dad offered to stack the straw bales together and make a bed.
He wasn't serious though.
*I was.*

WENDY is just fine today.
Nothing much different.
She's acquired a personal space bubble with the radius of about 2 feet.
She gets a bit snippy with the other ewes AND me if we get too close! She didn't want to be scratched today either.
Her tail is slightly lifted and she acts like she has to pee a lot, but nothing really comes out.
I ASSUME THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON HER POOR SHEEP BLADDER.


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## BrownSheep

My girls have some how figured how to walk away from me with out actually showing me their rear ends!


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## bonbean01

Mine think they not only need more petting, but hip massages too when they are getting uncomfortable...sometimes think I need more arms and hands...they like to lean on me too with their heads up for scratches...guess mine are super spoilt!!


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## Parsnip

bonbean01 said:


> Mine think they not only need more petting, but hip massages too when they are getting uncomfortable...sometimes think I need more arms and hands...they like to lean on me too with their heads up for scratches...guess mine are super spoilt!!



WOW that sounds like my sheep lol
This morning Wendy let me scratch her ears, AND she was wayyyyy into letting her butt being scratched.
I don't think she can scratch there at the moment, so butt and back scratches are welcome with her.
I have another ewe as well who is not carrying a lamb around, but she LOVES scratches.
One time she climbed in my lap and fell asleep. It was then I realized that she was probably well over 100lbs.
Crushed me just about.


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## Pioneer Chicken

bonbean01 said:


> Mine think they not only need more petting, but hip massages too when they are getting uncomfortable...sometimes think I need more arms and hands...they like to lean on me too with their heads up for scratches...guess mine are super spoilt!!



Wow, that sounds just like my goats.  They get more spoiled with pettings and scratching their favorite areas as kidding season gets closer.  I think they know they've got me because whenever I stop, they just nudge me or nibble or look so pathetic till I start petting them again.  Yeah, I'm with you on the needing of more hands; it's hard trying to pet three goats with two hands and it doesn't help when the one not being petted starts using one of the above ways I mentioned to get me back to petting her! LOL


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## Parsnip

UPDATE HERE
Wendy has more orange-y discharge. It's all hard and crusty now, but I can tell it was drippy at one point, because there is some dried orange crusty stuff on her udder and back legs.
Not a lot, just a little spot here and there.
The pictures are kind of up close and personal, so sorry about that!
Also her vulva was more reddish today 
SOON?


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## purplequeenvt

Her udder doesn't look quite ready. Sometimes a ewe will lamb and then the udder will fill, but usually the udder gets tight and full right before the ewe lambs.


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## Parsnip

Yeah I'm just waiting for that part :/
It's just been consistently growing bit by bit the past month or so. Nothin' big yet!

(gosh is that orange stuff normal? I'm so nervous about it. hope it doesn't mean something bad...)


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## bonbean01

Glad I'm not the only one who makes big babies out of them all...except the ram.  Feel sorry for him that he doesn't get the loving, but last time I felt sorry for him and went to scratch under his chin, he put his head down quickly and tried to butt me through the fence.  He is the reason we had to get an electric zapper prod...took two zaps and now keeps his distance from us ONLY if we're carrying it.  We did all the things right in raising him, but still...he is a butthead.


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## bonbean01

I've never seen the orange stuff and have no clue.  Hopefully all is well!!!!


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## Kitsara

bonbean01 said:


> but still...he is a butthead.


Quite literally


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## Four Winds Ranch

Pretty sure the orange stuff is normal!!! Probably the cervix thining!!!


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## Goat Whisperer

No idea on the orange stuff. 

I wish she would hurry up and lamb already!!!!! LOL  

STILL WAITING


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## Parsnip

Nothing going on with Wendy yet!
ALTHOUGH
Her daughter, MaryEllen, has some changes goin' on!
For a while she's been developing a tiny udder, and today her vulva was different.
I thought she was just in heat for the longest time, but I assume that there is a lamb in there somewhere!

First, here's Wendy...




AND MaryEllen (warning of possible sheep lady parts, but we've all seen those right?)



The tip has started pointing up. Does that mean anything?
Wendy's sure isn't like that!




I HOPE THAT'S A BABY BUMP. She's so hairy though.


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## Heather

One of my ewes who has lambed before at the previous owners has a very nice milk sack coming in as well as she has been holding her tail out for a couple days.  I have been stalking her to see if she is hold it out to pee or poop.  Nothing!  I am guessing she will lamb within a week or two.  FULL MOON 1/17!!  It seems to always affect our cow who are calving.  With my luck Bambi will have hers like our last ewe and it will be 1130pm just before bedtime!  lol,  keep us informed on Wendy.  How exciting?!?


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## Parsnip

OOH you have some ewes due soon too?
YAHOO
Now THAT'S exciting!
Do you have pictures of them now?

YES Wendy has been holding her tail out for about a week now 
I'm excited!

Haha, I have a feeling both of the girls will lamb EARLY in the morning, or late at night!


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## bonbean01

They will all make us crazy I tell you!!!!  The two gals I'm waiting on are looking like huge balloons on skinny stick legs...udders now rounding out on the back, teats at right angles....but not much change in the girlie parts...they may explode...or I may!!!


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## Parsnip

bonbean01 said:


> They will all make us crazy I tell you!!!!  The two gals I'm waiting on are looking like huge balloons on skinny stick legs...udders now rounding out on the back, teats at right angles....but not much change in the girlie parts...they may explode...or I may!!!



Yours may lamb before Wendy!
Her udder isn't quite there yet 
Poor ladies though, I bet they're ready lol


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## bonbean01

Well...no discharge here yet...so Wendy may go first.  Of course it is cold and windy tonight, but I'll be checking on and off just because they are looking huge...especially Dolly!!!


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## bonbean01

Well...no discharge here yet...so Wendy may go first.  Of course it is cold and windy tonight, but I'll be checking on and off just because they are looking huge...especially Dolly!!!


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## Parsnip

DOLLY?
That is a really great name!

I've been checking about 4 or 5am then again when I get up at 6:30
JUST IN CASE.


(maybe they'll lamb at the same time haha)


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## purplequeenvt

Don't burn yourself out with all those middle of the night checks. She doesn't look ready enough to go yet. Unless there are some significant changes, I'd give her at least another week. 

There are some years when I barely make it through lambing. We lamb out 25ish ewes and I DO NOT do middle of the night checks unless someone is exhibiting "suspicious" behavior at the last barn check of the night. I get up early and go to bed late.


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## bonbean01

Dolly was our very first ewe lamb here...not a very original name...from the clone sheep Dolly...LOL


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## Heather

I will get a picture of Bambi today.  I just checked on her at first light and she is really sunk in at her hips, but she is up walking around.  She has kept her distance from the others the last few days.  My wool girls were so easy to tell when they were getting ready last year because they have no tail as well as they picked their area and would only leave it to eat their sweet feed.  With my luck it will be the next day or so because we are due to have some snow 1-3 inches.  I put her up once and she got on the straw and jumped out.  I'm just going to keep my eyes on her.


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## Parsnip

Any babies yet from anyone??


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## Goat Whisperer

Anything from your ewe?


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## Parsnip

Naw, she's basically the same lol
Although yesterday she was off eating by herself, and she's going through these episodes of licking/itching her belly.


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## bonbean01

Nothing here...just keep getting bigger and more uncomfortable...DH went out in the cold during the night to check them...maybe if we stop checking they'll hurry up?  LOLOL...not sure how much bigger they can get?  Dolly is now 7 years old and has never had anything but singles...if there are not twins in there, expecting a huge lamb that she may need help with?


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## Parsnip

GOSH I know, Wendy is doing nothing but pacing right now
Poor girl, she has her head low and takes a mouthful of grass here and there.
Other than that though, she's on the move!

I think Wendy will have a big single. I'd rather have a good sized single, than two smaller twins.
I'm more of a hobby farmer, not a huge production one. So quality over quantity 

Is Dolly ENORMOUS?
A huge single would be awesome, but maybe not so awesome for the ewe... 
I wish her all the luck in the world


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## Parsnip

Here's Wendy today!
Not much change. Her udder looked a bit rounder today, but that's about it 







She's had that dip in front of her hips or about 3 days now, I assume it's the infamous "belly drop"?
WHICH WOULD BE AMAZING.


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## Goat Whisperer

It does look like she has dropped..... But I have not had any experience with lambing, only kidding.


Could you tell her to hurry up, she has everybody waiting


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## bonbean01

I'm seeing no dip like that in either of my very preggo ewes...felt both of their sides and felt a lamb kick on both of them...was hoping for kicks on both sides to indicate twins...nope...still waiting here and would be very happy to see that dip on Dolly and or Chickapee.  Not big here either...only have 5 ewes and 1 ram.  Twins are so cute though!


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## Parsnip

I just noticed that on her Wednesday!
I'd feel Wendy's sides, BUT she is super sensitive to her belly area right now.
If I touch her, her skin gets all twitchy and she kicks and trots off :/

I have four ewes and one wether lamb(WHO KEEPS TRYING TO NURSE FROM WENDY AND MARYELLEN. THAT BRAT)
Plus our two guard alpacas.

bonbean you have the cutest names for your sheep ever. Honestly! I LOVE THEM.


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## bonbean01

Well thank you...Chickapee was a twin...and name comes from the movie Nell...what she called her sister...the ram twin was just named Brother...not too great...LOLOL.  Here is a pic I took of Dolly this afternoon...


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## bonbean01

And Chickapee lying down...her udder is bigger than Dolly's is.


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## Parsnip

OH MY 
They are both HUGE.
Wayyyy bigger than Wendy 

I bet they'll both have twins


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## bonbean01

That would be nice, but not holding my breath on that...so far through the years we have only had one set of twins.


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## Parsnip

UPDATE HERE

Okay, so the daughter of Wendy, MaryEllen, has been acting funky the past 2 hours.
What are the signs of pregnancy toxemia?
I'm such a newbie at this holy poops.

But yeah, I went and watched her for a good half hour, and she just stood still mostly.
She's alert enough, but groans when she moves.
She's also been yawning a lot and curling her upper lip?
Plus she's arching her back.
She's not due for another month...
While everyone else is ruminating. MaryEllen has not been.
Bloat? Ketosis? Having a baby?
Or is she just darned uncomfortable and being a whiny ewe?


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## bonbean01

I don't know...sorry, and hope someone comes on to give you good advice.
About the yawning and lip curling and staring into space...my ewes did that a month ago for a few days and I was sure they were going into labour soon...those are the two I'm still waiting on...thud...


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## Goat Whisperer

Here is a link http://www.case-agworld.com/cAw.LU.ket.html

and another http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/pregtox.html

If you google it lots of pages will pop up with lots of info about it.


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## Parsnip

MaryEllen does have foul breath. BUT she's had foul breath ever since I've gotten her.
She's alert enough, and her head isn't droopy.
She's just groaning and mumbling and acting like she doesn't feel well.
I'll go down to the barn and check on her before it gets too dark!


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## Parsnip

I sat and watched until all of them lied down and started chewing up cuds.

Wendy's baby is having a party in there let me tell you!
It's like, on the lower-ish right hand side and I swear I saw it roll around more than once.
Wendy started groaning and pawing at the ground, so I watched a bit more.
THEN she got comfortable(as much as she can get) and plopped down.
Shortly after she started ruminating.

SO ALL IS WELL FOR NOW
phew


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## bonbean01

Is her foul breath smelling like acetone or chemically at all?  Today when I was cuddling Dixie she burped in my face and it was awful...smelly cud burp.  More of a yucko cud fermented hay smell.


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## Parsnip

Bleh, it's just a normal fermenting grassy kind of smell.
She's always had really sour nasty breath. lol

Sheep breath can be quite foul! Haha


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## bonbean01

No lambies here yet...set the alarm for 3 am to do a check in this cold...nope.  Wendy do anything?


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## Southern by choice

don't you just love when they burp in your face? It means they are relaxed and happy. It is a sign of love from them even if we are going 

Glad all is well.


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## Parsnip

No lambs here!
Both Wendy and MaryEllen were eating just fine this morning.
ALTHOUGH, Wendy had some more crusty orange-y discharge.
And MaryEllen, the one that was having the fit last night, had a bit glob of clear discharge on her vulva.
Not dripping off, but just resting there.
It had very light orange/amber tinted edges to the clear color, and there was definitely some dripping going on in the night, because you can see some globs on her legs.

We shall see with them!


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## Heather

No babies here.  Ive got to go out to the pasture and feed/check soon.  Parsnip my ewe Bambi look like Wendy in the belly area.  I would have sworn she dropped.  I also have another hair ewe named Angel that looks like Dolly but absolutely no udder formation she is just HUGE and ROUND.  I also noticed one of my wool ewes (Cagney) starting to "bag up" and loosen up on her woman parts.  She had stillborn twin ewes last year.  Good luck to everyone!  SOO EXCITING!


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## Heather

I bet MaryEllen will lamb within 24 hours or so


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## Goat Whisperer

Heather said:


> I bet MaryEllen will lamb within 24 hours or so



I hope so! They drive me NUTS with all this waiting!


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## Parsnip

MaryEllen???
BUT SHE'S NOT DUE UNTIL FEBRUARY.
I think.

It's possible she bred earlier, BUT I definitely saw her breed with a ram the last week of Sept.


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## bonbean01

Only change here today is that both gals are waddling more...for real...but they can waddle pretty fast when they see the pellet bucket...nothing wrong with their appetites, that's for sure!


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## Four Winds Ranch

Parsnip, and Bonbean!!! Sheeesh!! Your babies are taking for ever!!! Lol, oh well! Lol, I think the ewes are liking all their attention!!!


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## bonbean01

I think you're right FWR...LOL...especially Dolly...she loves her hip massages, leans right into them.


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## Parsnip

Those hip massages and scratches, my ewes love it too!

Wendy's udder was a bit more round in the back this morning, I could definitely tell there was a difference from yesterday to today. But she's acting the same, so maybe lambs this coming week...


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## bonbean01

Well...heard grunting and groaning this afternoon when I was taking the dogs out...Dolly was lying down looking even bigger, and she was having a time of getting up...she grunted and puffed and groaned and rocked side to side to get up...geesh.  But noticed she had no trouble at all this evening when I came out with the feed buckets...if she gets any bigger I am going to worry...well...worry more...never saw her this big on previous pregnancies.


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## Parsnip

Poor Dolly! That must have been one heck of a thing to watch.
Hope she has those babies soon.

