# Counting Lambs



## Sheepshape (Feb 1, 2018)

6 weeks to go before lambing is due to start.

I thought I'd take a weekly picture so that you can see the changes(with apologies for their muddy condition.....it's rained/snowed almost every day for the last couple of months)




2nd from the left is LLeila....she's my avatar as a lamb (weighed under a pound)...now a hogget and expecting one lamb. In the foreground is Minnie....expecting twins and already with a low slung (and very muddy) belly. Behind her is Bluebell expecting a singleton and the next and to the right is Emily. expecting twins and then Winnie who is expecting triplets.

Their silage feeders are on hard standing to give them a bit of relief from the mud.

They're just starting to 'expand'...


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2018)

I am so glad that you started this thread. I always enjoy your postings and I know this one will be packed with pictures and information, plus your very own personality. Best of the best wishes for a great lambing!


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## Latestarter (Feb 1, 2018)

I think anyone who has barn yard creatures is all to familiar with MUD! Can't seem to avoid it.  Thanks for the pics and the thread!  Like Bay, looking forward to following!


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## Annwise27 (Feb 1, 2018)

We had to move ours to another field because their main one became a mud pit too. I sunk to my knees moving them


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## Sheepshape (Feb 9, 2018)

So, 5 weeks to go now. Not really a great ideal of change in their girth evident in pics., but noticeable to the eye. 

We've had more dire weather with freezing temperatures, sleet and snow. The dreaded mud hardened and became a dangerous walkway of sharp frozen peaks and troughs, injuring the girls' legs. They're staying behind the sheep shed at the moment, but are stripping the bark from my saplings.... 

5 of them are being kept indoors have they have leg injuries which means that they weren't getting to the food. I don't want any twin lamb disease due to inability to eat, so they are 'living the life of luxury' and not having to jostle to get to the feeders.

The remaining ewes outside are getting through lots of silage and will start on 'ewe nuts' a week from today.


Hoping the weather is a little kinder soon.


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## animalmom (Feb 9, 2018)

All your woolies are beautiful, especially that tall girl in the middle of the picture... the one with the white face a huge ears.  She's striking!


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## Baymule (Feb 9, 2018)

on mud!   on frozen mud!!


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## Sheepshape (Feb 10, 2018)

animalmom said:


> the one with the white face a huge ears. She's striking!


 That's Marilyn (Monroe, no Manson). She was the bottle lamb from a triplet birth 2 years ago and is a Blue Faced Leicester with the best fleece I've ever seen for her breed (lovely ringlets all over). She's super-friendly and loves cuddles. She is expecting a singleton BFL for the first time this year with the father being  our friendly BFL ram lamb, Bill.

The girls who have come over to have their picture taken have done so because they're hoping I have treats for them.

The girl on the left with her bum towards us and her head through the gate is Winnie, Beulah Speckled Face,expecting triplets, who already has a belly which is very low slung. The father to her lambs is the tup we borrowed from our neighbour who kept coming back after he went back to the neighbour, so her lambs should be good jumpers. I affectionately named him Jumping Jack Flash because of his athletic prowess and his ability to impregnate all but one of the ewes who were in with him. She looks as though she will be enormous, having a history of always having big lambs and being an excellent mum.

The girl in the middle with the brown markings on her face is Cerys. She's a mule (cross between a Beulah with the black face and a Blue Faced Leicester) She was a bottle lamb and is expecting a singleton for the first time by Jumping Jack Flash.

To Cerys' left is Lilli who was inadvertently sold by OH (and later retrieved in a swop). She's an ex bottle lamb and expecting twins by JJF.

Phyllis is the old girl at the front (in front of Cerys). She is one half of twins whose mum died when they were  just under 3 weeks' old. They were very difficult to get any milk into and essentially survived (and eventually thrived) on adult food.She and her sister (Gwladys, not in the pic.) have gone on to faithfully produce twins every year for the last 6 years.

So...I could go on naming and telling their life histories, but it would become boring after a while...some don't have quite the same 'colourful past' and were just normal ewe lambs. However, knowing their history and seeing them all as individuals is the way I operate (not always easy if something goes wrong).



Baymule said:


> on mud!  on frozen mud!!


 Oh, Bay,,,,that's only 'minor mud'...concrete underneath. The 'major mud' which I've taken them off is about a foot deep.


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## animalmom (Feb 10, 2018)

Just lovely!  Waiting with rapt attention for the wee lambs.

Marilyn is very striking.  It is a very good thing we are on opposite sides of "the pond!"


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## Sheepshape (Feb 11, 2018)

animalmom said:


> Marilyn is very striking.


 She's a stunner. To be honest, Blue Faced Leicesters often come up in pics. of 'ugly sheep' due to the 'Roman nose'...they have a prominent bump and. as a consequence a deep bleat...but they tend to have the friendliest natures. They are also huge, greedy and have a thin, soft, lustrous fleece meaning they can't cope with cold and wet.Their lambs have really long legs. Here's a few of their lambs from last year


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## Baymule (Feb 12, 2018)

Adorable lambs!


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## Sheepshape (Feb 15, 2018)

So, 4 weeks to go for my lambing to start




 



There doesn't look much difference. BUT...the weather has been ghastly....snow/sleet, driving rain and high winds and it is taking its toll on my girls. They have started on ewe nuts, but several are so thin I think that if i don't do something drastic I'll be heading for Twin Lamb Disease BIG TIME. So, before it is too late....here are some of the girls not in the picture.



 




 

Oh, and we're on 'lockdown' for chickens as a few cases of bird 'flu have been found (none locally)....so the other end of the shed is Chicken Town



 

So, problems already, but bringing the thinnest girls in order to keep them out of the horrid weather and feed them up before lambing should mitigate against Twin Lamb.... I hope....


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## Dani4Hedgies (Feb 15, 2018)

Keeping fingers crossed that everyone gets and stays healthy for you and lambing pretty little babies with no problems.


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## Baymule (Feb 15, 2018)

You are up against it. I hope that the lambing goes ok and all the ewes and lambs are healthy.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 16, 2018)

Baymule said:


> You are up against it. I hope that the lambing goes ok and all the ewes and lambs are healthy.


