# Healthy "Shape"



## bubba1358 (May 28, 2013)

New to Katahdins and sheep in general. Have three 1.5-month-olds. They have been weaned from bottle feeding while on pasture, and rotated within electric netting 3 times onto fresh pasture (hasn't been grazed in over two months).

This weekend, they started looking like footballs with legs. They're poofy around the middle. Just checking that this is normal. Thanks.

(No, I forgot to take a picture)


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## SheepGirl (May 28, 2013)

Based on your description without pictures, it will be hard to determine if they are potbellied (wormy) or just have full rumens (from eating a lot of grass).


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## bcnewe2 (May 28, 2013)

I would say pot bellied from grass since they haven't been weaned for that long so they are now eating lots of grass.  Have they ever been wormed?  That will cause pot bellies too but not over night like grass can.  
My sheep come in full and looking stuffed in the evening then back to  normal in the am. Then they're out and do it again


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## bubba1358 (May 29, 2013)

Here they are. In the first one, he's on the right:












It does seem to come and go - the football shape is not constant. Probably just a full rumen.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 29, 2013)

*I don't know much about sheep, but my young male Nubians that were recently weaned will get to lookin' like that if they eat their alfalfa too fast. 

I would watch for signs of uncomfortableness, lethargy, etc. if they are acting fine it's probably just a full belly. *


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