(TWINS. I SAY TWINS)


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## Parsnip

Saw Wendy's baby moving around today.
Looked like a big golf ball was moving around under her skin on the right side!
Kind of creepy, but awesome to know that baby is kicking around and having a party in there


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## bonbean01

You would laugh to see how many times I go feel Dolly and Chickapee's sides...wondering if I'll feel one kicking or two...so far have not felt two at the same time.  No goo here yet and Dolly is looking so deformed...poor thing.  And cold, cold and wind and temps will get colder yet as the week goes on...fine time for lambs to arrive now...NOT!!!  Got a chill last night being out there so long...she must have been positioning, but thought it labour...and hearing so many coyotes howling!!!!!


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## bonbean01

So....has Wendy lambed??????  Nothing here yet...thud!


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## Goat Whisperer




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## Parsnip

Wendy was stretching her back a lot yesterday.
I went and checked on them around 4am, and there was nothing!
SO after breakfast, I'm gonna go down and let them out of the barn.
THEN GO TO SCHOOL.


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## bonbean01

Chickapee went before Dolly...twin ram lambs very early this morning...mom and sons doing well...super cold and windy and hoping Dolly waits a few days for better temps!!!  Exhausted and chilled now but super happy!!!!


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## Parsnip

AAAAH WHERE ARE THE PICTURES

Congrats on the lambies!
TWINS
I have to leave for college now, BUT I hope there will be pictures when I get back


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## Southern by choice

Parsnip said:


> AAAAH WHERE ARE THE PICTURES
> 
> Congrats on the lambies!
> TWINS
> I have to leave for college now, BUT I hope there will be pictures when I get back


Bon's a rule breaker!


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## bonbean01

Still a little wet and some blood...but here's a first picture...


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## Southern by choice




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## alsea1

great lil lambs


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## Four Winds Ranch

Yay!!!  It is about time!!! Very cute!!!


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## Parsnip




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## bonbean01

Dolly had twins around 5 am on the coldest night we've ever had here...Dolly and babies doing great...black headed one is a ram and one with more white down to her nose is a ewe.


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## Southern by choice

Congrats Bon!


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## Parsnip

Congrats! They are beautiful!!!
Do they all have names yet?

(now we just need to wait on Wendy)


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## Parsnip

Wendy had a little bit of clear-ish discharge this morning, but not a lot or anything like that.
Her udder is the size of a grapefruit, and she acting fairly normal.


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## alsea1

she is just trying to make you crazy. LOL


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## bonbean01

These two gals had udders more the size of a basketball...good thing with twins.  So cold and keep warming up the newborns when they shiver...they now have little sweatshirt sleeve coats...hope that helps...used a propane tank with the heater attachment...may have to bring that out again if they get shivering again...both nursing well though.

Good luck with Wendy...and yes...she wants you crazy as a loon


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## Heather

How cold is it?  This year is getting to be too much with the cold weather!!!  We are 18 above right now but supposed to go back to 12 below 0F with wind chills in the -40's.  Congrats!!  I am still waiting on Bambi(hair ewe) and now Cagney(Wool ewe) is very swollen and her milk is coming in.


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## Goat Whisperer

Congrats Bonbean! They are adorable! 

STILL waiting on the other ewes! They need to speed things up! LOL


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## bonbean01

Did the 40 below thing back in Canada...so wind chills of minus 10 here in the Deep South is hard to take...not set up for that at all!  We have some time before the next lambs, so going to sleep tonight. 
Can't wait for you all's lambies to arrive safely!!!!


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## bonbean01

Wendy getting any closer to lambing????


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## Parsnip

I can't even tell anymore haha, how's that?
I think I've finally gone bat poop crazy!!!

She's stayed the same this whole weekend. SO nothing new.
I was hoping she'd lamb in the nice weather, BUT I feel she is waiting for the rains to come


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## bonbean01

Hope she goes soon....and yes, wouldn't it be nice to have them lamb in good weather and during the DAY?????  So far our three ewes have all lambed between 4 and 5 am...and in cold, windy weather.  Our next one up doesn't have a big udder yet...growing slowly and hope she waits until this next cold blast is over!

Go Wendy!!!!!!


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## Sweetened




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## Parsnip

I THINK HER UDDER GREW
It's bigger, compared to pictures I took two days ago.

These are all pics from today











lol I think I'd just be happy with any lamb at this point 
DAY OR NIGHT, RAIN OR SHINE.


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## Goat Whisperer

I looked back at the older pics you posted and compared them to these..... Definitely bigger now! MAYBE she will actually lamb soon!!!


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## alsea1

Wow. Looks like a basketball there


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## Sheepshape

Same thing here....floods,floods.mud and floods. My lambs are not due until mid March,though.


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## bonbean01

Agree...udder does look bigger...you are getting closer!!!!


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## Parsnip

I think she might be in early labor!
OKAY
So I saw them when I got home just now.
I fed them this morning in the dark so I couldn't see.
BUT Wendy's udder got even bigger? Yes, BIGGER.

And she has claimed a corner of the barn for herself, her tail is up like she needs to poop, but she's not doing so.
AND she is squatting like she has to pee, like stuck in the squat position.
She is mumbling too, and arching her back a lot.

I will stay down there all night if I have to. I want to see this lamb being born


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## Goat Whisperer

YAY!!!!! Will be waiting!!


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## Parsnip

I'm gonna go back down there in a little bit to see if she's actually doin' it or if it was just trickery lol
Wish me luck!


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## Pioneer Chicken




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## Southern by choice




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## Sweetened




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## alsea1

Anxiously waiting for news and pics


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## Parsnip

2 babies and Wendy has not been letting them nurse.
Been over an hour.
I have a bottle ready


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## alsea1

Would you like me to come help out


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## alsea1

Did she clean them off and all


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## norseofcourse

Congrats on the twins!! Hope Wendy starts letting them nurse and they let you get some sleep soon.


----------



## bonbean01

Good luck and hoping to hear a happy lambing report....with pics!!!!!


----------



## bonbean01

Posted at the same time!!!!  Congratulations on the twins!!!!  Sometimes it takes a little time for them to find the right place to nurse...mine always start searching on mama's neck for some reason...be sure the teats are not plugged so when they find it, they can nurse right away.  So excited for you and hope they both start nursing soon!!!!!


----------



## bonbean01

Not sure about Wendy...but when I go get a bottle ready, by the time I get back out there...they are nursing.  Hope they nurse soon!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

IT'S ALL GOOD.

alsea1 came over and helped grab Wendy so the babies could nurse.
So much just happened I'm tired and *I'll get pictures up soon!*

A boy and a girl 
Samson and Jillian!


----------



## bonbean01

Great News!!!!!  So happy for you and glad Alsea came to help!!!!  Woot Woot!!!!!  Can't wait for photos when you are able!  Sleep well tonight as you'll be busy tomorrow admiring and enjoying those twins!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

WHEW that was an ordeal.
Came home from school and Wendy was ready to pop out a baby.
I watched her for about 40 minutes before she actually started pushing.
3 pushes and out popped the little ewe lamb 
Wendy cleaned her off, and then 5 minutes later she popped out baby number 2 while standing.
This was a ram lamb, who started trying to stand up almost immediately.
Took longer for the little girl to stand and move.
She's a bit smaller than him, and a bit darker, the little boy is lighter colored and has more white on his face.

THEN 3 hours later after a visit from alsea1 the babies got a bit of milk and had a nice nap.
They're up and at it again, Wendy let the little girl nurse a little bit. YAY FINALLY

The pictures are not that great because our barn doesn't have great lighting, PLUS those babies were on a mission and would not stand still!





In this picture, the boy is in the front, and the girl is in the back.
Named them Samson and Jillian.


----------



## Southern by choice

Congratulations! Look how adorable!

 to Alsea for helping out! 

Love our friends on BYH! They are the best!


----------



## bonbean01

They are adorable!!!!  Congratulations and yes, thank you to Alsea for coming to help...so cool when some herdies live close enough to help each other!!!  Parsnip...you are going to become so addicted to lambies...a few days and the hopping and bopping around and playing lambie games and you will have a very hard time leaving them!  Just so happy for the great outcome for Wendy and you and the names are super cute!!!!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

So excited for you! They are soooooooo cute! Glad Wendy starting to let them nurse! 

CONGRATS!  Awesome that Alsea came to help out!


----------



## Parsnip

Wendy is being a good mama this morning! YAY
The babies are all fluffy this morning, and dry.
Samson is very curious, while Jillian prefers to sleep and rest.
Poor little boogers, all tuckered out. Wendy is hyper-aware of her surroundings and lets them nurse.
Her udder is also not so huge and red. Must feel a bit better for her!

And yes, it's awesome to have a neighbor with sheep that lives 10 minutes away 

This is Samson!




And here's my Jilly Jelly Bean! She is so much darker, and a bit more wooly looking.




I can only tell them apart because Jillian is darker and has floppy ears.
THEY ARE SO CUTE I AM OBSESSED WITH WATCHING THEM.


----------



## bonbean01

Yes...they are addictive...just froze my butt off out there and DH even got down to lie down for them to play on him...they are just so cute and fun and full of energy...can't leave them alone...LOLOLOLOL!  A little sheep poop now on DH's clothes, but he says it was well worth it 
I'm sooooooooooooo happy for you!!!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

Samson and Jillian are amazing to watch.
Jillian sleeps a lot, and then gets up to snack, and jump around, then goes back to sleep.
While Samson is on a steady level of curiosity. He's always up and about and eating.
ALSO I noticed that Jillian has a little white ring around her back ankle, just like Wendy  SO CUTE
I think I am thankful because Wendy trusts me the most out of my family.
My dad helps around the barn a lot, but she won't let him touch the babies.
What a good feeling to have an awesome relationship with the ewes lol

Wendy's first ewe lamb, MaryEllen has been nickering to the young ones and sticking her whole head through the fence to sniff them. Very interested....


----------



## BrownSheep

I think my sheep have realized my entire family are just bumbling harmless idiots.  Even our wildest sheep let us check out their babies. Lord knows they wont let you touch them but they're cool if you want to check out the babies.


----------



## Heather

YEAHHH!!!  I am anxiously still waiting on more babies!  Next few days look good for weather.  Id rather have a little rain than these brutally cold temps we have been having.  Your babies are soo cute.  My lambs are now 5 1/2weeks old.  Do I give them CD&T vaccinations at 6 weeks?  They still havent lost their tails but looks like it will be soon.  I am also thinking that Chest(hair)  is not the daddy but Romeo(wool)  is.


----------



## Parsnip

Is is really the first of February already?????????

Anyone on this thread have babies due in the next few weeks?
I have MaryEllen here 

In other news I whacked my elbow against the corner of a wooden platform and I think I cracked it.
NOT FUN WHEN THERE ARE BARN CHORES TO BE DONE


----------



## alsea1

Oh no. 
How is the elbow this morn. I messed up my ankle last week. Not bad but it lets me know I'm lame. LOL
How are the twins coming along


----------



## purplequeenvt

We have 22 ewes due between now and the middle/end of March. Had our first lambs this morning, but they were stillborn (triplets - one dead a long time and poisoned the other 2).


----------



## BrownSheep

Yep we're in the throws of lambing


----------



## bonbean01

to cracking your elbow!!!!
And yes...Holly a first timer is up next and udder not close yet...should be in another 2 weeks I'm guessing...here we go again...LOLOL


----------



## HeatherL

We have 6 ewes due between now and mid March.


----------



## Heather

Still waiting on Bambi to have her lamb(s).  I put her up just a little while ago because I noticed some blood on her vulva. Tonight???  I am not sure.  
I also have a wool sheep Cagney that has a VERY swollen woman part and making a nice milk sack but she is not ready yet.  And I have another hair sheep named Angel with bright pink woman parts but NO milk at all...so I dont know with her.  Bambi also looks as if she has dropped and even my husband noticed and he doesnt notice anything...seriously I chopped 13 inches of hair off and it took him several days to realize I had a bob style haircut...love it.  Prayers for quick healing!!


----------



## Springfieldzwartble

Hi, I have 6 zwartbles due to lamb over the next 4weeks. First one due next Wednesday!  So excited!


----------



## bonbean01

Well...no one ask me when a ewe is close to lambing...was 2 weeks off with Holly...had a large ram lamb early this morning...teats must have filled during labour?  Baby and Mom doing well.


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Congrats @bonbean01 !

@Parsnip How are the lambs?  Is your elbow feeling better? Hope all is well, haven't seen you on for awhile.


----------



## bonbean01

Thanks Goat Whisperer...and I know you are a goatie...but would so love you to come spend time here and see what affectionate sheep are like...you would need both!

Parsnip....hope that elbow is doing better!!!!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

I would love to visit you and your sheepies! It would be pretty cool to be around nice sheep! I'm not against sheep, I just prefer goats  Maybe SBC could tag along and find you a LGD too


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## bonbean01

Sounds like a plan...I would LOVE it!!!


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## Parsnip

HELLO

Sorry I've been M.I.A
I have mid-terms coming up and it's been a little busy around here!

Lambs are doing fabulous!
They're getting all bouncy now and it's adorable.
Samson is EVERYWHERE, while Jillian sits back and watches.
Jillian has a long body already, so I think she's gonna be a good looking ewe lamb 
They are both around 10 pounds now, I weighed them this morning because they are a week old today!

BONBEAN THAT LAMB HAS A MASK ON IT'S SO CUTE 

I have a teeny little fracture on my elbow.
There's nothing the doctors can do about it so OH WELL
They were like, "Just relax and don't move it a lot."
WHEN YOU HAVE LIVESTOCK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT MOVE AND WORK.


----------



## BrownSheep

Parsnip said:


> HELLO
> 
> Sorry I've been M.I.A
> I have mid-terms coming up and it's been a little busy around here!
> 
> Lambs are doing fabulous!
> They're getting all bouncy now and it's adorable.
> Samson is EVERYWHERE, while Jillian sits back and watches.
> Jillian has a long body already, so I think she's gonna be a good looking ewe lamb
> They are both around 10 pounds now, I weighed them this morning because they are a week old today!
> 
> BONBEAN THAT LAMB HAS A MASK ON IT'S SO CUTE
> 
> I have a teeny little fracture on my elbow.
> There's nothing the doctors can do about it so OH WELL
> They were like, "Just relax and don't move it a lot."
> WHEN YOU HAVE LIVESTOCK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT MOVE AND WORK.



I know what you mean! Raising animals also uses the strangest muscles! I was holding a ewe this weekend and now the back of my thighs are trying to fall off!


----------



## Heather

BONBEAN that lamb is adorable!!  We just had two more this morning.  I think mom is finished but I am giving her a little more time just in case!


----------



## alsea1

I love his facial marking bon


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Heather said:


> BONBEAN that lamb is adorable!!  We just had two more this morning.  I think mom is finished but I am giving her a little more time just in case!
> View attachment 1400 View attachment 1401 View attachment 1402


Congrats! Beautiful lambs! I really like the one in the 2nd pic!