Thank you,Baymule....feels a bit like "one step forwards and two steps back'.....but keeping animals often feels that way. All we can do is our best, but I'm worried as to what this years outcome will be.
At least the chickens look really well from their enforced confinement. The Brahmas have feathers rather than mud balls on their legs/feet!


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2018)

We are getting LOTS of rain too. Because of our sandy soil, I don't have mud. I have dealt with mud like that before and am so glad I don't have that now.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 22, 2018)

So, 3 weeks to go 

The weather has finally broken....drier, but much colder. The mud is hardening.Some are 'sinking'....



 

Others are 'widening'



 

Some are 'uddering'



 

This rear belongs to Bella who is always a bit fat, and currently is widening by the day.

All ewes are now having ewe nuts....these girls outside the shed are having 1lb per day and the thin girls in the shed are having 2lbs daily. The vast majority are improving in their general condition. Only 2 of the 'shed girls' are now cause for concern. Everybody had their shot of Heptavac P-Plus last weekend (uneventful).

In a few days they will move into their fields for lambing. "Experienced' ewes having a single lamb will stay outside in a field which has been resting for some weeks (and is green!). They will lamb outside and stay on 1lb of ewe nuts daily. First timers, having twins or triplets, or are Blue Faced Leicester (!) will go into a different field (also rested and green) above the sheep shed. They will have 1.5 lbs of ewe nuts daily and will come into the sheep shed overnight....so I can watch them closely. The field in which the 'multiples' will spend their time is above the house and all areas of the field are visible from the top floor of the house, so I can check on their status without having to walk the field.
Now this may sound very organised, BUT, as soon as the lambs start to appear the whole thing descends into chaos....slightly organised chaos, that is. 

Ewes who give birth from the 'multiples' field are bought into (or stay in) the sheep shed for about 48 hours (or  longer if there are problems to be sorted.).

I'm 'dusting off' the ewe harnesses....but hoping not to use them, digging out lamb bottles....knowing I'll need them, lambing gloves, iodine, stomach tubes(I hate to use these), checking bulbs in lamb lamps, ensuring dog coats, baby sweaters etc are clean and generally crossing fingers and toes......


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## Latestarter (Feb 22, 2018)

Good luck!


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## Dani4Hedgies (Feb 22, 2018)




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## Baymule (Feb 22, 2018)

Ewe harness? Can you post  a picture and explain please?

I am glad the rain has let up on you and your girls. I love the pictures of them.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 23, 2018)

Baymule said:


> Ewe harness?


 Sorry, Bay, I made it sound as though I had some horrendous torture device..... ewe prolapse harness is what I meant.I keep two and  I had to be using both  last year. 

It's VERY cold here right now....however the cold and dry is so much easier to handle than the wet, wet, wet.


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## Baymule (Feb 23, 2018)

Ok now I get it!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 1, 2018)

2 weeks to go....and horror of horrors, we have a storm known as the "Beast from the East"....a period of Siberian weather with blizzards, gales and bone-chilling temperatures. The water has frozen off into the house, the sheep shed and inside the house....frozen pipes on the central heating system, too. Temp. overnight -10 C with biting winds and drifting snow. No sign of any letup for 10 days or more.

The ewes are struggling....as am I! 

Here's a couple of pics...they don't do the cold justice.


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## Latestarter (Mar 1, 2018)

Hate to like your last post... Sorry you're dealing with bad weather over your way. Hope you and the sheep come through it OK.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 1, 2018)

Latestarter said:


> Hate to like your lat post...


 Thank you Latestarter. I've been out pretty much all day making sure that everybody got plenty to eat. I've given the indoor girls water (which has promptly frozen solid X3)...but the outdoor sheep  are eating snow (which they prefer to stream water....the stream is threatening to freeze off, too). There's no water coming into the house...so we have slip-slides our way over to the neighbour who has filled some containers for us. We're washing in melted snow....heated up on the old stove. The central heating is working in most of the house, so it's on full pelt right now.....just hoping there's no major leak when the thaw eventually comes.We have a very warm log burner, too,.

The sheep are struggling. The hoggets seem to be having the worst time. Two of them remained down when I went to fill their silage feeder this morning.....quite a distance from the house. I got them up and dusted off the snow after which  they promptly started stuffing silage, so I'm hoping they will be OK. I've given them extra rations.

The in-lamb ewes are getting extra rations too, but they are so close to lambing I'm praying they'll hang on.

At the end of this exhausting day I'm sitting with an outsize glass of wine and potato chips. Well, there's no water to be wasted...


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## Latestarter (Mar 1, 2018)

Funny... I'm siting here with a couple of ham and turkey (deli sliced) sandwiches and potato chips. No wine though... I'm drinking the remainder of my hot tea from breakfast (it's in a 30+oz < >1liter> mug). I just returned from "treating" my goats. They are as sick of the mud as I am. I've had over 10" (25cm) of rain in the past 7-10 days. Stay warm there lady... Fingers crossed for all your woolly girls and hoggets.


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## Baymule (Mar 1, 2018)

In our snow event in January, we got down to 11 degrees Fahrenheit. Highly unusual for our area, the 11 degrees broke a 60 year old record. 

I hope this passes quickly for you and your ewes hold off dropping lambs until it warms up.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 2, 2018)

View from our French windows this morning....yes that's a 4 feet snowdrift.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 2, 2018)

I saw that last picture and had to go put on my coat.


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## Latestarter (Mar 2, 2018)

Holy moses SS!  I didn't think you got that much snow there! You've posted so I guess you sill have power/Electricity... Have you been out to slog through that mess to check the animals yet? I sure hope they're OK.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 2, 2018)

Mike CHS said:


> I saw that last picture and had to go put on my coat.


 Almost need the coat on Indoors at the moment.



Latestarter said:


> You've posted so I guess you sill have power/Electricity


 For now....we often lose power in snowstorms due to the overhead cables being pulled down. If we do lose power , then nobody will be able to get to us for days.



Latestarter said:


> Have you been out to slog through that mess to check the animals yet? I sure hope they're OK.


 I've spent much of my day tending to them. It's now that I am grateful for the fact I have mainly local breed sheep....their wool is fantastic.....they have been wandering around all day with snow on their backs which is firmly attached and hasn't melted. Shows just how good an insulator wool is. No water to be had (for them or us), but they're eating snow. Food-wise, they're getting extra pellets and unlimited silage. All looking OK today. 

