# How close to lambing is my dorper ewe?



## AimeeDx

Hi everyone.
We brought 3 dorper ewes, 2 are 12 months old and 1 is around 3 and a half months old.
The two older ones were purchased as probably pregnant. We have had the little over one month, and in the past 2 weeks, her belly has appeared to hang lower (drop?) and her udder is starting to bag up nicely.
How long do you guys think it will be until she gives birth?


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## Mike CHS

Hopefully more experienced folks will happen along because I'm a bad guesser.  

We have some that bagged up over a month before lambing and a couple that had no bag at all the day before they lambed.

Pretty sheep though.


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## Baymule

It can be hard to tell. This ewe rivaled a dairy goat for an udder for a MONTH.....drove me crazy. I took this the day before she lambed, but seriously, she looked like she was squeezing a volley ball for weeks and weeks before she finally popped out twins!


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## AimeeDx

Thanks for your replies!
I always heard that it just depends on the ewe, some sheep down the road had a little bit smaller udder than her right before they lambed, so I check twice a day for a lamb just in case!
Thanks Mike, These are my first sheep, so i'm probably a worse guesser than you! 
Such a big udder there BayMule! I would think that was a goat too!


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## Latestarter

Now remember, when she has her lamb(s), we're gonna need pictures!


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## luvmypets

I would say a few more weeks at least. But as others mentioned they can wait to bag up right at lambing or even afterwards. However from my experience which is limited I would say she has at least two weeks yet  I used to have a dorper ewe and seeing your girls brings back so many memories, I wish you the best of luck!


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## AimeeDx

Today Woolimina, (the ewe) gave birth to a single girl.
She had a very easy birth, it only took around 45 minutes.
The little baby has drunk lots, and is already bouncing around!
We called her Bailey (its a pun name, as in Baa-iley) 
I just have a question, Woolimina keeps on pawing the ground where it is slanted, as if to make it flat, then calls Bailey over, and lays on it, but sometimes just keeps walking. Is this actually making the ground flat for her baby, or is she in pain?
Thanks, Aimee.
As Requested, here's some photos of the little one:


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## AimeeDx

Oh, just realised some of the pictures came out twice, sorry!


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## Baymule

That's ok, we like seeing them twice! My ewes paw out a spot for their lambs to lie in. But this one had other ideas....


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## Eteda

if she hasn't passed the after birth yet I would think that is the reason she is pawing. if she has passed it then maybe she will have another lamb. the uterus continues to contract after lambing in order to expel the afterbirth. the sucking /nursing of the lamb causes a hormone in the body to be produced which induces uterine contractions to expel the afterbirth. expelling the afterbirth is actually stage three of labor. the birth of the offspring is stage two. passing the afterbirth can take up to 4 hours. vitamin E helps the body utilize selenium, selenium helps the uterus clean out the afterbirth.


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## Eteda

jojo an dorper. the lambs have dropped as her right side appears flatter than the left.



Iema or jema jude,  st croix.  You can clearly see the urine stain on this ewes bag. It happens a lot with big baggers in the latter weeks of gestation. Its kinda a trademark of certain ewes i have. You can also see how pooched out she is in the back. however she hasn't dropped yet. the babies are still well up on her sides. Babies are on the right and rumen is on the left so to speak. I have had a ewe or two also that didnt milk up until two hours before delivery. and I've had one thats milk didn't come in until three days after. her mother was due also and fed the lamb for three days after which her daughter promptly took over.


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