----------



## Heather

Thank you!  He is handsome.  I am giving them time with momma before I mess with them.  I saw the white one nurse a small amount but want to check them again.  With 9 inches of snow its a workout to get to the shed.


----------



## bonbean01

Congrats Heather!!!!  Both beautiful, but that brown/white one has the neatest markings!

Sorry about the elbow Parsnip...yeah...like you have critters and don't move it much...impossible!  Glad you are enjoying your lambs...they are just the cutest things to watch!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

All these adorable pictures! 
Heather they are adorable!!!!!

GOSH we have about 6 inches of snow here!
I had mid-terms today, BUT I couldn't make it into town! Luckily the college closed for today and tomorrow.
I hate driving in snow!
NOW THERE'S FREEZING RAIN. blegh
I'm going to assume everyone else has snow? lol

I've been paying so much attention to Wendy and her lambs, I've hardly noticed how big MaryEllen's belly has gotten!
Due date on the 17th, I hope she lambs on the 14th


----------



## alsea1

A little more time to prepare for mid terms. 
Put a pic of Mary Ellen up. I would come over, but I don't wanna slog thru this god awful snow.
LOL


----------



## BrownSheep

Haha that's all I've heard about from my Oregon family and friends of facebook....It makes me giggle but we will probably have it tomorrow.


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## Parsnip

Yes! More time to study, lol yeah that's what I'll be doing this weekend....  

I haven't taken a picture of Miss MaryEllen in a while, maybe tomorrow I will.
A NICE SNOW PICTURE PERHAPS.
Her udder is showing more now as well! Can't wait for her to lamb.

I thought Portland was supposed to get the worst of it, but I guess they don't have as much yet.
There was freezing rain a bit ago, and I heard there's supposed to be more tomorrow!
STAY SAFE, there has already been so many accidents today, including a 20 car pile-up near my college!
Be safe be safe be safe


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## bonbean01

Valentine Day lambies would be great!!!!  Stay safe in that weather!!!


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## bonbean01

Good luck on the mid terms and Mary Ellen waiting to have lambies when you can be there!!!


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## Parsnip

THERE IS SO MUCH SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN OMG
I got about 9-11 inches of snow when I measured it yesterday lol
I've slipped and fallen down so much all for the sake of feeding or getting water for the sheep. OH WELL

Thank you for the luck on mid-terms! I WILL NEED IT


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## bonbean01

Feel for you!  Hard enough here in the supposed south keeping the sheep and chickens in water...we all need spring to show up soon!


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## Parsnip

Good luck with the weather bonbean!
It's supposed to be above freezing this week, so just rain.
The snow is slowly melting!

Managed to get some pictures this morning.
Here's one of MaryEllen I promised! Should be lambing here in a week or so!




Here's the ladies. Wendy and the lambs stayed in the barn because we have yet to lamb-proof the outside pens!




AND SAMSON. The lambs are literally bouncing off the walls right now.


----------



## Parsnip

Okay I'm gonna spam you guys with pictures.
The lambs went out with the whole herd for the first time today! They'd met through the fence before, BUT this time they got to get up close!
The alpacas were very kind to the young'uns, and they sniffed the babes and hummed to their heart's content.

Notice how DEEPLY Victor is smelling Samson lol




Samson looking up at Victor


----------



## Heather

So cute!


----------



## Parsnip

I've been looking at MaryEllen, and her udder is getting bigger by the day!
I'm really hoping for a Valentine's Day baby! BUT I have a feeling it won't be for another week or two...
She has minimal amounts of discharge every day, so who knows?
I'll have to put a picture up of MaryEllen's udder sometime lol.




I'm pretty sure that MaryEllen was bred to the white Dorper because I saw them have at it, but who knows?
I nice big single white lamb would be satisfying. The white Dorper is known to throw white lambs even with colored ewes, so I'm excited!


----------



## bonbean01

Love the photos and those lambs are adorable...and they've grown!!!!!  Can't wait for your next lamb or lambies!!!!!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Love the pics! They are adorable!


----------



## Womwotai

@Parsnip I noticed your sheep tails are not docked and I've never seen that before.  Would you mind detailing why you made that choice and whether you would make it again?  I need to make a quick decision on whether or not to dock the tails on my own lambs so I'd like to hear all points of view.  Thanks!


----------



## bonbean01

Here's my 2 cents worth Wom...we have dorpers and katahdins and crosses of the two.  We don't dock any tails on any of them.  Two we bought that were already docked and noticed in the summer when the flys are bugging the sheep, they are at a disadvantage with no tails to flick the flies off.  Docking too short can cause anal and vaginal prolapse.  If you are showing your dorpers or selling dorpers for herd ewes and rams, docking is the standard on dorpers.  Here, we don't dock and never had any fly strike or problems with the tails.  Does mean that at lambing time, you lift tails to see how close they are to lambing, but they are all tolerant of that.  We have a very small number of sheep and this works best for us.


----------



## alsea1

Docking is not nec. for hygiene on hair sheep as it is with wool breeds.
We get to go natural.


----------



## Womwotai

Thanks Bonbean and Alsea!  My lamb is from a full Dorset mother (wool) and mixed breed ram who appears to have some hair sheep in him.  I'd love it if she leaned more towards being a hair sheep than a wool but there are no guarantees.  I'd also love to not have to dock, since I do tend towards a more natural approach to all animal raising.  I don't intend to show or even sell them, so I guess my only concern is the hygiene factor.  The ewes I have are docked and one of them looks pretty messy around the rear end - like she poops where she sleeps and some of it sticks to her - so even docking doesn't necessarily seem to keep them cleaner.  Plus, two of them, though they are docked, enough of the tap was left that I have to lift it to check them anyway (you're right - they don't seem to mind).  Meanwhile my ram is not docked because the guy I got him from was disorganized and never got around to it (not because he intended to leave him).  But he got through last summer without any issues.  Which is why I started considering NOT docking the tail.


----------



## Pioneer Chicken

Love the photo of Samson looking up at Victor.  Just adorable.


----------



## Bossroo

One may get away with not docking tails where you are and with small flocks , but here in Cal. we get lots of scoured rear ends in the spring/ summer, then FLYSTRIKE and that is not pretty and NOT good for the sheep when the maggets start to eat their flesh.        So everyone I know/ don't know docks tails.


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## bonbean01

Agreed Bossroo...depends on where you are and how large a herd.  Here not docking is no problem, in fact it helps them being able to swish insects away.


----------



## Parsnip

Sorry I didn't see this sooner! I WAS AT SCHOOL.

But basically bonbean answered for me lol
I have two ewes with long tails, and two with docked tails. All of them came the way they are now.
I think I'd only dock a tail if I had a wooly hair sheep, like maybe a Dorper with a thick coat.
I've seen wool sheep around my area who have long tails and there is poop CAKED on them.
Like literally their tails are brown and crusty to the MAX.

The two lambs Wendy had have beautiful tails. Both have shorter than normal tails, and I think they get that from the Blackbelly side of them? They tuck their tails in and they are 2/3 the normal tail length.

I have a feeling when MaryEllen has her lamb, I'll dock that tail, because she's really wooly herself, and she was bred to a Dorper who has never fully shed out. SO we'll see.

~ No babies today from MaryEllen! I keep looking for signs, and I've decided to cut out the "going off feed" one.
Her mother Wendy, never did. In fact, I believe she was eating her grain while in labor.
She pushed, and then ate some grain, then rested then pushed again. She loves her grain...

(I was hoping for Valentine's Day babies)


----------



## Pioneer Chicken

Parsnip said:


> ~ No babies today from MaryEllen! I keep looking for signs, and I've decided to cut out the "going off feed" one.
> Her mother Wendy, never did. In fact, I believe she was eating her grain while in labor.
> She pushed, and then ate some grain, then rested then pushed again. She loves her grain...
> (I was hoping for Valentine's Day babies)



LOL Silly little critter.


----------



## Parsnip

WAITING ON MARYELLEN.
She's been groaning all morning, but other than that she's acting fine.
She had a lot of discharge yesterday, so I'm hoping a baby is somewhat on it's way!
MaryEllen doesn't look  big from the side, but she's honestly the size of a beach ball if you look at her from the back!
I'm trying to see if her belly has dropped but she's pretty wooly, and it's hard to tell.


----------



## bonbean01

LOL about eating grain on and off during labour...yeah, my girls never go off feed either, so that is no help...Jess last year had her morning breakfast of pellets with the others, then headed into the shelter and went into labour.  Had we offered her pellets by hand between contractions I know she would have eaten them.
Waiting for your next lamb/s!!!!!  Are lambs just not the cutest things ever?????


----------



## Parsnip

Haha!
They just can't give up their grain lol

~ I have a feeling MaryEllen will surprise me.
I just sat down in the barn with everyone for two hours.
I can see baby move around inside MaryEllen, and I think MaryEllen is freaked out by it.
Like the whole time I was down there her eyes were really wide, and she was huffing around a lot.

Her vulva is really deep pink, and her udder was real warm.
Her udder is really small though, this is her first time, so I don't know if it will get any bigger?
I'm starting to feel really bad for her because she can't really lay down and be comfortable.
It's getting to the point to where I think baby is squashing her lungs a little bit!

~ I also have an open ewe who is really smitten with the little ones.
She is a great auntie to them, even though Wendy won't tolerate it lol



*whispers* i can't wait until she gets put in with a ram. i want her to have babies.


----------



## bonbean01

Dolly also sounded like her lungs were being compressed by the lambs, and it worried me...after giving birth, her breathing sounded normal again...whew!  Sounds like Mary Ellen will lamb soon, and Whispers is a pretty girl!!!

Holly was a first time mom and the kicking baby freaked her out too for awhile...then she got used to it.  Really didn't think she'd lamb when she did as her udder wasn't that big yet...it swelled during labour and she had plenty for the little guy...then as he nursed more, it got to be a big size.

Good luck with another ewe having a healthy baby or babies...are those lambs just not the most darling things ever????  I spend so much time in there...house could use a clean up...but those lambs will only be little once


----------



## Pioneer Chicken

bonbean01 said:


> Dolly also sounded like her lungs were being compressed by the lambs, and it worried me...after giving birth, her breathing sounded normal again...whew!  Sounds like Mary Ellen will lamb soon, and Whispers is a pretty girl!!!
> 
> Holly was a first time mom and the kicking baby freaked her out too for awhile...then she got used to it.  Really didn't think she'd lamb when she did as her udder wasn't that big yet...it swelled during labour and she had plenty for the little guy...then as he nursed more, it got to be a big size.
> 
> Good luck with another ewe having a healthy baby or babies...are those lambs just not the most darling things ever????  I spend so much time in there...house could use a clean up...but those lambs will only be little once



It sounds that way with one of my does, Bambi, too.  I - and she!- will be glad once she kids sometime next month; poor critter. 

Yup, so true!  It's pretty easy to clean out the goat barn, fill up waters - anything to stay out longer  - when you've got little ones in there to watch and admire and hold and love on.  They grow up so fast!!


----------



## Womwotai

I forgot you still have MaryEllen's lambs to look forward to!  FWIW, when I checked my ewe on Wednesday morning her vulva looked pink but not that different from usual.  Based on size, she didn't look that pregnant.  The only thing that had me wondering was her bag was filling in, but when I compared to your photos, I decided the bag was not that full after all.  At grain time in the morning she was just as competitive as usual about getting her fill.  I watched them all on and off all day long and she was out grazing the entire time - no signs whatsoever that she was in labor.  I left the windows for 30-45 minutes to get some laundry and dishes done, then went out to do evening chores and there she came with a newborn beside her - so newborn it hadn't even nursed yet.  I never saw or heard a single sign she was in labor (still haven't heard the "groan" you reference).  I have two more pregnant ewes.  One is much larger than the other but has no udder development.  The one who is smaller has a bag that looks about like the first ewe's but it has looked that way for days and she's showing no sign of delivery so who knows when it will happen.


----------



## bonbean01

Congrats Wom!!!  Hope you have pics up somewhere...we need lambie fixes on here   Holly looked also like she had more time to go...silly thing climbed up somehow on a round bale...got her down, she climbed up again...mountain goat style...two hooves and a nose peaking out the whole time...finally got her into a lambing jug...big ram lamb that she couldn't birth..had to push it back in, and unhitch one shoulder and help her during contractions.  Her udder didn't boom big until she was in labour.  They like to surprise us!

Now...go Mary Ellen!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

Haha, I was actually going to post and reply to ALL OF THIS yesterday, but the power went out!
It finally came back on around 3am last night, so yippie.
I have a picture of MaryEllen's udder from yesterday afternoon, I have yet to check her this morning.




This is her FIRST pregnancy, and I don't know if her udder will get any bigger?

AND CONGRATS WOM.
What a surprise teehee


----------



## bonbean01

Her udder is looking pretty ready...when teats stick out like that...I am on close lambie watch!  Good luck!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

I just went down to check and feed them in the barn and MaryEllen's udder is BIGGER than yesterday!
I repeat, BIGGER THAN YESTEDAY.
Yesterday, I felt her udder and I could easily fit it in the cup of my hand.
Today I couldn't  It was too big.

I'll keep an eye on her today! Hopefully there will be lambs before school on Tuesday!
It'd be nice for her to lamb on the weekend lol
Or on her actual due date which is tomorrow.


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Will be waiting!


----------



## Parsnip

I'm waiting too!
I THINK MaryEllen might be in the very very early stages of labor.
She's picked herself a spot in the barn, which she goes back to and sniffs frequently.
And she's peeing and pooping nearly every 5 minutes, so there's got to be a LOT of pressure on her bladder and intestines. I'm hoping that means baby is 'knocking on the door' so to speak. 
She's acting pretty wacky, all high-strung and jumpy. Plus the groaning and heavy breathing...

I just checked her a few minutes ago and her tail was lifted a bit.
I' going to check once again before I go to bed, and then set my alarm for early in the morning.
There was a storm last night and there's supposed to be another one tonight.
Perfect lambing weather, right?
I'm not fond of checking the barn at night because we live on a hill, and the barn is at the bottom of the hill.
It's a bit treacherous!!!


----------



## Parsnip

No lambs yet!
Although I do have an appointment in town and will be gone for about 4 hours, SO I'm betting that is prime time to have a lambie.


----------



## Womwotai

Parsnip said:


> …. I do have an appointment in town and will be gone for about 4 hours, SO I'm betting that is prime time to have a lambie.