The weather forecast is not great for weeks to come, which means lambing is likely to start with bad weather around. 

Even the neighbours weren't able to get to the village by tractor and ended up coming across our field as they couldn't get up the lane or turn back.....it's the worst weather I've ever encountered....the 'perfect storm' of very low temperatures, much snow and gale force winds.....

I have thrown a huge amount of food to the local wild birds who are coming right up to the door to beg for food. 

I'm glad that I go  for overstocking on food right now.....we;ll be fine for weeks if needs be, but I'll run out of ewe nuts pretty soon.


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## Baymule (Mar 2, 2018)

I don't even have the weather you have, but I am a bit of an overstocker myself. Spring can't come fast enough for you!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 4, 2018)

Baymule said:


> Spring can't come fast enough for you!


Spring or rather shower was definitely the word for us yesterday. So the water to the house began to flow again, into the taps, the toilets, the kitchen and spare bedroom ceilings.....three pipes burst and water was everywhere. Much midnight oil spent on plugging up, blocking up and mopping up. Today a frozen waste pipe burst and sent a second torrent.

At least today has been milder.


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## Latestarter (Mar 4, 2018)

So sorry


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## Mike CHS (Mar 4, 2018)

Sorry that is happening.  I have had to deal with that sort of a mess so I don't envy you.


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## Baymule (Mar 4, 2018)

Wow. Metal pipe or PVC? At our old house we had metal pipe, it burst in the ceiling and flooded the house. Ceiling fell in too. We had it all replaced with PEX plumbing pipe. then had to strip the sheetrock walls and ceilings in two bedrooms, pull up flooring and start over. 

I am sorry that you are having to deal with this. It makes a terrible mess and damages your home. Blech.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 5, 2018)

Baymule said:


> Metal pipe or PVC


Old copper pipes on part of the cold water system and fine bore copper pipes on the central heating system. We also had a plastic waste pipe burst....It was the horrible combination of very low temperatures and high winds.

The pipes to the  sheep shed are still frozen up....but fortunately there is a nearby stream which I can fetch water from.

Our lane is still blocked by 15-20 ft snowdrifts....we are lucky that the fridge and cupboards were fully stocked.

One ewe developed early twin lamb disease this morning (one of the girls outside who is expecting triplets). I'm pretty sure I've caught her in time.


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## Baymule (Mar 5, 2018)

Always good to keep a well stocked pantry. You just never know. Yuck on the waste pipe. 15-20 foot snowdrifts.....I can't imagine. Hang in there, sending sunshine your way!


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## Latestarter (Mar 5, 2018)

Sheepshape said:


> Our lane is still blocked by 15-20 ft snowdrifts....


  I do hope you've been taking some pictures to share despite all the more pressing issues you've been dealing with. That must be like a five hundred year or thousand year storm for you folks. Has anything like this happened in your lifetime?


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## Sheepshape (Mar 5, 2018)

Latestarter said:


> That must be like a five hundred year or thousand year storm for you folks. Has anything like this happened in your lifetime?


 It was a bad combination of wind, low temps. and snow, but I live in a remote mountainous area of Wales. Our road, just a little un-named lane, tends to be blocked by snow or too treacherous to drive on due to ice, several times a year. This last storm caused a lot of drifting, and it's these drifts that are blocking the lane.

Meanwhile my ewe with Twin Lamb Disease didn't seem to want to eat

This is our drive




 

A general view across one of the fields


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## Mike CHS (Mar 5, 2018)

Except for that white stuff you have a pretty view.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 5, 2018)

Except for that white stuff you have a pretty view.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 5, 2018)

Lovely place in the summer.


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## Baymule (Mar 5, 2018)

How is your ewe doing? I hope she is improving.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 6, 2018)

Baymule said:


> How is your ewe doing? I hope she is improving.


Thank you. 
Yesterday she came down last for her ewe nuts, her front knees folded, she got up and then almost walked into a silage feeder. I coaxed her indoors and squeezed in some Twin Lamb solution. She was reluctant to eat ewe nuts. I gave her some digestive biscuits, then later she ate buttered bread. Unfortunately, this morning she will not eat at all and is panting....I think she has pneumonia. I've treated her with what antibiotics I have as I cannot get 'stronger' ones from the vet due to blocked roads. I don't hold out too much hope for her.

I've only ever had to actively treat Twin Lamb Disease once before as my girls usually are 'well covered' and they get plenty to eat. This year the extreme temperatures have meant some are unable to cope with the metabolic requirements of late pregnancy.
Roll on Spring.


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## Baymule (Mar 6, 2018)

And you feel so helpless..... It breaks my heart for you and for your ewe. I know you are doing the best that you can for her and your entire flock. The weather sure has thrown you a curve ball. I hope the weather clears and spring arrives soon, like NOW.


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## Latestarter (Mar 6, 2018)

So sorry SS... I'll still hold out hope but you know better than I...


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## Sheepshape (Mar 8, 2018)

The 'warts and all' saga continues.....7 days until day 147....so lambs could arrive any time. The weather is atrocious, I have one very sick ewe who is expecting triplets who I am not expecting to survive , and we have mud on mud on mud and frequent snow showers.

Here's a few of the girls for whom this may be the last picture i take of the flock before they have their lambs.


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## animalmom (Mar 8, 2018)

How is Marilyn doing?  Please keep us posted on the ewe with triplets.  Would be most unfortunate for you to lose her or the trips.

Yeah, I think mud is one of the levels of Dante's Inferno.


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## Baymule (Mar 8, 2018)

Really pulling for your ewes to all come through this ok. Hoping you come through this ok too. Keep us posted.


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## RoahT (Mar 8, 2018)

Hope everything goes well! I'll be praying!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 9, 2018)

animalmom said:


> How is Marilyn doing?


 She's doing fine, thank you. In the second picture her sister, Poppy is taking a look at what's going on.

Foggy (sick shed ewe) is still hanging on (just). I'm syringing flat energy drinks into her via the drench gun.

