# Dale HWA's 2019 Lambing



## Dale HWA (Feb 22, 2019)

So we've had 1 ram lamb already, waiting on 2 more ewes to lamb any day (i think) i didn't have a marker but they are big and slow moving girls now.

Went out tongiht to take a look at Anna, and she was slightly grunting, her udder is developing a little but is definately not big (first birth for her) The small grunts are not common for her is she in labour?!?!?

Here is Anna at Christmas event we had this past year!



 

Thanks! (and heres to hoping!!!)


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## BlessedWithGoats (Feb 22, 2019)

Anna's pretty!

@Sheepshape @Baymule


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## Sheepshape (Feb 22, 2019)

Pretty little Suffolk! (no doubt much bigger now)

Can you take a pic. of the udder /lady parts? Udder development is very variable and some only seem to get much of an udder when they start to labour, whilst others waddle around with a 'cow udder' for weeks. First timers tend to have smaller and later-developing udders.

Grunting may indicate she is getting 'Braxton-Hicks' (practice)contractions, but any discomfort may cause grunting.

Other signs of impending labour include swollen vulva or vaginal discharge and 'dropping' where she will develop concavity either side of the base of the tail as the lamb(s) enter the pelvis.

She may go off her food.

When labour starts for real, she will try to find a quiet spot and will 'paw' the ground....scratching the ground with her front hooves, probably restless and turning round, looking at her rear and  maybe making little bleating sounds.

Good Luck.


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## Dale HWA (Feb 23, 2019)

@Sheepshape she's actually a Dorper and on the smaller side. She has grown some since then but she still s a little 'runty'

Thanks for the info. I've read up a lot on lambing but it's just that much more reassuring when someone actually tells you what to expect.

Thanks!!!


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## Sheepshape (Feb 23, 2019)

Dale HWA said:


> she's actually a Dorper and on the smaller side


 We don't have Dorpers over here, but lots of Suffolks (and my vision is notoriously poor!). The lambing advice holds good whatever the breed, though.

Good Luck.


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## Baymule (Feb 23, 2019)

She will probably just surprise you. Most of mine do. I used to check them 10:30 at night, back out there at 5AM, but they always chose a time when I wasn’t around. Relax, Lammy Grampy. It will be ok. LOL


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## Dale HWA (Feb 26, 2019)

Well, Still no more lambs yet, Im nervous as Our family is away this weekend, so i spent my saturday building 2 lambing jugs in our "barn" for the 2 pregnant ewes we still have (Anna and Eva) 

my kids are hoping for Rams, which means they get paid a bit of the proceeds, but My Wife an I are hoping for Ewes so we can grow the flock... My break even number i believe is about 7 ewes... so im hoping to achieve that within 2 years, im at 4 already, but mother nature has a way of playing games haha.

It has snowed here quite a bit last week, its starting to melt a bit but not fast enough. I'll have to buy more Hay as this year I didnt estimate correctly... should have bought 12 bales per head, instead of 10... oh well, i found some local hay that i'll go pick up and get me through the rest of the winter til the grass is growing enough.

Eva is on the left and is HUGE compared to Anna(2nd picture) other two are Caesar, the proud father, and Elsa (about 7mo old)


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## Sheepshape (Feb 26, 2019)

Oh....I tend to get a different type of huge...


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## Dale HWA (Feb 26, 2019)

Sheepshape said:


> Oh....I tend to get a different type of huge...



WOW she is wider than she is tall!!! These are also their first lambs, so there may be only 1 lamb in each.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 27, 2019)

The 'wide ' ewe above had 3 good-sized triplets and was an 'old timer'. Produced 26 lambs in her long and fertile life.

First timers can surprise you by hiding two or three in a fairly small-looking belly. Ours are scanned, so the guess-work is largely taken away. The old girl above was retired, but a neighbour's ram must have paid her a visit. We found her and 2 others (lambs) looking like thy had eaten too many doughnuts in our 'dry ewe' field. We realised in time to supplement them and join them to the lambing group.


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## Baymule (Feb 27, 2019)

Lambing is always so exciting. I learn something every time.


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## Dale HWA (Mar 24, 2019)

OOOOKAY!!!! so we had a very slow month... what i thought was the beginning of lambing, was, well... not.  we went away at the beginning of march and before that i was checking the sheep every evening after dark for labour... but nothing. we went away, came back to no lambs... so I have been keeping an eye on udder development, and really no new size changes...

UNTIL!!!!! wednesday last week we had MAJOR changes in Eva. she was so wide i was expecting twins from her. Her udder got BIG FAST!!! and stiff too (milk was coming in) so friday morning i go out and give the sheep some grain, Eva's "lady bits" were super swollen and would jiggle when she ran (hehehe). She really doesnt like to be touched but i managed to grab her and tried to feel for a baby (but couldn't) so off to work  I went. ( I work service and manage my own schedule, allows me to have flexible hours) 

I left home at 8am, then at 11am my wife messages me and says that EVA has had her LAMB!!!!  we are SO thrilled to have a little ewe lamb  to add to our flock!!!

Her name is Zelda ( my son named her...I


 know right?!?)


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## Sheepshape (Mar 24, 2019)

Zelda gets her good looks from mum.

Congratulations to you all.


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## Devonviolet (Mar 24, 2019)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!   

I remember our first kid goat!  It was SO exciting!  Well, each one (or two) is exciting.  But, the first is the one you will always remember. 

We are currently waiting on April, to kid.  She came to us from Joe’s (Latestarter’s) herd.  According to his kidding calendar, she was due last Tuesday.  She seems to be laying around a lot. On Tues. I checked ligaments, lady parts and udder and no signs of labor at all, although we could see babies moving around on her right side.  Wed. And Thursday, more of the same, although I did see some tail flagging. Friday, her ligaments (back by her tail) were partially gone. It is now Sunday (and still dark out), and unless she kidded overnight, still no kid(s). This is her 3rd freshening, and she usually kids twins, so that is what I am hoping for.


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## Baymule (Mar 24, 2019)

Awww.....Zelda is a cutie. I hope she grows off well for you. Haha, our 4 year old grand daughter named one of our lambs Pickle.


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