Oh, you know it!  Wow - her udder looks huge.  Now that Bon mentions it, the morning my ewe lambed, the teats were sticking out just like that - it is good to know that is a sign, since the udder itself didn't look as filled out as I would have expected.

Oh, that is too funny about trying to get up on the round bales to give birth.  So glad you were there to help her Bon!  We have a couple of old round bales out in our pasture too, and the little lamb born just a few days ago loves to climb up on them.  Her mum calls her down and she skips down and as soon as mum's back is turned, scampers back up again.

Btw, I do have a thread with pics of my lamb, titled "Taken by surprise".


----------



## Parsnip

I'm like 98% sure that MaryEllen is in labor right now.
I came home from my appointment and she was standing in the corner with her tail up.
PLUS her sides are WAYYY sunken in. She's standing with her head down and peeing VERY frequently.

I'm going to have to remove the other ewes in her pen though, they are really not being nice to MaryEllen.
I felt her belly and the baby was kicking like crazy!
MaryEllen's vulva looks different than yesterday, but there's no discharge yet.
I'm guess maybe this evening or late afternoon. Also she arches her back a little bit.
Her udder is hot, and I can't WAIT

Any guesses?
Male, Female... color? Size? Number of lambs?

I'm hoping for a solid white female. MaryEllen is pretty round so I'm also hoping it'll be a good sized lamb.
A ram would be good too though, I'd probably wether him and raise him for butchering.


----------



## bonbean01

How exciting!!!!  Yes, she shouldn't be too long now!  And yes to getting the others out of there.  Good luck and hoping to hear back soon about her!!!  Wishing a problem free birthing, with healthy baby/s no matter what sex or colour...they are all so adorable!!!!!  Keep us posted...some of us are lambie addicts you know


----------



## Parsnip

YES
She's been stretching and sort of pawing at the ground?
Once every 20 minutes or so, her belly will seize up and she'll groan.
GOOD SIGNS YES

Got the barn cleaned, and she's in a pen by herself. Doesn't seem to mind that the others are out and she's in.
My dad is changing the light fixture in the barn right now... it's freaking the lil' Miss out, but oh well he'll be done soon.
YES! I'll keep y'all posted.


----------



## bonbean01

Can't wait and you'd think this was MY ewe in labour...hahahahahahaaha...good luck and keep us posted...can't be long now, and a light in there is a big bonus...love our light in our jugs!  That holding a flashlight in your mouth or between your knees during birthing is not the way to go!


----------



## Heather

How exciting!!  We have light in our jug as well(its a heat lamp when needed) but my wonderful husband got me a headlight that I throw on if I go back at night.  I'm a big baby at night.  Good luck!


----------



## bonbean01




----------



## Pioneer Chicken




----------



## Parsnip

MaryEllen is taking her sweet time 
She'll lay down for a while, and kind of push, then she'll start ruminating.
Then she'll stand and make a nest and then lay down again. 
This has been going on for like the past hour and a half.

I am up at the house now because I needed to pee and I'm hungry.
Nothing major looked like it was going to happen.
She's pushing, but they are NOT huge pushes and they happen every 3-7 minutes or so.
So I'm thinking she has a bit more to go before the fun starts....

I'll keep you guys posted


----------



## Womwotai

Keep us posted Parsnip!  I might be right there with you as I have a ewe I also think may be in the early stages of labor.  She was out grazing with the others but came up by herself and stood looking at me through the gate.  As I stood watching her, I could see the little one moving around inside her - even from a distance.  Eventually the others all came up but when they left again to go and graze, this one stayed up by herself.  She watched them but didn't call and seemed happy to be by herself.  So I prepared an area for her to be by herself, adjacent to the nursery where my first ewe and Snowball spend the nights, and watched her a little longer.  Her vulva is definitely puffier and redder even than this morning.  I couldn't get close enough to see her udder but it was already filling even a few days ago.  Since she's been by herself she has been alternately pacing and lying down chewing her cud - nothing really unusual except that she is very calm and normally if she were separated from the rest that would not be the case.

It sounds like MaryEllen may be further along, but I think sometime in the next 24 hours we might both have new little lambs


----------



## bonbean01

Can't wait...oh...I am such a lambie addict it isn't even funny!


----------



## Parsnip

She had a little boy!!!

He's 7lbs 2 oz and looks like a boer goat lol
He's the brown head, and white body, but he does have a white star and brown spots on his legs.
WHAT A CUTIE.
I really want to keep him a ram! So I'm gonna ask around to see if anyone wants him 
When he's older of course.
Otherwise he's gonna be food!
But he's such a fun color! Plus he's half dorper  So he's gonna be big!!!

PICTURES LATER


----------



## bonbean01

Congrats!!!!  Can't wait for pics!!!!!


----------



## alsea1

Give me a call if you need help with anything.
Hope it goes well for her first time.  I'm sure it will.


----------



## alsea1




----------



## Pioneer Chicken

Congrats!!!  Can hardly wait to see adorable lambie photos!


----------



## Parsnip

omg she had a girl too!
I went back down there, and she was being excellent and cleaning and nudging the boy to stand.
THEN I HEAR THIS SQUELTCHY NOISE.
And there is a little yellowish sac with a little white lamb inside.
The lamb is seriously the smallest one I've ever seen.
She's TINY. But she got up before the boy and is searching for the udder as I type.
She's ALL WHITE, except for this brown splotch on the left side of her face.
I hope she's alright!

~~~ MaryEllen seems willing to let them nurse! So I think we'll be okay


----------



## Womwotai

Yay - congrats on both!!!


----------



## Pioneer Chicken

What   a wonderful surprise!!  Congrats again!!!


----------



## norseofcourse

Congratulations!!!  Can't wait to see pics!


----------



## Parsnip

Whew I'm glad that's over with!
MaryEllen was in labor the WHOLE DAY by the time she started pushing FOR REAL she was soooo tired. After seeing a half hour of just front toes of the lamb, and MaryEllen barely pushing, I helped pull the first lamb  I was excited to see white legs and a brown nose!
Then unexpectedly the girl shows up! She's so small...
I had to hold MaryEllen and guide the little ones to her teats, they both got a good drink and MaryEllen let them after a while.




The little girl is in the front 











Congrats on being a first time mommy MaryEllen! 
The babies are roughly 50% Dorper, 43% Katahdin and 7% Blackbelly


----------



## norseofcourse

oooooooooooo they are so cute!!


----------



## alsea1




----------



## Parsnip

Moved babies and mama to the jug, so they can bond even more!
MAN THAT LITTLE EWE LAMB IS SO HUNGRY.
That's good!
The little boy is already starting to leap around


----------



## BrownSheep

It sounds like Mary Ellen checked this thread to make certain she gave you everything you wanted!


----------



## Parsnip

I'm so proud of her!
_Bless her heart she's such a trooper.  _
She was my first sheep EVER, so I feel like a grandma I think.

She won't be the last one to lamb in 2014 though!
I'm going to have my two other ewes bred in April.
So there will hopefully be more babies in September/October!!!

I bet I'll post pictures here once in a while, but for the most part it'll be dead until Fall 2014 haha


----------



## bonbean01

So cute!!!!  Congratulations again!!!  Beautiful babies!!!


----------



## Womwotai

I just looked out the window and I can see another new little lamb too!  This one is mostly chocolate brown, with a little white!!!  I haven't even been down to see it yet - my coffee is still hot and it doesn't look like she needs any help - but I'll take my camera when I go and get some pictures.


----------



## Parsnip

WOW Congrats! 
I love chocolate colored lambies!

After coffee you have to take pictures!!!! 
Do you know how many more ewes you have due?


----------



## Womwotai

He is a little ram lamb!



 
I only have one ewe left to lamb but I checked her this morning and she still doesn't even look close.  However she is bigger than either of my other ewes were at delivery so I suspect she is carrying twins.

I'm sorta disappointed this one is a ram because I don't need more than one ram, so we will be butchering any ram lambs born this year.  This one is so pretty - and so different from any of my other sheep - that I was hoping it was another ewe.

My first lamb is now 6 days old and very sure on her feet.  Isn't it funny how fast they look like the "older" lamb and how newborn the new ones seem?  I imagine that is even more true for you since your first lambs are already a few weeks old!


----------



## Parsnip

*He's SO CUTE I love the spots! *
And he looks like a big guy!
What breed is he?


My other lambs are 3 weeks old today I think.
They're so big and sturdy compared to the little ones!
I'm surprised with Irene though. She's half the size of her brother, but has so much spunk!
They were still wobbly on their legs this morning, BUT they were jumping around and falling down and it was so cute. I could watch them all day.
I really need to take a picture of them now that they are dried off and warm and fuzzy.
Their coats are SLEEK, unlike the other lambs who are as fluffy as can be!
TOO BAD I HAVE SCHOOL TODAY AND WON'T BE HOME UNTIL 4:30!!!!!
I have to leave very soon, so toodles for now, I'll talk to you later!
AND I'll post more pics of Irene and Marty when I get back!


----------



## bonbean01

Congrats Wom!  Pretty baby!


----------



## Parsnip

I LOVE LAMBS.
Seriously, I'm all excited all over again lol

Here's some pictures from this afternoon 






I have a feeling that the brown/tan spot on Irene's face will fade away.


----------



## bonbean01

So cute Parsnip...and I also just love baby lambies!!!  Such an addict!


----------



## Pioneer Chicken

Congrats again Parsnip!! Love the photos! Those lambs are so cute!  What a pretty little ram lamb you've got womwotai!


----------



## Womwotai

Thanks Pioneer Chicken!  And congrats Parsnip - they are awesome!


----------



## Parsnip

Haha, Wom, our little ram lambs look somewhat identical!
Both brown and white!


----------



## Womwotai

I had that same thought


----------



## alsea1

I just love the boy. Awesome


----------



## Womwotai

Now I have decisions to make re wethering.  I had planned on doing it until last week when I saw a thread where people said they didn't think the meat tasted any different if they are left intact.  I'd rather not do a procedure I don't need to do.  On the other hand, if he and his dad are going to fight when he hormones kick in, better to wether while he's young.  What are you planning on with your boy?


----------



## Parsnip

I REALLY don't want to wether Marty, he's a real nice color, PLUS he's half Dorper  Which I think if he were left intact, he'd produce good market lambs in the future.
But I made myself a promise to wether him on Friday or Saturday if no one wanted him as a ram.
I'd keep him, but I wouldn't wanting him breeding with his sister, or MaryEllen, or something like that.
SO I'm kind of torn on what to do?
I already have one ram lamb(Samson)who I'm leaving intact. I've planned to sell him as soon as he's weaned.

On the other hand, if I wether Marty, he'd make a good meat lamb, because I'm guessing he'll be a chunky lil' boy. So I'm sure he'd be delicious!
WOW I'M RAMBLING.
So right now I guess these two are up for grabs around May/June....




AND Marty is either gonna be sold as a ram, or kept as a wether for butchering.
If Irene turns out to be good sized by October, I might breed her.
Either that or wait until May next year to breed her. Gosh she's awful small... Hopefully she'll catch up!
... I'm keeping her though, unless she stays really small.

Lol I'm trying to think ahead here so I don't end up with 20 sheep!
I need to keep it around 5-6 adult sheep... we just don't have a ton of barn room!


----------



## Womwotai

Gotcha.  Yeah, I don't need my flock to get too big either.  They have a 7-acre pasture and at one point our research suggested 5 sheep/goats per acre.  That would mean 35 which I personally feel is too many.  Prior to lambing we had 6 sheep and 2 goats.  I figured I would keep all ewe lambs/doelings born this year and perhaps next, and butcher any males in that same time frame and after two years, see how many we have and if that is "enough".  So I guess I am mostly playing it by ear.  So far I have one ewe lamb, one ram lamb and a ewe who I think will have twins.  The other two ewes are only 5 months old, so I expect will have their FF in the fall.  The goat doe does not look pregnant yet but has been with the buck since July (they both were kids then).  I expect she will kid at some point but I think it will be awhile yet.

So what you're saying is if your lamb is going to be a meat lamb you will definitely wether rather than leave him intact?  Is that so the meat is better or so that you don't have so many "ram hormones" floating around the place?


----------



## Parsnip

I think the lamb meat will be tasty regardless of whether the ram lamb has his manhood or not!
I just don't want him breeding back to any ewe's he's related to!
I guess in theory I could breed Marty to Jillian, because she's his maternal half Aunt.....
But I want to sell Jillian and her brother Samson in May or so when they are at weaning age!

~ We have about 2 acres for sheep to eat off of. Our house is on the third acre.
A small flock is easier to take care of when you're going to college I suppose!
Plus I have two alpacas... on the other hand they eat about half as much as the sheep do lol
So they aren't much work at all. Plus they poop and pee in the same spot, so it's easy to clean up haha!

OH So you have another ewe due to lamb soon?
Do you have a mix of hair and wool sheep?
Goat babies are just about as cute sheep babies


----------



## Womwotai

My 3 older ewes are full Dorset (wool).  My two 5-month-old ewe lambs are full Dorper (hair).  The ram is…..I dunno.  He was given to me by a guy and I know where he got his original stock.  I know she keeps mostly hair sheep but I don't know if this guy had mixed in anything else in the 4 years or so since he got his original lambs from her.  I've only had him since July so I will find out as it warms up, I guess, since right now he is holding onto it.  However in the fall there were places where it looked like you could just take a chunk and pull it right off, so I'm hoping he is mostly hair and passes that tendency on to his offspring.

I didn't realize you have Alpacas as well!  Did you get them as guardians?


----------



## Parsnip

I LOVE DORPER SHEEP
And that's be pretty awesome if your ram was mostly a hair sheep 

Haha, I did get them for guarding the sheep. They are pretty good protectors and will chase off anything foreign in the herd. My alpha alpaca also screeches if he senses something is off, so I'll go down and check when I hear him.
For the most part him and the other alpaca squabble, but they are good boys with beautiful fleece!!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

I just saw this!!! 

CONGRATS! I thought she had twins in her! Gosh they are cute!!!


----------



## luvmypets

Mammy our ewe has finally got an udder. Her baby/babies are having a party I think they want out.


----------



## Parsnip

Haha!
I was for sure that there was just one baby in there! So I was surprised when the ewe lamb slipped out lol

~~ CONGRATS luvmypets!
Can't wait until your ewe lambs! 
I notice with Wendy and MaryEllen, that the babies really started to move 10 or so days before lambing.

YOU SHOULD POST PICTURES, or make your own lambing thread


----------



## luvmypets

i tried making a thread but no one replied after a few posts.  this is our first lamb....only other ewe had a stroke while lambing (whole story on thread hobby farm disaster and recovery)her and her lamb passed. Mammy is a first timer and our only other ewe. When i put pressure on her stomach the other day her back arched and her sides puffed out, when i put pressure on her stomach today it was firm, her ligament in her tail is soft. Her breed is unknown, but the ram is a humungous dorper. We think she is a cross, ill post a pic. She is huge, and is getting p and down constantly, her bely has been having a party for about five day, ahh im so excited. Were hoping for twins. Her teats/bag whatever you call it, is finally coming in, its about time. When i put my hand on her side it shifts. Any more advice would be helpful.


----------



## luvmypets

Omg just googled dorper sheep, and mammy came up.


----------



## Heather

I worked at this hospital for my 3rd 12hr shift and came home to find my wool ewe has had 4 babies!!  although the last one was only the size of my hand, not fully developed and still in the sac.  SO she has one VERY small living ewe, and one larger ewe and one ram lamb!!  I have seen everyone nurse and they are as dry as I can get them.  Thankfully my husband said after dinner he was going to check on her because one of the sheep had been crying different.  I immediately jumped up and got my mud boots off and ran out to the pasture.  She had taken the three others out of the area of the dead one.  As soon as I gathered them up and took them inside the sky opened and we had a nasty severe storm.  
I have them inside but it is still wet.  They are on fresh straw and have a heat lamp.  I cant get them anywhere else.  Do you all think they will be okay?   I see another sleepless night in my future!  It just like having my own babies again.


----------



## Heather




----------



## luvmypets

omg congrats first timer hoping for twins, her belly is doing the "i want out dance". Her area is pink and her udder is finally coming in. She is up and down all the time, AND she paws the ground and is non-stop eating. She looks back at her belly all the time, im crossing my fingers its any day now. Calling the vet tommorow so he can see when she'll lamb.


----------



## Heather

Thank you!  Can you upload a pic of her parts?  udder?  Everyone on here seems to REALLY know what they are talking about.  I NEVER EVER would have thought Cagney would have had 4 lambs.  We have officially went from 5 ewes 2 rams to 7 lambs, 5 ewes and 2 rams although tomorrow is the end of the line for one of our rams.  He obviously has not made one baby this year and is becoming aggressive soo.....he has been voted off the island.


----------



## luvmypets

oh well. I cant get a picture I cant find my camera...and dont want any ram lambs on. The vet is coming tommorow to check her out. Her udder is small but they can fill out really quick from what I hear. Thought I might add, her area is darker pick and puffy. Also somewhat dilated


----------



## luvmypets

My dad says she was straining, then someone came in and she stopped and got up arrgh


----------



## Parsnip

AH HEATHER THE LAMBS ARE SO ADORABLE.
Congrats! 


Lol my ewe that just lambed was acting like she was in labor a month before it actually happened.
I remember in January she was pawing, and groaning and lifting her tail, and the babies were rocking out in there.
BUT then three days ago she popped them out!
They made me so impatient! BUT it payed off, because once lambs are here it will be fabulous.
Haha, pictures would be good if you can get them up on here!
WE ALL LOVE PICTURES
Keep us updated 
~~~ I'm going to go to bed now because it's 11:30 here in Oregon, and I got school tomorrow.
BUT I will check this tomorrow for stuff 
GOOD LUCK AND HANG IN THERE