Thank you, Roah T.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 12, 2018)

Foggy (my sick ewe expecting triplets) died overnight. Her death was peaceful and quiet. I gave up syringing fluids into her at the start of the weekend....and found she would still take small drinks from a little bucket held near her head. She had eaten nothing for 3 days and had not been able to stand for the same period.

I gave her a little drink late last night and positioned her head across some straw so she could breathe easily. I sang to her, and said Good Night. Her breathing was slow and low a short time later. This morning she had gone, still in this same position. No teeth grinding, no signs of pain, no evidence of suffering at all. She had just gone to sleep....forever. RIP Foggy and her unborn lambs.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 12, 2018)

It is never easy but it seems she was ready to let go and at ease.


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## Baymule (Mar 12, 2018)

I know you tried your best. Animals capture our heart, they come into our lives and leave much sooner than we want them to. They take a little of us with them, but leave a whole lot more of themselves with us. Big hugs to you and to Foggy and her lambs.


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## RoahT (Mar 12, 2018)

Oh, I'm so sorry!


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## Latestarter (Mar 12, 2018)

So sorry for your losses... What a shame.   Hopefully no more and the weather starts improving for you and your sheep.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 14, 2018)

Our weather is again cold and windy, but not much snow forecast.

Lambing still has not started....some of the girls are very big, obviously feeling tired and have big udders.

Yesterday I went past my 'dry ewes and lambs' and couldn't find Becky who is a lamb with visual impairment who I bottle fed last year. She was not with her group and didn't bleat when I called her.....which she usually does. However, I note she was missing with her constant companion, Aerielle, who was bottle fed at the same time, so less worried. I went to look for them (this group is in two fields, one of which is very large). I was pleased to see the two of them in a far corner, and they both started to bleat when I began to near them Phew.....I thought that the weather had overcome them. Over comes Becky, looking fine, and over comes Aerielle, looking..... WIDE. Thought....she hasn't been in a field with any ram as I considered her way too small for tupping.  She walks over. Ever friendly, I stroke her .......that width isn't just her thick fleece...and feel underneath.....a sizeable udder. She's quite tiny, but obviously pregnant. The neighbour's high jump champion, Jumping Jack Flash, obviously paid a visit to her field, too. I moved her and Becky over to the field with ewes having singletons and await the outcome! Lambing hasn't even started yet, but it's bound to be eventful.






Aerielle .....in the one day of sunshine we've had over the last few months.


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## Baymule (Mar 14, 2018)

She looks so pretty, so white and clean against a field of green. I hope lambing goes ok with her. Sneaky little things, aren't they?


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## OzarkSerenityAcres (Mar 14, 2018)

so sorry to hear about your loss. Do wish you the best with the rest!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 17, 2018)

The adventures have begun. (And the weather is bitterly cold again).

Yesterday afternoon a ewe began to show the classic signs....scratching up in an isolated spot. I went to see her and found a heavily meconium stained tail hanging out and the ewe straining furiously and making no progress.We bought her down into the shed. She had a well-and-truky struck extended breech lamb who was VERY difficult to bring into the world. No 2 lamb arrived after about an hour and looked deab...not breathing or moving...but I could feel a heartbeat. A good 30 minutes of 'swinging', rubbing, and 2 episodes of mouth-to-muzzle and she eventually began to show signs of life. This morning mum is eating well and has two contented-looking ewes lambs.

This morning I found a ewe who had given birth in the early hours to triplets....one, unfortunately, dead, but a healthy pair of twins left.




 

 

Sorry same image X2!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 17, 2018)

Just managed to get a ewe in from a blizzard......huge sac hanging out. Twin ewe lambs safely delivered in the shed.


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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 17, 2018)

Geeze, you're really catching heck - but you're doing a great job of saving those babies!


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## Mike CHS (Mar 17, 2018)

Congratulations on a good save


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## Latestarter (Mar 17, 2018)

Sorry about the weather challenges you're dealing with. Glad you were successful saving a couple. Shame about those lost though.


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## Baymule (Mar 17, 2018)

I hope it warms up for you so lambing isn't so miserable. Sounds like you found the ewes just in the nick of time! You are going to be busy!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 18, 2018)

The Beast from the East 2 is every bit as bad as the first and we have very low temps. and driving snow again. All the pregnant girls are in the shed now (pretty cramped)...but any lambs born would be dead out in the blizzard. Twins born overnight (in the shed)...seem fine. I don't like lambing in the sheep shed any more than I have to as the risk of infection to the lambs ids so much higher, and the task of cleaning huge. Today it has taken 2 of us 3.5  hours each to clean, feed, and fetch water from the stream (taps frozen off again). At least the house is OK this time....extra lagging, external water supply to the house dug in deeper and central heating turned up HIGH.

Here's what the weather's like.(I'll take some more interesting ones of lambs when I next visit the shed).


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## Sheepshape (Mar 18, 2018)

Sheep shed


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## Latestarter (Mar 18, 2018)

All I can say is wow...   Hope you and your charges make it through this one. Global warming/climate change...


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## Sheepshape (Mar 18, 2018)

Latestarter said:


> Global warming


.....yes......doesn't FEEL like it, though.


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## Baymule (Mar 18, 2018)

Nice barn! The ewes look fat and bored with this whole thing........maybe you could play them a movie?


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## Sheepshape (Mar 19, 2018)

Baymule said:


> maybe you could play them a movie?


 Now there's an idea.....I've got 'Shaun the Sheep...the movie".....but I don't want to give them ideas. I'm sure there are more interesting titles....


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## Sheepshape (Mar 19, 2018)

A trying day.

Girl with triplets rejected 2 as they walked away, and girl marked for 3 had 4....producing a disabled lamb.This lamb cannot stand and has a flexion deformity of the front legs. She is most unlikely to survive and will probably need to be euthanised....

Rejected twins (sleeping in kitchen)




 

Disabled lamb


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## Baymule (Mar 19, 2018)

I hate that part. Poor little lamb, yes we do what we have to do, but that doesn't mean that we have to like it. At least you will have the other two to hug and squeeze.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 20, 2018)

Poor little girl looks as though she will never be able to stand....her body is twisted and her frontage has a flexion contracture.

meanwhile I have had two healthy sets of twins born, but my lovely old Leicester girls has had two stillborn....she's refusing to leave the spot where they were born.

Lambing is such a roller coaster.....so many sorrows, but so many joys.


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## Baymule (Mar 20, 2018)

So sad for the Leicester ewe. She just doesn't understand, she knows she had them, but just can't find them. 

I lost twin lambs last year, I put them in a wagon, wrapped in an old towel and let the ewe grieve. I cried for an hour while she vainly tried to get them up. She left and came back several times, then finally didn't come back.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 21, 2018)

Baymule said:


> I lost twin lambs last year, I put them in a wagon, wrapped in an old towel and let the ewe grieve.


I usually do similar. You are a kind, caring person who knows that sheep are sentient beings and can empathise with their loss.

Gerty seemed to know they were dead from the art, She went back to where they were born and stayed there an hour or two, then can down to the feeders with the others and hasn't returned there since. She's an experienced mum who has had many lambs....she knew what had happened wasn't usual.


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## Baymule (Mar 21, 2018)

Our Australian Shepherd died in my arms this past summer. While preparing to bury her, our GP, Trip, tried again and again to wake her up. He then guarded her while we dug the hole and laid next to her grave for the longest. We were not expecting his behavior and it really turned on the tears for us.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 22, 2018)

Well hectic doesn't describe things strongly enough. 

9 births yesterday....4 needing help....2 first timers who had to have help out with stuck lambs, 'twisted twins, and a mother rejecting one of her two lambs (still doing so).

I'm seriously sleep deprived and much more of the same likely today.

Now who's bright idea was it to have more sheep this year??? (Yes, you can guess).

I'll take pics. of some of them when I can.


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## Baymule (Mar 22, 2018)

9 more births! I’m not there, so I’ll be excited for you. LOL You are sleep deprived so the excitement factor may be taking a vacation somewhere warm where there are no sheep. LOL


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## Sheepshape (Mar 23, 2018)

If yesterday was busy, today has been worse. Two Blue Faced Leicester girls (Marilyn and Dazey) gave birth and both rejected their lambs. Dazey has a horrible metritis and is discharging foul pus...it's amazing her lamb is alive. This little (or rather big one to be exact) is in my 'orphan pen' whilst she is on heavy antibiotics. Marilyn is being horrid to her lovely young man, and may well not accept HER lamb.

The Beulah Speckled Face are behaving themselves by-and-large, the Gwladys did a 'lamb steal' last night and has bellowed all day after I managed to find the real mum. Gwladys is still to give birth. Luckily this time the real mum accepted back her stolen lamb, unlike another of my girls, Winnie who added 2 more to my swelling orphan pen.

My little deformed lamb was euthanised by the vet who thought she would have no quality of life.....I always find this very hard.

My camera battery has run out, but I have a few pics. I'll upload soon.


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## Baymule (Mar 24, 2018)

Sorry about your little deformed lamb. It is hard to deal with such things, but we do what we gotta do.

Did you thing that you were going to be a sheep momma to orphan lambs when you first got sheep? You are certainly a good sheep momma, both to the orphans and the entire flock.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 24, 2018)

Baymule said:


> Did you thing that you were going to be a sheep momma to orphan lambs when you first got sheep?


I just thought I'd give the occasional bottle feed. BUT....it's turned into so much more. It's so easy to become attached to them.

One of my ewes had 2 stillborn today....her placenta had sheared off. It was coming out before the lambs. She has been so upset today. Every lamb that she sees, she calls to. I've moved her this evening to the 'dry' field as there are no lambs there to cause her to keep searching.Always a sad time.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 24, 2018)

A few (not-so-good) pics., but I've discovered how to use my camera, so more to follow

One of the orphans (the lamb, that is)





Marilyn just before she rejected her lamb

 

A few more orphans.


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## mysunwolf (Mar 24, 2018)

Beautiful orphans, can't ever understand why moms don't want perfectly healthy babies! Keep us updated, we're learning through your lambing posts as usual.


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## Latestarter (Mar 24, 2018)

Was that you in the first pic? Pretty as a new born lamb!  Speaking of which, beautiful babies you've got there, even if they have become orphans. I know you'll take good care of them!


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## promiseacres (Mar 24, 2018)

Do you ever try to pair mama's that have lost their lambs with orphans? Just curious.


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## Baymule (Mar 24, 2018)

promiseacres said:


> Do you ever try to pair mama's that have lost their lambs with orphans? Just curious.


I was going to ask the same thing!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 25, 2018)

mysunwolf said:


> Beautiful orphans, can't ever understand why moms don't want perfectly healthy babies!


 It's true. Some are technically not orphans as they came from triplet births, but not all. One triplet birth happened overnight, un-witnessed, and two had wandered off and attached themselves to another ewe, who hadn't yet given birth, and who was licking and mothering them. Their real mum thereafter rejected them. Another ewe rejected one of twins....reason unknown, and was becoming quite violent to him. One of the Blue Faced Leicester babes has a mother who had a womb full of pus and it's a miracle her lamb survived. Mum is currently doing well on hefty antibiotics.Marilyn had a very painful birth of a very large lamb....I'm thinking that's why she rejected him. She has been restrained until she has stopped showing aggression, and I left her overnight with him last night (uneventfully). I'm hoping the worst is past.



promiseacres said:


> Do you ever try to pair mama's that have lost their lambs with orphans?


 Yes...this is always the plan. But Murphy's law seems to have dictated that every time I've had a triplet birth, then the only other ewe to give birth has been a ewe with twins herself, so it just hasn't worked out well.I tried desperately to get one ewe to take a triplet lamb....menthol on nose. smothered in her dead lamb's 'juices', wearing her dead lamb's skin.....result...still rejected and a horribly stinky lamb.



Latestarter said:


> Was that you in the first pic? Pretty as a new born lamb!  Speaking of which, beautiful babies you've got there, even if they have become orphans. I know you'll take good care of them!


. That's one of my daughters (I have 2 daughters). I'm a much older, wrinklier, altogether grislier version of her. I'd rather not have all these orphans, but I already find them charming.

Well here's a couple of other pics. of the orphans.



 



 
.


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## animalmom (Mar 25, 2018)

The babies are so darling!  Ton of work, but darling.