----------



## purplequeenvt

Heather said:


> Tomorrow is the end of the line for one of our rams.  He obviously has not made one baby this year and is becoming aggressive soo.....he has been voted off the island.



Did you have the rams in with the ewes together? If so, the most likely reason this ram didn't breed any ewes would be that the other ram was dominate and wouldn't let him. 

Not trying to make you change your mind, if he's aggressive then it's good he's leaving. 

Congrats on the babies! Wow! You never would have thought 4 by looking at her. She is a big girl (Hampshire or Suffolk cross?) though. I don't ever like making guesses as to number on other peoples sheep. I do pretty well on our flock, but I have known those sheep their whole lives.


----------



## Heather

Yes he has lowered his head at my husband several times and my oldest son a couple times.  Its time.  Also yes she is a hampshire/suffolk cross and might be one of the most loving curious animals I have ever owned.  She and her sister were 4h sheep that I bought off craigslist for 150 for the full grown pair.  I thought that was a steal.  I am so very proud of her and her babies.  All we doing well this morning ans she is being a good first time mommy


----------



## Parsnip

*$150 for the pair of 'em?*
WHOA
That's usually the price for ONE smaller 4-H lamb around here!
WOW, good job finding that 

~~~~~
May have found a nice ram lamb for these two cuties 






They seriously must not be seasonal breeders, because as far as I know they've been cycling regularly since December.

Also, how old are ram lambs usually before they are physically able to breed?
I know height has something to do with it haha, but can it be before 5 months of age?
It will be a while longer, but when do I need to separate both my ram lambs from their mommies?


----------



## luvmypets

Vet came and told us we might need a csection. He stuck his finger in and   I felt bad for mammy. Anyhow he said she is due, today or tommorow. He said he felt tiny hooves. Said she might deliver at two. Omg we don't live on the farm and left for the night. My dad is going early tommorow morning to check on her


----------



## Parsnip

I hope everything turns out alright for you luvmypets!
It'd be nice if she delivered lambs without any assistance!
Nice to know for sure that she is due VERY soon.
Please keep us updated about this!


----------



## Bossroo

luvmypets said:


> Vet came and told us we might need a csection. He stuck his finger in and   I felt bad for mammy. Anyhow he said she is due, today or tommorow. He said he felt tiny hooves. Said she might deliver at two. Omg we don't live on the farm and left for the night. My dad is going early tommorow morning to check on her


If the vet is correct in feeling  ( with one finger ... what ??? ) tiny hooves ... all is well.  This type of vet. is  giving you a scare tactic for a need of a c- section and if you go along with it , he is going to send you a bill that will rival the National Dept.


----------



## luvmypets

She is a very small ewe.


----------



## luvmypets

No baby yet, but my dad says her area has dropped. Omg I really hope she has an easy birth. We might let her outside today. Snow is finally clearing up.


----------



## purplequeenvt

I'm confused. Why did the vet say that she's going to need a c-section? A c-section is a last resort around here.


----------



## luvmypets

They said if it is a complicated birth, because big ram and small ewe. Anyhow right now she is laying down and throwing her head back. C'mon babies


----------



## bonbean01

Hoping all goes well!!!!


----------



## luvmypets

Vet says it was supposed to happen yesterday, and still no babies. Her belly is kicking and all, and she will not stop looking at it.


----------



## purplequeenvt

How does the vet know when they should arrive? You don't have a specific bred date. Is your vet a large animal vet and does he do a lot with sheep and goats?


----------



## BrownSheep

I once heard a quote " if the babies are out to play than today is not the day."


----------



## Bossroo

luvmypets said:


> They said if it is a complicated birth, because big ram and small ewe. Anyhow right now she is laying down and throwing her head back. C'mon babies


I have a neighbor that bred a 275 lb Suffolk ram to their 9 babydoll ewes and they seem to not have any difficulty giving birth.    At a major Vet. University , I have seen where they used  7 month old Suffolk, Ramboulet, and Corriedale rams and bred each of them to groups of 20 7-9 month old and around 85- 100 = /- lbs. ewe lambs .... they all had no to a couple slight problems of mispresentation giving birth.       My son has a friend who is 6' 7'' tall and 305 lbs., his wife is 5' 4" tall and 120 lbs ... they have 3 kids , all delivered naturally.     Do you get the drift ?  As I said,  you will need a huge bank loan pronto if you listen to this vet.


----------



## purplequeenvt

It appears from here to be a case of your vet taking advantage of your inexperience. May not be the case in actuality, but it sounds suspicious to me.


----------



## Womwotai

luvmypets said:


> Said she might deliver at two.


Are you sure he didn't say this in a joking way, like "Ewes always pick the worst time to deliver so she'll probably have it at 2am" or something like that?  I can't imagine any vet would actually predict the exact time an animal will give birth.  Even when they're pushing, it is sometimes difficult to predict how much long it will be until delivery!


----------



## Heather

Quick question.  My newest lambs(triplets) are 3 days old today and the mom loves them but she wants out of the lambing jug.  Do you think it would be safe to let them out?  Maybe let them out during the day then put them in the jug at night?  I am worried because of the littlest girl.  The other two are larger and could keep up.  Thank you all for the advice!  Also the jug will not need to be used for other ewes for probably another two weeks or so.  I only have two ewe left to lamb(thank goodness!)


----------



## Womwotai

Heather, I would say try it and be prepared to put them back up if you have any issues.

When my first lamb was 2 days old, I let her and her mother out with the flock.  The ram immediately started trying to mount the ewe and in her efforts to ward him off, the lamb was knocked flying several times.  It looked like a disaster waiting to happen, so I put them back in their nursery.  The second lamb came along a few days later so I had two ewes and two lambs in the nursery.  Yesterday the second lamb was 4 days old so I tried again to let them out.  This time the ram showed no interest in the ewes.  The ewes were thrilled to be out grazing with the flock and the lambs had a blast meeting the other flock members.  And, they all went out to the far end of the pasture to graze - something they didn't do while the ewes were in the nursery.  I think they didn't want to get that far away from their flock members.  They all returned last evening and the ewes took the lambs back to the nursery to spend the night.  When I went out to lock up, the mothers and lambs were in the nursery, the rest of the flock sleeping just outside of it - even though the gate to the nursery was wide open.  I closed it for the night for the safety of the lambs, but let them back out again right after they'd had their grain this morning and they are once again enjoying having use of the whole pasture.


----------



## BrownSheep

Heather said:


> Quick question.  My newest lambs(triplets) are 3 days old today and the mom loves them but she wants out of the lambing jug.  Do you think it would be safe to let them out?  Maybe let them out during the day then put them in the jug at night?  I am worried because of the littlest girl.  The other two are larger and could keep up.  Thank you all for the advice!  Also the jug will not need to be used for other ewes for probably another two weeks or so.  I only have two ewe left to lamb(thank goodness!)


YES. She is probably going a little  stir crazy as that is the longest I've ever gotten a ewe to stay in. As long as she is bonded to her she should return to take care of the lamb. And who knows the lamb will probably surprise you.


----------



## purplequeenvt

At three days old I'd let them out. Assuming they are all strong/smart enough. Our ewes and lambs generally stay jugged for 2-3 days, but that is mainly because we don't have a great barn and the babies are safer in the jugs. 

Our ewes actually like being jugged because they get special treatment in there. 

The lambing setup we have this year is a small creep area and 3 4x4 (I think) jugs across the back of the barn and then a bigger area about 12'x5' or 6' in front of the jugs. Newborn lambs go in the jugs, slightly older lambs go in the bigger area with other lambs and ewes, and then, finally, they get released into the main barn.


----------



## luvmypets

The vet helped us a lot and yes he is a large animal vet. Ok the vet told my dad why do we own sheep. Also might add I'm getting a ewe for my birthday. We could feel hooves and are so excited for this. That is such a relief boss roo, thanks everyone for your input. She's due any day now. C'mon babies.


----------



## luvmypets

Guys mammies mucus plug came out and she may have possibly broken her water. My dad gives me updates over the phone. Woohoo


----------



## Parsnip

GOOD LUCK


----------



## luvmypets

Parsnip said:


> GOOD LUCK


Thanks


----------



## Heather

Good luck luvmypets.  I do not interfere with the process unless it gets prolonged.  Animals just know when the process is going right or wrong in my opinion.
Also thanks for the info on letting the lambs out.  lol, I have a jug set up that is larger than recommended but only because I am using 2 sides of a dog kennel against 2 sides of the shed.  I have been keeping moms and babies up for a week or so only because its been so snowy and COLD!  This week is going to be in the 20's/10's give or take.  Its VERY wet and muddy also because of a recent warm up melting 8 inches of snow and a good old fashion thunderstorm coming through the night the lambs we born


----------



## luvmypets

Ok guys she is down all four hooves bracing her. We're just waiting now.


----------



## Heather

The waiting is the worst part!!


----------



## luvmypets

Lol yeah poor girl doesn't know what to make of it.


----------



## Heather




----------



## Parsnip

Any news???


----------



## bonbean01




----------



## luvmypets

Nope but she's baaing alot and has been pushing but still no Lambie. We called the vet and said it may be false labor.


----------



## Ruus

She went into labor Sunday night? That sounds like a very long time for her to push... Is there any way you could have a feel inside yourself, make sure the lamb's not positioned wrong?


----------



## Parsnip

I agree with Ruus.
I hope there's not anything too terribly wrong.


----------



## luvmypets

We think it might be false labor.


----------



## bonbean01

I have to agree that it would be a good idea to glove up, lubricate well, and check inside...just in case...hoping all is well!


----------



## Heather

I have never heard of a false labor.  Please check your girl to make sure everything is okay.


----------



## frustratedearthmother

I've heard of false pregnancy but not false labor.  If she's truly pushing, there is a reason, and if it's been going on for several days, there is a problem.   Hope this works out well.  Good luck!


----------



## purplequeenvt

Was she actually pushing or was she just groaning and trying to get comfortable? I've seen lots of ewes make a lot of noise and be up and down, pawing, etc....but no real pushing. Some even kick their legs out to the side as if bracing themselves. 

The only sign that I have noticed in our ewes that they ALWAYS do when they are in labor is the stretching. Not the normal lengthening of the back stretch the sheep do after getting up. The labor stretch is where the ewe's hips raise upwards and the tail/butt tucks in. This is sometimes followed by the tail-bone being raised as if she has to poop, but nothing comes out. 

How is your ewe acting? It's been several days so I'd imagine that if she was truly in labor the other day and didn't progress, you'd have lost her by now. My guess would not be false labor (I too have never heard of that), but possibly a Braxton hicks type situation. Things are settling in and her body is getting ready for labor.


----------



## Parsnip

UPDATE ON THAT EWE?
I'm curious to see if she's alright...

In other news, Wendy's babies are one month old, and MaryEllen's babies are almost two weeks old.
Irene is FINALLY growing into her head. She seriously had a melon head and now it's normal sized.



She's getting this nice long body too.

And here are the two boys, both for sale once it's weaning time


----------



## bonbean01

Adorable lambies!!!!!  I've been having internet issues here and missed when you went to see the ram you may buy...have to go back quickly and look before I get kicked off again!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Oh they have GROWN!!!! Gosh they are cute! I LOVE the ram lamb in the last pic!!! GORGEOUS!


----------



## luvmypets

Hello everyone still no lambies... We think she's really close now her sides have sunken a lot her ligament is gone. When our friend checked for us she said it was easier to get in but no hooves, I'm thinking the baby/babies slid back. We still see movement and when she lays down I think the baby/babies put a lot of pressure on her lungs. Otherwise shes restless and only stops moving when she's eating or laying down. C'mon babies...


----------



## Parsnip

C'MON BABIES. I hope for healthy lambs. What a long process for your ewe. Poor girl!


----------



## luvmypets

Yeah right. Also her sides were so sunken today that her hips looked hollow. One side of her belly was larger, and man is she restless. Poor thing. Also it looks like she's been resting in the middle of the pen instead of sides. She leaves dents in the straw


----------



## Parsnip

Haha, sounds like Wendy. Wendy plopped down right in the middle of the pen and lambed there lol
Do you have any pictures???


----------



## luvmypets

I lost my camera charger And my phone takes  cruddy photos.  But I do believe that her area is very pink and puffy. Her udder never filled out much but the vet said she's small and it may stay that way. Eventually we will get lambies. Everyone who helps our farm is rooting for her. She is making our life crazy...but like any pet we luv her.


----------



## Parsnip

Any news luvmypets?


----------



## luvmypets

Other than more sunken belly nope.


----------



## Parsnip

Awh, HUH she sure is keeping you on your toes lol
Good luck good luck


----------



## luvmypets

Omg I just want lambies. Her belly is so uneven and the poor girl is restless.


----------



## mysunwolf

Parsnip, love those "chocolate" colored lambs! That ram lamb's got the nicest face. And the tuft of white on his tail...


----------



## luvmypets

I got a pic or her belly


----------



## luvmypets

Will this work


----------



## luvmypets

Side view


----------



## luvmypets

Ill add a ram pic


----------



## Parsnip

mysunwolf said:


> Parsnip, love those "chocolate" colored lambs! That ram lamb's got the nicest face. And the tuft of white on his tail...



Haha, thanks! I really like the color that they are! It's an interesting one


----------



## luvmypets

One more pic


----------



## Parsnip

whoa she looks pretty big!
Hopefully soon haha, I think I've been saying that the past week though.
Lol who knows. She must be waiting for a specific time when it's dark and stormy or something like that


----------



## Parsnip

Your ewe is lovely though.
I really like Dorpers and with I had some full blooded ones here!


----------



## luvmypets

Thanks this will be an interesting color combo. Any guesses on how many we think twins. If i told u about our other ewe she was all black... The ram was tan and the baby was white. She was so close but had a stroke. RIP belle


----------



## luvmypets

I want another ewe for my birthday what would you reccomend for simple lambings.


----------



## Parsnip

Is the ram bred to her tan as well?

~ Haha I was wrong with guessing on both of my ewes
I thought Wendy would have one, and I thought MaryEllen would FOR SURE have one.
They both had twins haha.
BIRTHDAY When is your birthday?


----------



## Womwotai

luvmypets, you can't really tell from looking at the belly, how advanced the pregnancy is.  Can you get a pic of her vulva and a separate pic of her udder?  Those are far more telling.  I had two ewes have lambs this year who didn't look big at all.  But, a few days before delivery, their udder suddenly filled and on the day of delivery, their vulva looked puffy and red.  Right now I have a ewe who is pregnant and is much larger than either of the other two ever were, but her udder hasn't filled and her vulva is still tight and pink so I know she still has probably a couple of weeks to go at least.


----------



## luvmypets

Lol we worry to much... The vet is coming back tommorow


----------



## Parsnip

How did the vet visit go?


----------



## Parsnip

Also, here's a quick update with the lambs!
Here's Wendy's 2 month old babies...



Jillian is actually bigger than Samson now haha, GO JILLIAN

And here are MaryEllen's babes, almost a month...still small, but growing steady...


----------



## luvmypets

The vet never called backAnd omg i luv those lambies.


----------



## luvmypets

Last night Mammy was laying down the whole time my dad was there... eight hours. He said she had her paws out and was bracing herself... But knowing her she is probably teasing us.


----------



## Heather

We had some new lambs yesterday!  2 girls 1 boy.  All are small lambs.  I would guess 4lbs each.


----------



## Heather

We also had this little guy born!  Its been the week of babies.  Calves, chicks and lambs!


----------



## luvmypets

I am in awe...btw mammy was indeed teasing us. Those babies


----------



## Parsnip

I LOVE THE TRI-COLORED RED LAMB.
So adorable, my goodness!!! Interesting color combo 

And that little bull calf is incredible! He's a big guy!

One of our neighbors had some calves back in Jan.