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## Mike CHS (Mar 25, 2018)

I don't envy you all of the work you have had to do but I do admire you for being able to do it.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 26, 2018)

And now I'm here with tears streaming down my face. I have just found my lovely little Arielle dead. Her two little boys are orphaned. I can only assume she has had a stroke etc. as last night she was apparently fit, eating and drinking well and with two healthy lambs bouncing off her.


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## Sumi (Mar 26, 2018)

Sheepshape said:


> And now I'm here with tears streaming down my face. I have just found my lovely little Arielle dead. Her two little boys are orphaned. I can only assume she has had a stroke etc. as last night she was apparently fit, eating and drinking well and with two healthy lambs bouncing off her.


I'm so sorry  I've been following this thread over the last few days and remember seeing her pic a few pages back.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 26, 2018)

Thank you. She's always been special....a bottle lamb herself, she has been a constant companion to my visually impaired Becky. Her lambs are not taking the bottle yet and her crying constantly for her....I'm holding them and trying them again and again (telling them that their lovely mum probably died for their sake and that she would desperately want them to live). I'm sure they will get the hang of it soon.

Lovely Arielle is waiting to be collected by the official disposal site (as we are obliged to do) with two dead lambs from other mums cradled in her front legs. RIP my lovely girl.


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## Latestarter (Mar 26, 2018)

I'm so sorry SS... What a terrible way to start the day. Farm life is hard... I hope Becky can find a new companion. I also hope the lambs take the bottle for you soon. You have had a very rough stretch of days/weeks. I hope the spell breaks soon for you.


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## Sumi (Mar 26, 2018)

I hope Becky and her lambs will be o.k. You did have a crazy up and down few weeks with the weather, the lambs, the losses…  I hope things will settle down for you soon so you can enjoy the new babies and hopefully some warmer weather! Goodness, the cold will not let up for us this winter.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 26, 2018)

We have more bad weather forecast for the next 5 days or so with sleet/snow/winds. It seems that the elements are against us this year.

I have been intermittently tearful for the lovely Arielle all day, but have to deal with her babies and the others who need looking after. It's maybe as well that there are others around who need our care to survive.

I've cuddled Becky (thankfully not impregnated by Jumping jack Flash) and will get her back to her other 'bottle mates' tomorrow (none of whom showed the special attachment to her). 

I can't wait for Spring to really arrive.


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## Baymule (Mar 26, 2018)

I am so sorry about your Arielle. My heart is breaking for you. Why must it be our favorites? Why must it be the ones we love so much? I am so sorry for the loss of your sweet Arielle. I wish I were there to give you a big hug and cry with you.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 26, 2018)

Baymule....your empathy is very much appreciated....it does seems those we love are taken from us always.


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## Baymule (Mar 27, 2018)

Sheepshape said:


> Baymule....your empathy is very much appreciated....it does seems those we love are taken from us always.


I got so much support last year when I lost two lambs, then had to put the ewe down for a ruptured pre pubic tendon. The ewe was my favorite, we "talked" to each other. I was devastated. People here were so kind to me. It seems if we have our animals for very long, we experience some of the saddest moments of our lives. But I'll take them because the joys far outweigh the sadness.


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## Baymule (Mar 27, 2018)




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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 27, 2018)

So sorry for your loss!  Such a shock to find one gone that you didn't expect.  Hope her babies will be ok and bring you some comfort.


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## Sheepshape (Mar 28, 2018)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Hope her babies will be ok and bring you some comfort


Thank you. One is doing fine, but the other isn't sucking on the bottle at all....he's dull. listless and depressed. I've trickled milk into him in tiny amounts and gave him a shot of antibiotic as he was a bit severe....probably more down to his food lack than anything else. I think he is grieving his mother. Meanwhile one lamb ,Sage, who was a tiny 'slow starter' has definitely adopted me. She can get out of the bars in the lamb pen as she is so tiny and follows me everywhere. My cleaning and dealing with the other sheep is very much slowed down, but Sage is at my heels.

Our weather is atrocious again....lots and lots of rain and mud (but at least it isn't quite as cold as forecast).

One little bit os success. My lovely Marilyn (Blue faced Leicester) is turning into the doting mum I had always thought she would be.(She rejected her lamb and was restrained by day with bands to stop her butting her lamb at the outset).

This is the pair now.




 

Mum loves her crusts....


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## Baymule (Mar 28, 2018)

Marilyn is a pretty girl and her lamb is just too cute! haha, animals do love bread! I had cows that would stand on their heads for bread. They got out one night, were waaaay down the road. All it took was shaking a bread sack, and the stampede started. They galloped back home, in the gate and got their treat.


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## Wehner Homestead (Mar 28, 2018)

I’m sorry the weather, losses, and “orphans” have made a rough year of lambing thus far. I hope that the rest of your lambing goes off without an eventful hitch. The pics are adorable!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 31, 2018)

More bad weather, a couple of uneventful twin births and single figures left to lamb.

One ewe decided to leave a tiny ewe lamb behind and the poor little thing was crying and lying in the filthy mud....emaciated and un-loved other lamb a large ram lamb). She has joined the orphan pen. A bit  of
 cleaning and drying, the little chihuahua coat shown in the avatar  put on, and a warm bottle feed....and she has never cried since.(She's the lamb with the green mark on her side).

One of Arielle's lambs in the orphan pen still wasn't sucking from the bottle after 4 days. I bought the other type os teat and bottle from the feed store....and success. He's the lamb with the red coat (recently taken off as he is no longer hypersensitive to cold).

So the long days and hard work continue....but I'm hoping that this will lessen once the next bad weather spell (forecast to end in 2 days) allows me to let some more ewes and their lambs out.

Here's a couple of rather poor pics. of my orphan pen.


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## Latestarter (Mar 31, 2018)

Glad you found little miss green spot before it was too late. Nice that red coat finally found a nipple acceptable to him. Hope the remaining ewes do you proud.


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## Wehner Homestead (Mar 31, 2018)

The rest of your lambing is uneventful! Love the lamby pics!!


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## Sheepshape (Apr 1, 2018)

More horrid weather and weather warnings issued for the next 2 days (possibly heavy snow, more likely sleet and heavy rain). Everybody in the vicinity is commenting that their lambs look thin and small this year due to the cold and wet Spring.

I haven't turned any ewes out of the shed for the last 4 days due to the weather warnings, and will wait until they have past.

A couple of days back i found a little ewe lamb with probable joint ill.....barely able to stand and problems with both of her back legs, and unable to walk. It seemed unlikely that I would coax her mother who had a fit ram lamb across two fields, so I bought the little one in, thinking that I had the dual problems of trying to treat a sick lamb and to persuade her to take milk from the bottle having been on the ewe for 10 days. For once luck was definitely on my side. I heard a ewe bellowing, checked to spray mark on the lamb's side and...wonder of wonders....the bellowing ewe was the mum to my joint ill lamb. Carrying ill lamb carefully back, who then started to bleat to mum. Over runs ewe mum with her ram lamb, who I scooped up, and easily led mum into the sheep shed. I penned her up with the two lambs and gave the sick lamb Metacam and  Penicillin/streptomycin. 3 days on and little ewe lamb is back up and using her back legs almost normally. Ewe mum is a truly excellent example of good mothering and is very happy to be in the sheep shed. I expect that the ewe lamb will make a full recovery, even if she will get to hate the sight of me with her 10 days of injections. A little success amongst some disappointments always goes a long way.

Marilyn's ram lamb is looking huge now and she is quite the doting mum. The lamb is called Marshall......my daughter ran a competition amongst the class of 8-9 year olds she teaches. They came up with Marshmallow....WHAT????!!!....so a little tweaking and he is Marshall. They have named a couple of other orphan ewe lambs Lady Baa Baa (yes, an old one) and Stacey. As 'Lady Baa Baa' is a mouthful I've shortened it to Baabaara. Children always surprise me.....


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 1, 2018)

Congrats on the save!


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## Baymule (Apr 1, 2018)

I have a Lady Baa Baa too! Yesterday she stared at me long and hard. I was playing in the dirt with Grand daughter  #2 (3 years old) and grand daughter #3 (18 months old). Lady Baa Baa was at the round bale, just staring at me. I literally "knew" what she wanted and speaking softly to her, I went to the fence, reached through and gave her lots of scratches.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 2, 2018)

Baymule said:


> I literally "knew" what she wanted and speaking softly to her, I went to the fence, reached through and gave her lots of scratches.


 Don't they just love stroking the sides of the face, the neck and the front of the chest? This sort of 'dreamy' look comes in their eyes., the neck stretches out, and after a while some reciprocate by rubbing their bony old heads against you.

Pic. of your Lady Baa Baa, please, Bay.


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## Baymule (Apr 3, 2018)

Lady Baa Baa is such a sweet ewe, she loves her scratches and rubs. She eats out of my hand and has a curious habit of kicking me impatiently when i have the feed can. She kicks forward with her front feet! LOL

This is Lady Baa Baa with her first lamb, Lily, who we kept. Lily was born January 18, 2016.






Lady Baa Baa with her second lamb, Little Cutie, born February 24, 2017  Little Cutie also kicks forward with her front feet, just like her mother. 






This is Winter, born in our Texas snow event, also on January 18, 2018. Her first and third lambs were both born January 18!






Lady Baa Baa is such a good Mommy.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 4, 2018)

Lady Baa Baa really does look the picture of maternal bliss.

Winter has wonderful markings. 

She certainly has an impressive belly, too. Bless her!


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## Mike CHS (Apr 4, 2018)

Seems the good moms always have a similar look to them.  She is a cutey.


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## Baymule (Apr 4, 2018)

I’m beginning to see a pattern here. Ewenique had twins Dec 15, 2017 and twins Dec 16 2016. Funny how that works.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 8, 2018)

This lambing season is sent to try us, I think.

So overnight in the shed two ewes give birth.....twins for both of them, but nobody wants one of the lambs. I'm fairly sure that I know who is the mother and pen the lamb up with her mum and brother. She doesn't want her



So, by day, she is strapped to the sides of the partition in the shed, such that both her lambs can feed, let down to sleep at night. 4 days on and she still isn't giving in. I'm persisting as I don't want another bottle lamb as I already have 10.

Today....Becky (visually impaired and probably brain damaged) was making her loud distress call from the 'dry ewe' field. I thought I saw a little dirty 'something'. Oh no.....Becky must have been visited by the same ram who caused little Arielle (who died) to be pregnant. Becky is not acknowledging the mud-covered, cold, thin scrap of a lamb, but has an udder, milk and signs of a recent birth. With much persuasion she is penned up in the sheep shed, but doesn't really show signs of recognition of her status, whilst continually distress-bleating. The lamb managed to feed well whilst holding Becky and I have defrosted and given 200mls of ewe colostrum to her. Mum Becky pushes her away and seems totally confused . Oh dear...what now?

Sorry, the pic. got a little out of sequence....it is Becky with her tiny lamb.


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## Mike CHS (Apr 8, 2018)

You definitely have your hands full


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## Latestarter (Apr 8, 2018)

Wow... so sorry you're experiencing such a trying lambing season this year.


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## Sumi (Apr 9, 2018)

One thing after another this lambing season. Wish I could hop across the channel here and go give you a hand with the lambs, I love them bottle babies so.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 9, 2018)

This is the 'Year to Top all Years'. After awful cold and snow, we have had incessant rain. I'm hearing stories of folk who have lost lots of ewes as well as lambs. It's raining hard again tonight. I have additional problems with a very ill 92 year old mother who lives 2.5 hours away and other difficult family issues, as well as awaiting surgery myself.

On a positive note it's no longer so cold, I only have one ewe to lamb, and the rest are generally looking OK, especially given the circumstances.

Ewe (Tufty) who is rejecting her lamb is still resisting and is still restrained by day, and all are smelling strongly of menthol. Poor little Becky is eating extremely well and has not sounded anywhere near so distressed today. Her minute lamb was feeding from her whilst she was eating her ewe nuts and biscuits, is a good bottle feeder, and appears to be a born survivor. I'm not sure mum understands what is going on at all (I think she suffered brain damage during her own birth) Joint ill lamb is back inside having suffered  a relapse, but is again responding well to treatment.

I think I'll bake a cake and open a few bottles of wine.