~~~ This one was my favorite, so I HAD to take a picture!


----------



## luvmypets

Awwww


----------



## Parsnip

luvmypets said:


> I am in awe...btw mammy was indeed teasing us. Those babies




She'll go when she's ready 
Maybe the lambs just have to cook a bit longer.
What does her udder look like as of right now?


----------



## luvmypets

Tight udder.


----------



## bonbean01

Parsnip, your lambs look adorable!!!!  And congrats Heather on the babies!!!!  Luv...really hope she lambs soon...has to be soon, right?
First born lamb here in my avatar goes to his new home end of the month when weaned...he's grown into such a big boy and will be the herd sire there...luckily for me, he is going to our neighbor across the road, so I'll still get to visit him...that makes having him leave easier.


----------



## Parsnip

Yeah, both my January born lambs are leaving the second weekend of next month 
One's going to a neighbor(HOPEFULLY, then I can see her grow up!) And then the ram lamb is going to a friend of my dad's. He'll be chillin' with some cows and a few chickens, until he's big enough to butcher.
Mama Wendy is getting tired of their nursing! I'm not kidding, when they root around, they _LIFT_ her back feet off the ground. That can't feel too good haha.

Good thing you'll be able to see him grow up all the way!!!!
It'll be fun to see what color lambies he throws.

I'm getting a new ewe lamb in May, and when I saw the ewe lambs I could choose from...
I looked at one and thought "HEY that looks like bonbean's lamb!"



Here's the lamb I might be getting. Took a quick pic of her. Doesn't she looks like yours bonbean?? HA So cute.
Either this lamb-as shown above-OR my other option is a chunkier ewe who is more "traditionally" Dorper colored. This other ewe lamb doesn't have a long back, but she definitely has a bigger build.
I'm going to be selling one of my other ewes soon, as she is consistently WORMY, and a nervous wreck.
She's with a ram right now, so I want to see if I can get some lambs out of her first! I've spent more money on her than any of the others lol
These new lambs will ultimately be the wormy ewe's replacement. I say that tentatively...


----------



## bonbean01

YES!!!!  She does look like Buckwheat...now named Picasso...ram lamb exactly!!!  Wished he had been a she and I would have kept her.  Our little...well...not so little anymore guy will be heading to his new herd end of the month.  Neighbour who bought him lives across the road from us, so will be able to visit and see him as he grows up.


----------



## bonbean01

Wish you didn't live so far away...if you got this ewe, would HAVE to have her bred by my ram lamb...imagine the baby's colouring!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

bonbean01 said:


> Wish you didn't live so far away...if you got this ewe, would HAVE to have her bred by my ram lamb...imagine the baby's colouring!!!!



Yeah, you're almost across the U.S from me haha!
~ HECK YES. Those would be fancy lambies


----------



## luvmypets

Omg mammy is huge. Her udder filled out a bit in the past month... But considering you cant see it yet she has a while to go.


----------



## bonbean01

Good luck luvmypets!!!  Hoping for an easy birthing!  My youngest ewe Dixie just turned a year old this past weekend...she is growing a little udder now, so thinking she was bred before we took her out of the ram's pen???  May just have one more lambie next month...or May?  Really don't know...took her out as the ram was being too nasty to her and was afraid he'd hurt her with his stupid ramming.


----------



## Heather

My last ewe is in labor.  She broke her water?  around 6pm this evening.  I question because it was very gooey.  She then walked around the pasture from 6p-10p when we decided it was time to put her up for the night.  I have have stayed with her until now(almost midnight) and she is laying and pushing then getting up and turning and scratching(repeat cycle).  I must come in for the night because I have a shift at the hospital in a few hours.  Should I worry about the length of labor?  she is getting a goo string as she pushes.  I feel like I am making her nervous.  FINGERS CROSSED i check in a few hours and she has ONE healthy lamb.  Also, I did check her with my finger and felt something?  a head?  I am not for sure but it was something.


----------



## purplequeenvt

I would get in there and check her out. If she has been actively in labor for this long without progress, there could be something positioned incorrectly.


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Hope all is well @Heather! Just saw this, worried about your girl!


----------



## bonbean01

If she still has one in there...she needs HELP!!!  And soon...hope you were able to call a sheep friend or vet and sorry you have to work at a time like this!


----------



## Heather

I tried very hard to get the lamb out.  I could get one leg and feel the head which was VERY large.  I called work and told them I would be a little late but was unsuccessful manipulating the lamb.  The ewe was not helping at all.  She was fighting me every step of the way.(I really do not like wild aminals...sheep, cows, whatever) Called the vet out(who recently broke her back).  I was at work but able to take a few minutes to communicate with her.  The ewe was not going to have the lamb naturally even with assistance so the only option was c-section which she wouldnt be able to rebreed or cut the lamb out piece by piece which could still severely hurt the ewe.  I made the decision to have the ewe slaughtered before she became septic.  I know some people may not agree with my decision but to me as hard as it was it was only right for her.  Its not easy and we are having a very hard time with this.  While they are just animals they are still a part of the family and a part of the flocks family.


----------



## luvmypets

Im so sorry


----------



## mysunwolf

Heather said:


> I tried very hard to get the lamb out.  I could get one leg and feel the head which was VERY large.  I called work and told them I would be a little late but was unsuccessful manipulating the lamb.  The ewe was not helping at all.  She was fighting me every step of the way.(I really do not like wild aminals...sheep, cows, whatever) Called the vet out(who recently broke her back).  I was at work but able to take a few minutes to communicate with her.  The ewe was not going to have the lamb naturally even with assistance so the only option was c-section which she wouldnt be able to rebreed or cut the lamb out piece by piece which could still severely hurt the ewe.  I made the decision to have the ewe slaughtered before she became septic.  I know some people may not agree with my decision but to me as hard as it was it was only right for her.  Its not easy and we are having a very hard time with this.  While they are just animals they are still a part of the family and a part of the flocks family.



I know that had to have been awful  But sounds like it was the right decision to make.


----------



## Parsnip

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!
That's awful... but it sounds like you made the right choice.

Sending hugs and love your way!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Heather said:


> I tried very hard to get the lamb out.  I could get one leg and feel the head which was VERY large.  I called work and told them I would be a little late but was unsuccessful manipulating the lamb.  The ewe was not helping at all.  She was fighting me every step of the way.(I really do not like wild aminals...sheep, cows, whatever) Called the vet out(who recently broke her back).  I was at work but able to take a few minutes to communicate with her.  The ewe was not going to have the lamb naturally even with assistance so the only option was c-section which she wouldnt be able to rebreed or cut the lamb out piece by piece which could still severely hurt the ewe.  I made the decision to have the ewe slaughtered before she became septic.  I know some people may not agree with my decision but to me as hard as it was it was only right for her.  Its not easy and we are having a very hard time with this.  While they are just animals they are still a part of the family and a part of the flocks family.


I am so sorry. That is such a hard call to make.


----------



## bonbean01

So sorry it turned out that way.


----------



## luvmypets

Guys mammy has a huge vulva and is apparently opening up.


----------



## Goat Whisperer




----------



## Goat Whisperer

Anything?


----------



## luvmypets

I dont know


----------



## luvmypets

Nothing


----------



## luvmypets

Her bag is dropping slowly but surely. Her backside is pink and puffy


----------



## Parsnip

Keep us updated!!!


----------



## luvmypets

Dont worry i will


----------



## Parsnip

Any news, my friend?


----------



## luvmypets

You can finally see her udder from behind. This sheep


----------



## luvmypets

Mammy is really pushing , and panting.


----------



## luvmypets

I think


----------



## Parsnip

ANY NEWS?


----------



## luvmypets

Nope


----------



## luvmypets

luvmypets said:


> Nope


What do you guys think.


----------



## luvmypets

Now she is eating and wont stop. Still panting.


----------



## Parsnip

Maybe she's just REALLY uncomfortable???
Maybe her lungs are being squashed a little by the lamb(s) ?

That's what happened to my ewes!


----------



## luvmypets

Lol shes so close and this is urking me.


----------



## Parsnip

That girl must have a plan.
Waiting for the right time I guess??? lol

Looks like there's two basketballs in her! teehee hope there's twins.


----------



## luvmypets

Me too. We just want a healthy happy lamb.


----------



## Parsnip

(whispers in your ear)
any lambs yet?

MY LAMBIES ARE GROWING TOO FAST.
I want them to stay young forever. haha.
I MEAN LOOK AT THEM
Marty is already trying to impress the ladies with his lip curling skills 




And Irene is getting so big! Coming over for some chest scratches in the picture here




Only downside right now is that it's been so rainy and muddy, they aren't a pretty white color anymore! lol


----------



## alsea1

Marty is really nice color pattern


----------



## Parsnip

Haha, yes! I LOVE that he looks this way!
Hoping he'll make a nice ram for someone's flock.
He's quite the little man...


----------



## bonbean01

Your lambs are looking good Parsnip!!!!  My avatar ram lamb will be going to his new home tomorrow to be the flock sire...at least I still get to see him grow up and his babies next winter as he's only going across the road from us...but I'll miss him...he's gotten so BIG!!!!

luvmypets...I too was concerned with several of my ewes this year and wondered if I should be doing something...both had twins...think some of that breathing sound comes from babies being close to the lungs...and that apparent pushing and grunting can be them positioning their lambs for birth.  Hope it works out well and be prepared to see twins!!!  Hope she has healthy babies soon before you go bonkers...they like to see how crazy we can get waiting...LOLOLOLOL


----------



## luvmypets

Bon bean still no babies i mean she was like me after soccer practice... Pant pant pant. But unlike me she doesnt stop. Ugh im so tired omg waiting


----------



## Parsnip

luvmypets said:


> Bon bean still no babies i mean she was like me after soccer practice... Pant pant pant. But unlike me she doesnt stop. Ugh im so tired omg waiting



Are you in Highschool?
 MAN I wish my highschool had a soccer team!

~ I think panting is normal in the days leading up to lambing.


----------



## luvmypets

I hope the panting is a good sign.


----------



## luvmypets

Btw bonbean how long was it until your ewe lambed after panting started.


----------



## bonbean01

Not what you want to hear...but 2 weeks or a bit longer...panting, grunting, yawning, lip curling...did read they look like labour starting when they are positioning their lambs????  Could be any day luv, or another week or two????


----------



## luvmypets

Lol i know right


----------



## luvmypets

When she layed down the baby was kicking like crazy.


----------



## luvmypets

Panting is slower and not as common. She eats then pants then eats lol


----------



## purplequeenvt

My experience has been that, if you see baby kicking, they won't be born that day.


----------



## luvmypets

Ok i didnt think she would today... Everytime my dad sees her hes like oh shes in labor. Then theres me who is like if she was in labor we would know.


----------



## luvmypets

Heres her udder still kinda really small


----------



## luvmypets

But her belly is so sunken in ughhh


----------



## bonbean01

Hate to say this...but from the pics...you could still have a bit of wait for her to lamb...her udder is the size of my Dixie who is not due until the end of this month or beginning of May.  Hope I'm wrong...I know this is making you worry...and I'm no vet...this is just my opinion from the pics.

When Dolly's panting went away, I'm guessing the twin lambs in there moved and were no longer pushing on her lungs. 

Everything I've read has talked about ewes staring off in the distance, leaving the rest of sheep and going off feed...not one of mine has ever done that all these years...they didn't read the books


----------



## luvmypets

Lol i just want her to lamb sometime this year. And i want gelthy babies


----------



## bonbean01




----------



## bonbean01

oops...guess Dixie was not going to lamb in 3 to 4 weeks...she shocked me late last night with this little ewe born just before the storms hit!!!!  Disregard my last post Luv LOLOLOL


----------



## mysunwolf

bonbean, that is exactly the kind of thing I've been worried about as well 

Most sheep have most definitely not been told about the "signs of impending lambing."


----------



## luvmypets

That lamb looks like mammy...it could be any day


----------



## luvmypets

So dixie was like mammy omg this changes everything. Btw mammys back area was quite pink and swollen, and her belly is so sunken in.


----------



## Parsnip

bonbean, did Dixie's belly get big before she lambed?
Or was it pretty steadily a small belly?
HER LAMB IS ADORABLE, LOOK AT THAT SWEET FACE.
Heh heh, what a surprise! Her udder must have swelled right at he last minute!!!

I'm trying to determine whether Diana is gonna lamb sometime next month!!!
She really doesn't have an udder, AND her belly is not that big! 
I don't know if this is a way of telling or not, but right in front of her udder, her belly is _tight_, like real tight.
I compared to Pax's belly in the same area, and Pax's belly is kind of squishy in front of her udder.
C'MON DIANA GIVE ME BABIES.


----------



## Parsnip

luvmypets, your sheep's udder looks like one of my ewe's udders did about 2-3 weeks before she lambed!
Lol there's definitely a lamb in there though!


----------



## Baaashful

My ewe's always look fat so I wasn't sure they were pregnant.  I came home to a baby lamb!!  That answered that question (  :  
My concern now is this is the first baby for my ewe and the lamb doesn't seem to want to nurse yet.  Should I be concerned?


----------



## luvmypets

Yes the baby could starve


----------



## Baaashful

I finally got the Ewe's milk to flow and got the lamb to take to the teat.  His little tail was wagging a mile a minute.  What a beautiful sight!!!


----------



## Parsnip

GUH Hoping so much that there are lambs in there!
The more I look, the more it looks like there aren't.
But of course there's that glimmer of hope LOL


----------



## mysunwolf

Parsnip, who is that and how many ewes do you have left to lamb?


----------



## Parsnip

mysunwolf said:


> Parsnip, who is that and how many ewes do you have left to lamb?



I really don't have any ewes left to lamb, scheduled to lamb at least! Kind of a 'guess and go' right now.
Diana is the one in the picture. She was with a ram for 5 days back in Dec.
And then with a ram again for all of March. I want to say she was bred back in Dec. to the small Blackbelly ram.
But I don't know lol. It'd be her first lambing, and the sire is a small breed, so it's possible?
Then I have another ewe that was with a ram last month, right now she's "scheduled" to lamb in late August.

 They all find a way to drive me up the wall backwards.


----------



## bonbean01

Dixie did not look wide at all, not as wide as your pic Parsnip.  Her girl parts were puffy yesterday and pink, but not that angry red and swollen, so thought my guess on timing was right....WRONG!!!!  Her udder has been growing slowly for a few weeks now and then I did notice yesterday morning that it had swelled more and teats sticking out at right angles.  But she didn't look very big...and no sunk in look like baby had dropped at all.  Here's a pic I took of her the day before she lambed and she does not look big at all.


----------



## Parsnip

bonbean01 said:


> Dixie did not look wide at all, not as wide as your pic Parsnip.  Her girl parts were puffy yesterday and pink, but not that angry red and swollen, so thought my guess on timing was right....WRONG!!!!  Her udder has been growing slowly for a few weeks now and then I did notice yesterday morning that it had swelled more and teats sticking out at right angles.  But she didn't look very big...and no sunk in look like baby had dropped at all.  Here's a pic I took of her the day before she lambed and she does not look big at all.
> View attachment 2939



WHOA must have been a REAL surprise then!
Congrats on the cute ewe lamb though!
Diana has no udder still, but then again, she would be about a month and a week away from her estimated lambing date.


----------



## bonbean01

Yup...I was kind of in shock...taking the dogs out late in the dark for their night time potty...and hear a newborn lamb baaaaing ...then hear that mama ewe murmuring sound and then see four tiny legs under Dixie!!!  That baby looked so tiny, but I weighed her yesterday and she is 7 pounds...had thought she'd weigh much less!  I'm enjoying this last little baby lamb so much!!!!


----------



## Parsnip

AWWWWWW
Do you know if you're gonna end up selling or keeping her?


----------



## bonbean01

I'm keeping her!!!  Might not be smart from a practical approach...but works for me


----------



## AriesX

Congratulations!   

We've had 12 ewes lamb so far and several of them, we had no idea they would be coming so soon.  Others I thought for sure would lamb much earlier than they actually did.  They certainly don't take note of the books and behave the right way to let us know they are starting labor.


----------



## luvmypets

Mammy today. Poor girl is shedding and rubbing ip against everything


----------



## bonbean01

It can't be much longer...she's a good size and her udder looks ready...hoping she lambs before you go bonkers!!!  Last year I was positive many times that Jess was in labour...nope...turned out she was the very last to lamb and yes...I was bonkers...LOL


----------



## luvmypets

Everyone who is waiting for a baby is bonkers. Its natural XD


----------



## bonbean01

Yes, going bonkers is part of it!  Keep checking this thread for your ewe to lamb.

Parsnip...are we hijacking your lambing thread????  Hope you don't mind!


----------



## Parsnip

Haha, it doesn't bother me!!
I like hearing about all this other stuff! 
My lambs are all grown up! SO I LIKE SEEING LAMBIE PICS.
It's addicting to say the least.
Hahah, man... once you've had lambs.... I just want more 

One of my older lambs already went to a new home!
Samson is at a farm down south from me! Quite a ways, probably like 2 hours from my house.
The lady who bought him was really nice though. One of those "I'll send you pictures of him as he gets older, message me anytime" kind of people, which is fine.

THAT LEAVES ME WITH THREE LAMBS.
Although the other older one is leaving by the end of April, such a big girl already!!!


----------



## luvmypets

Lolol i dont think she minds ....gosh when this lamb/lambs are born, theyre will be a new holiday i swear.


----------



## Parsnip

We should make it a national holiday.
EVERYBODY GETS THE DAY OFF


----------



## luvmypets

Yes no school or work lol.


----------



## norseofcourse

I am really enjoying this lambing thread!  I am waiting on three to lamb - two ewes who are lambing for the second year, and one first-timer who I don't think is quite as far along.  Today is 148 days since I put the ram in with them, so I'm hoping it's soon.  I keep checking udders, ligaments and back ends, hoping I can figure out what signs might mean they're getting close.  I am still too new at this to be sure, and I'm excited and they're driving me crazy LOL!


----------



## Parsnip

Thanks!
It's kind of turned into a "multiple people's" lambing thread, but I'm okay with that haha.

IS THIS THE TINIEST OF AN UDDER STARTING TO FORM?
Or am I hallucinating.


----------



## luvmypets

Looks it


----------



## Parsnip

IF she is carrying, then she's about 5 weeks away from lambing.
Hope to see some udder development here in a few weeks!


----------



## norseofcourse

My first lamb of the year was born today woohoo!!!    I posted about it in my journal thread, with a pic.  Two to go!

Parsnip, yes that looks like udder development!!


----------



## luvmypets

Lucky u. Still waiting on outs


----------



## Parsnip

Here's some pics today!
It's so sunny and beautiful outside, it's AWESOME


----------



## luvmypets

Getting a pic of her udder


----------



## luvmypets

Ok it grew alot


----------



## luvmypets

Anyone?


----------



## mysunwolf

Still looks tiny to me


----------



## luvmypets

Yes but its starting to turn on a right angle, AND bonbeans ewe was smaller and had a smaller udder and gave birth. Its her first lambing and her vulva is very pink and swollen so we'll see


----------



## bonbean01

Very true Luvmypets...that is how Dixie's udder looked...and not big at all side to side...and her girlie parts were pink but not an angry red...and she shocked me with her new lambie!!!!  Keep an eye on her, she could do a Dixie surprise to you!!!! 

Only thing I saw that might mean birthing soon was the teats at right angles...wishing you a healthy lambie soon!!!!


----------



## luvmypets

Shes still panting but not as rapid


----------



## luvmypets

By the one thing u saw did u mean on the picture or youre sheep lol


----------



## bonbean01

One thing I saw was teats on my Dixie at right angles...same as the pics of the udder on your ewe.  They will make us all crazy...LOL...Dix's lambing was a complete surprise coming that early!!!


----------



## bonbean01

One thing I saw was teats on my Dixie at right angles...same as the pics of the udder on your ewe.  They will make us all crazy...LOL...Dix's lambing was a complete surprise coming that early!!!


----------



## luvmypets

Coolz i want a lamb so bad


----------



## Parsnip

luv, I think MaryEllen's udder was about that size the week up to her lambing.
It honestly didn't get much bigger? It could fit in my hand and that was about it!
NOW it's huge really, so much bigger than her dam's udder!
MaryEllen has really good milk production I think, her lambs are still nursing frequently, and growing fast!
YIPPIE

~


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## Parsnip

How's everyone doing?


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## luvmypets

No lamb still


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## Parsnip

Either I'm completely wrong and going crazy, OR I felt a lamb kick around in Diana?
It was on the right side, on her flank area, where it's kind of "hollow" looking.
Felt like something rolled around in there?
Might have been regular digestion too!
BUT UGH. Felt different from the fizzy gurgling of a rumen.

Or not.
bluh

No udder development.
There was some clear goop on her vulva the other day, and a tiny piece of straw was stuck to it.
But it was not a glob or anything, just a teeny tiny bit.

GOIN' CRAZY OVER HERE
She'd have 24-27 days-ish left if she is pregnant.


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## luvmypets

Isnt it fun not knowing when theyre due.....lol hope she lambs soon for u. Mammy still has us waiting.


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## alsea1

LOL


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## Parsnip

I'm so crazy right now.


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## alsea1

Only thing to do is relax. Lamb will come when it comes.


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## Parsnip

Noticed a difference in her vulva today?
It's more deflated looking and was sticky.... 

Meh.....


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## Parsnip

My 3 month old ewe lamb attempted to nurse off of Diana today!
She was quick and I think bit down a little too hard on poor Diana's teat 

I took a look at Diana's udder after the incident and noticed some white-ish liquid coming from her ravaged teat.
Like it dripped a little.
Possible milk starting? Ouch though, poor Diana! 

Diana honestly has no udder on her right now.
But like I said, if she's pregnant, she'll be due around the second week of May


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## bonbean01

My guess would be ...YES...she is pregnant...and yes...they do make us crazy for sure


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## Parsnip

Had to shoo one of the lambs away from Diana today because they were really hunting for her udder.
I think one of Diana's wax plugs in her teat is gone now, because of the lambs trying to nurse.

I'll keep an eye out on her!


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## Parsnip

DIANA IS FINALLY GETTING AN UDDER.
It's a little fleshy bulb of an udder and not big at all, but you can tell it's filling out 
So excited for May babies!!


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## luvmypets

Yay lol now you know how we felt with mans, but its always worth the wait, Lily is just so precious. Go Diana.


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## luvmypets

Yay lol now you know how we felt with mans, but its always worth the wait, Lily is just so precious. Go Diana.


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## Parsnip

I've been through this crazy-ness before!
With my other ewes.


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## luvmypets

But like you said when they're here it's worth all the crazyness. I saw you getting a goat I really liked the two you picked out.


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## Parsnip

It sure is worth it!
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE RIGHT? 

And thank you!
I plan to milk and then freeze the milk just in case of a bottle baby, or if there is suddenly something wrong with a ewe(God forbid)
But yes, just thinking ahead. I'll have a few yearling ewes I'm going to have bred this Spring.
Always good to have back-up just in case there's something that happens!!!

Plus I love goats, they are honestly like dogs heehee. So fun.


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## luvmypets

Before lily was born we went to tsc and got colostrum supplement just in case. But Mammy is a wonderful mom and Lily is nursing fine.


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## Parsnip

I'm glad Lily is doing good!


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## Parsnip

HERE'S THE LOVELY LADY.
She has not changed much haha, only thing is that the lambs keep trying to nurse off of her and she drips milk occasionally from her flat udder. whup... Her belly is fairly round and tight, but not big.
She's got a squishy tail a few inches u.

Here's some lady bit pictures of her from today.








Also, LOOK AT HOW BIG JILLIAN IS.
She just had her 3 month birthday!  I'll have to get her weight this weekend.



If she was a bit bigger, she'd seriously almost be the size of MaryEllen. MaryEllen is just a small ewe :/
I'm actually considering possibly keeping Diana, because she's the biggest ewe I have, and has an excellent solid build. My dad said I have to sell one of my ewes, so I'm juggling Diana or MaryEllen in my head right now... I'll see how Diana does with a lamb first lol


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## alsea1

Dang. Jillian is a moose. LOL
You can't see much for the Black Belly in her breeding.


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## Parsnip

Haha, isn't she though?

~ She definitely holds her head like your sheep do, all proud and majestic-like.
She's also go the nice long legs, like your sheep 
But yeah, she's a big girl 
Now that her twin/competition is outta here, she gets all the milk to herself lol.

I'm also happy to see that Wendy is shedding out ALL OVER.
I think she'll be all slick this summer. All her back/shoulder wool already shed a few weeks ago, and it hadn't last year. SO YAY She'll look lovely.
She's real dark too, I either didn't notice, or forgot!!

The weird thing is though, that sometimes I catch Jillian eating Wendy's hair that she's shed out? 



Guurrrrl what are you doing?
Seriously though, she's done it for as long as I can remember, Samson did it too when he was here.


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## BrownSheep

I have a ewe that will eat feathers or wool if the other sheep/chickens stand still long enough. 
She destroyed one of my turkeys tails one year.


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## Parsnip

BrownSheep said:


> I have a ewe that will eat feathers or wool if the other sheep/chickens stand still long enough.
> She destroyed one of my turkeys tails one year.



... My GOSH they'll eat anything!!!

All my ewes were upset by something today, maybe they were just reconstructing their hierarchy?
They were all backing up and clashing craniums, as well as a plethora of mounting. Especially Diana. She usually only mounts when she's in heat....
 Please be pregnant and not in heat Diana!!!


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## alsea1

Might be Wendy and Mary Ellen that are cycling


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## Parsnip

alsea1 said:


> Might be Wendy and Mary Ellen that are cycling



That's kind of what I was thinking!
They both need to plump up a bit more before they're going to go with a ram again though.


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## Parsnip

This is Diana from yesterday before it started raining ...  (DARN RAIN)
From the time she was with the ram back in December, her earliest lambing date would be this Saturday on the 10th. But seeing as how there are no changes in her I doubt Saturday will be the day.
Unless she decides to drop a bag tomorrow evening.
~~~I meddle with her so much she totally lets me trim her hooves while she's laying down LOL
She doesn't care in the least. Less stress on the both of us! heehee

Not much change in her lady parts either though :/
Still producing the clear/white liquid from her teats...




(please excuse all the pics of sheep parts in this thread)


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## alsea1

I'm gonna guess its still a ways off.
That's great that she is so calm about hoof trimming.
As for the rain. I am double sick of it. I don't care how much we need it.


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## Parsnip

Me too.
I'm thinking maybe this time next month.
Or at least the very end of this month. That would put like... 160-165 days of gestation. Is that okay or normal???
I keep on double thinking "she's not pregnant" but why else would she be producing 'milk'?
YES I KNOW RIGHT?
She is such a flighty easily stressed sheep -_- Even catching her to trim her hooves would probably throw her off her rocker. 

~~~ I am DONE with the rain too.
I mean, we had like 2 or 3 NICE days in a row. And my dad and I moved stock panels and the sheep were out for the whole day.
Now the field is all marshy again it's _*warm weather*_
It's just a gross combo.


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## BrownSheep

Idaho is loving your rainy cast offs


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## Parsnip

Still nothing with Diana.
She's definitely still lactating, but has no udder yet.

C'MON DIANA


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## bonbean01




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## Parsnip

DON'T GET YERRR HOPES UP
Don't think she'll lamb soon.

Although she was starting a bunch of trouble with the other ewes though.
AND when I was sitting down with the lambs, she came over, jumped on me and nailed me in the head with her front hoof. She hit me pretty hard ugh.
She's just being a pill today.

I think if she lambs she'll get an udder afterwords.
Or BAM she'll bag up over night.


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## alsea1

Good thing she didn't get you in the face with that foot.


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## Parsnip

Haha,

Changing the subject here, I went to see a little ram lamb that I'll be getting in August.
He's a month old right now.



SUPER CUTE and well built for a young'un. I plan to keep him up in the field behind our house away from the ewes.
We also got electric netting for him. Should keep him in check. Maybe.


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## norseofcourse

Cute ram lamb!

Diana's hind end picture looks like she's further along than Brosa - I hope both of them lamb soon!


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## alsea1

He is cute.  Will you get a weather to keep him company?


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## Parsnip

He is a cutie!
His name is Optimus (like from the Transformers movies and stuff?) LOL
He's gonna be a big guy, and I'll be getting him young so maybe he won't be as much of a terror.

I'll be getting him in July the same time I have a ram leased to me, so he'll have a dominant older buddy for at least a month. But then, yes he will have a wether buddy. I have a bit of time yet before I have to get a wether though.
I hope to keep this ram for a few years, he's a good looking ram lamb.

He's roughly 75% Katahdin, 25% Dorper.


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## Parsnip

This is Diana from yesterday, chewing her cud in the sun 




Here's her bits. To me they look a little more red, and a little "loose" but other than that nothing lol
She's had no discharge that I've seen as of yet.


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## bonbean01

Congrats on your new ram!!!!  And Diana????  Well...some of them just like to surprise us...LOLOLOL...Dixie never did look big side to side...no discharge...but did have growing udder.  Her baby Belle is growing so quickly...from being able to walk under Dixie to tonight...saw she now has to go on her knees to nurse...my last baby is growing so fast!


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## Parsnip

Might just be me, but I think Diana's lady parts were a bit _more_ reddish this morning when I checked on her.
I'll take a picture later for reference.

AND YAY YOU SHOULD POST PICS OF THE LITTLE DARLING 
I bet she's as cute as can be!


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## bonbean01

Back to eating popcorn here...Diana best lamb before I gain a ton of weight


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## Parsnip

Gave her a botched haircut yesterday 
I think because of the Dorper in her, she has a thick coat that doesn't shed very well, so I cut some of it off to keep her cool in the hot days. PLUS I can see things better, like her belly and how big it is?








Here's some pics of her small "pouch" of an udder and her lady parts.


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## Parsnip

Okay seriously her vulva was bright pink this morning.




Waiting..... waiting.....


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## norseofcourse




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## bonbean01

Sorry to say this...but her udder looks like she may keeping you waiting a little longer?  Although some don't come into milk until they are in labour...she is truly going to make you crazy...LOLOLOL...Dolly did this to me this year...yup...I am now totally nuts


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## Parsnip

Oh gosh yeah, she has NO udder.
It's like I want to just stop and stop looking at her every day but I CAN'T STOP lol

Like I've said before she might not even be bred to lamb in May.
She might have been bred back in March for August lambing.

WHO KNOWS?


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## Parsnip

Just found out that Diana's Sire is from the Swan St. Croix line.
WHOOP WHOOP 

Also just realized that her dam is recorded with the KHSI.
So dang I struck gold buying her for $100 Haha


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## SheepGirl

She doesn't look bred to me.


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## Parsnip

haha, that's what I was thinking yesterday!
I was thinking if she was going to show any signs of pregnancy, she'd have done it by now.


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## goatboy1973

Parsnip said:


> Thanks!
> It's kind of turned into a "multiple people's" lambing thread, but I'm okay with that haha.
> 
> IS THIS THE TINIEST OF AN UDDER STARTING TO FORM?
> Or am I hallucinating.


Looks like a starter kit to me. LOL!!! You may be welcoming some new lambs into the world in the near future. Congrats!


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## Parsnip

Haha there is still a thread of hope that she's pregnant! She was with a ram all of March so next month would be the time!!!

I plan to get my breeding rams soon so I can get started on the matchmaking for this year ;
The white Dorper, Duke will go with Wendy, Pax and Diana late this month for late Dec. early Jan lambs.
I'll be getting the ram lamb at the same time, but I doubt if he'll have the guts to challenge Duke and get away with things yet.

Duke will be returned in August, and Optimus will then be put with Jillian in September, and probably MaryEllen as well. Then in October he'll go with Irene and RainDrop!



--- This is Optimus last month at a little over 2 months!
Can't wait to see what he looks like now!
White ram lamb with a fawn colored tail.
He is literally the biggest lamb out the 2014 lamb crop my neighbor had this year. SO EXCITED.
He's a gentle guy too. You can walk up to him when he's laying down and the most he'll do is glance at you and then take a snooze. His sire is a very good tempered ram as well.


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## alsea1

That is one nice ram lamb. You should have some good lambs out of him for sure


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## Parsnip

Gosh I hope so!
He has a decent hair coat too!


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## Parsnip

Got the boys today, that ram lamb was bigger than I thought!
He's HUGE, almost as big as his grandsire.


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## Parsnip

Duke and Optimus were put with Wendy, Diana and Pax this morning.
MaryEllen, and the lambs were supposed to go in a separate pen for now but Wendy's 6 month old ewe lamb decided to escape through the hotwire to get to Mama Wendy.

Then because Optimus was getting trampled by not only Duke, but Pax and Wendy as well, he squipped underneath the fence and joined MaryEllen, RainDrop and Irene, where he is being completely ignored. Better than getting beat up I suppose?

I will have to secure the pen and fences so there's no more escapes!

Duke is such a gentle older ram! I'm so happy he's here. He is small but incredibly wide and stocky.
_forgot how much rams smell. seriously Duke smells so much bleh._


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## alsea1




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## Parsnip

I might be hallucinating, but I think I actually see real udder development on Diana.
Her due date from her time with Buttercup would be around August 20th, give or take a few days.














JUST SAYING IT LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN THIS --


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## alsea1

LOL, least its nice and warm for baby or babies


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## Parsnip

Yes! It's super nice outside right now 
Nice in the sun and cool in the shade.

Though my ram lamb just ran off into the forest :/
I can hear him but can't see him.

GOOD LORD
I swear he must wanna die or something! 
Time to gear up and go for a hike in the forest!


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## Parsnip

AH FOUND HIM HE'S BACK

that little stinker...


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## Ruus

Ram lambs exist to make shepherds go gray prematurely.


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## Parsnip

I'm only 19 omg
I don't need gray hair just yet LOL
I'll probably wake up tomorrow with NO hair at all and then I'll find it on my pillow and it will be gray.

And now Mr. Ram Lamb is sleeping peacefully and looking so cute outside in the sun.

_but I know... _


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## Parsnip

OH BOY Optimus has tapes bleh
So much stress for the poor guy no wonder heh

Now to catch and worm him.
Ready for a rodeo?


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## Parsnip

Heh I think I need to put a bell on Optimus so I know where he is at all times.

Starting to think that Pax might be getting interested in Duke
She keeps laying down next to him and sniffing his manly bits


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## Parsnip

And now I'm back full circle to watching and snapping pics of Diana's udder and lady parts 










I also got a nice picture of Duke this morning


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## Goat Whisperer

Duke is a handsome guy!!!


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## Parsnip

isn't he though?    

He has massive neck muscles... among other things.
He's also got a cauliflower ear. Or that's what I'm calling it haha! Lot's of fighting in his days I expect!


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## alsea1

Your herd is growing by leaps and bounds. LOL


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## Parsnip

I feel like I should know this, but Wendy has thick white discharge from her vulva?
Not expected from Wendy.
She was with a ram on the 11th of March when the ram escaped... if so she'd be due this week?
Jeeeeez.
I hope that's not the case because I had plans with her to be bred to the Dorper ram!
UGH WENDY.

Lamb from her and Buttercup would be 43.75% Katahdin, 37.5% Blackbelly and 18.75% Dorper.
Hope she's in heat though....

Either she's pregnant or in heat?
I can't tell with her udder because it has not really shrunken?



Would a picture help??


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## Parsnip

Sorry for the sudden possibly graphic pics?
What do y'all thing? Should I reschedule this week to prepare for lambs?
Hoping it's a false alarm and she's just in heat heheh


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## Parsnip

Was rolling around on the ground with her tail up and curling her lip 
Maybe I'll check her tonight just to be safe


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## alsea1

I would say you may have lambs.
Soon even


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## Parsnip

alsea1 said:


> I would say you may have lambs.
> Soon even




That's kind of what I'm beginning to think.
I calculated her due date and day 145 is on this Tuesday, so I suppose any day this week is game.
She's still goopy and keeps kicking her belly then laying down abruptly.

If she has lambs it'll be interesting to see what they look like 
Lambs out of a black and white ram and a brown/white ewe


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## alsea1

I'm excited to see what she produces.
And Zip has finally stepped up the the plate.  He is hounding the girls mercilessly.


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## mysunwolf

I'm so excited for the progress. Parsnip, your sheep are beautiful, so can't wait to see Wendy's lamb(s)!


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## Parsnip

I don't even really know with Wendy 
If she has a lamb, cool.
If she doesn't have a lamb, also cool, then I can have her bred to Duke.

I did find myself doing a 5:30am check though haha, everything is fine though.
Wendy is acting normal this morning.


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## Parsnip

alsea1 said:


> I'm excited to see what she produces.
> And Zip has finally stepped up the the plate.  He is hounding the girls mercilessly.



WHOOP WHOOP
That's awesome! Way to go Zip


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## Parsnip

Wendy was def. just in heat I saw her stand for Duke today lol.
MARKED THAT ON THE CALENDAR.


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## alsea1

LOL. She sure looked like she was due any moment.  Keep us guessing


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## Parsnip

alsea1 said:


> LOL. She sure looked like she was due any moment.  Keep us guessing



Gosh yes lol
Acting like it too heheheh
Wendy and Duke are still doing their thing this morning.

Everyone busted out when there was thunder and MaryEllen ran off I'm sure... can't find her, and I don't hear her up in the forest.... hoping she'll come back!!!


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## SheepGirl

I think you should get yourself a marking harness


----------



## alsea1

Oh no about Mary Ellen.  She should find her way back....after she pigs out some.


----------



## Parsnip

Verdict is she got dragged away by a cougar during the panic last night due to the storm.
She is literally no where on the property and she hasn't come back.

Pa walked a bit off the property and saw a bunch of drag marks and big cougar footprints, he said he followed as far as the river.

I am really upset good lord, she was my first ewe.
I don't even know... ugh


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## Goat Whisperer

Oh no! I'm so sorry Parsnip.


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## Parsnip

It's alright.
I think it must have been a quick catch because there were definitely no signs of a struggle at all.
No hair and not a ton of blood or droppings, just the drag marks?
I'm just glad MaryEllen wasn't expecting lambs at all!!

Pa called one of the state trackers to come out with his hounds and try to catch the cougar. I assume MaryEllen will feed him/her for a day or two so I guess the carcass won't be moved from the spot it was set in. Early tomorrow morning they will be here at the crack of dawn.
MaryEllen was dragged a long way though, so it may be a mother cougar dragging the kill closer to the den? Who knows. Either way it will be taken care of hopefully.


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## Parsnip

THEY GOT THE COUGAR

He was a big male about 130lbs which is HUGE for a cougar. HUGE
They also found MaryEllen a few miles away, which I didn't think they'd drag prey that far but oh well.
Impressive.


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## alsea1

Oh no.  Not Mary Ellen aka Chocolate.  
I wonder if it was the cat that freaked them out more than the storm.  They may have smelled it.
I'm glad they got him.


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## Parsnip

Yeah, poor MaryE...
She was so sweet and I've literally only had her for a year haha

Glad no one else was taken!


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## norseofcourse

Oh wow!  I'm so sorry you lost Mary Ellen.  Glad they got the cougar.


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## JakeM

Oh gosh. So sorry about that cougar. I've never experienced one (and hopefully never will), but I have had random animals go missing.

I actually just finished up this whole thread after starting it a few days ago.


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