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## Baymule (Apr 9, 2018)

I think you need that cake and wine! LOL LOL

Sorry that your mom is having troubles and is so far away. Do you have siblings or other family that is near her? And you are waiting on surgery....I hope you are not suffering and in pain while you wait. And with all this going on you still have to deal with a hard lambing year. Big hugs to you. I'm sending brownies with chocolate chips and pecans in them and a bottle of Texas wine. It's my favorite!


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## Sheepshape (Apr 10, 2018)

Baymule said:


> I'm sending brownies with chocolate chips and pecans in them and a bottle of Texas wine. It's my favorite!


 i'm seeing and tasting this with my mind's eye....it's 6:00a.m...but...why not?! Just about to go down to the lambing shed to start the feeding round, and, you guessed....heavy rain.

Thankfully my brother lives nearby my mother and is dealing with trying to find a suitable home. I just feel I should be there to help him.

My pain is under control, thank goodness, and I will be otherwise fighting fit by the time my surgery date comes. Over here in Wales that can be a heck of a long time!

I'll take some lamb pics. later....at least they look good.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 10, 2018)

So, I've decided enough is enough for the ewe who has been harnessed for 6 days and still won't accept one of her lambs. She is now mine and the ewe is out with the son she recognises as hers.

I have taken the tiny scrap of a ewe lamb off Becky, too. Becky was known to be visually impaired, and my hunch that she was also brain damaged (probably starved of oxygen at her unwitnessed birth) seems to heave been borne out. Becky never even acknowledged the lamb and was very distresses by its attempts at feeding. I led Becky back to the 'dry ewes' field.....she followed close on my heels, with never a look back to the sheep shed.

The two 'abandoned babies' bleated furiously to start with. I tried them in the lamb pen.....they were bullied there....so I placed them in an empty 'lambing pen'. Half an hour later they were curled up fast asleep like siblings. they haven't cried for their mothers since.

Whilst collecting silage I heard the unmistakable sound of a ewe in labour from the 'dry ewe' field. There was another very slim-looking ewe lamb, Lisa, clearly pushing. A little help and she delivered a huge ram lamb....swollen face, purple tongue, meconium stained, but very much alive. She licked him off and followed me up to the lambing shed. It seems that the neighbour's ram had also paid her a visit. I'm hopeful that this birth will be AOK. (Arielle died, Becky didn't realise what had happened.....so, hopefully third time lucky).

I'm finding out my camera.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 10, 2018)

Here's a couple of pics.

Primary lamb pen



 

Lisa with her lamb.....she didn't bother to clean him up too much!


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 10, 2018)

I’ll like the pics. Wow! You’ve been through the ringer.  things become less eventful and more settled!


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## Baymule (Apr 10, 2018)

Neighbor's ram gets around doesn't he? Maybe the neighbor should be paying lamb support? Contributing milk? Taking those late night feedings?


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## Sheepshape (Apr 11, 2018)

Baymule said:


> Neighbor's ram gets around doesn't he


 He certainly does....I'm thinking of taking him to court for child support.


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## luvmypets (Apr 11, 2018)

Sheepshape said:


> He certainly does....I'm thinking of taking him to court for child support.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 11, 2018)

I’d seriously consider financial losses. You’ve lost one ewe, added several bottle babies that need supported, and a questionable ewe that you didn’t intend to expose was also taken advantage of...


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## Sheepshape (Apr 12, 2018)

Wehner Homestead said:


> I’d seriously consider financial losses


I know you are right. Over here sheep aren't worth a lot(in monetary terms) In the 11 years I have kept sheep, I've never made a profit.  Theoretically I keep them for pleasure. i am vegetarian, so never eat them, and treat them like royalty. WHY AM I KEEPING THEM?  Next year I'll endeavour to have less.....

My last ewe gave birth yesterday....first timer, but a born mother. One of them had a very striking bum (half white half black)....pic to follow.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 12, 2018)

Rosie just having given birth




 

Is this an alpaca?



 

Rosie with her lambs (next morning)


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## Sumi (Apr 12, 2018)

They are beautiful!  How are all the other moms and babies doing now?

I keep chickens and I don't eat chicken meat and I seldom use or eat eggs, so there you go. I give away eggs, my DS sells some now and then, but I just enjoy having them around. The joy they bring is worth the expense and work of keeping them IMO.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 12, 2018)

Sumi said:


> The joy they bring is worth the expense and work of keeping them IMO.


 Spot on......I also have chickens (don't eat them and dislike eggs). I like sheep a lot, and they seem to know that. I have found lambing technically easy as most of the ewes who needed help let me go over when they lay down to push, and give them a hand in getting the lambs out. (Beats chasing a frightened ewe in difficulties who can outrun us and exhaust both us and themselves, often with a bad outcome).

In spite of horrible weather continuing (forecast to change soon) and the grass not growing (lots of ewe nuts and silage), the lambs , by and large look OK. Some ewes are a bit thin, but this usually resolves itself when the lambs are taking more solid food on board.

The little Leicester ewe Rosie, pictured above is only a year old and this is her first lambing. She's a real star, though. She needed no help, licked them off promptly and stood patiently whilst they found their way to her little  udder, buried in her ringlets. When I left her yesterday evening she had still to pass her afterbirth. This morning there's no sign of it, so she must be one of those ewes who eats the afterbirth. If they show the inclination, then I don't try to stop them as the extra protein must come in handy (if they can digest it properly!).

As I seem to have been saying for tat least the last six weeks...roll on Spring. I think that some other members have been having bad weather, too.....


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 12, 2018)

So glad that Rosie did well!! Congrats!


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## Sumi (Apr 12, 2018)

Rosie sounds like a wonderful mom 

I had a few sheep some years ago. Impulse purchase from a friend who needed some cash quick. I didn't know one of the ewes was pregnant until she delivered twins! Absolutely loved them and loved keeping them. If/when I have the space again in future I will probably look into getting some sheep again.


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## Baymule (Apr 12, 2018)

Well done Rosie! Her lamb looks like it sat in a bucket of paint. LOL You have had a hard time of it this year, I am glad that spring is getting closer for you and your sheep. 

We have sheep because we love them. My Lady Baa Baa is shedding now and likes to be plucked. I plucked her a little yesterday and walked to the gate, she followed saying BAAAAAA BAAAAAA at me. So I plucked some more, gave her some scratches until she had all she wanted and walked away. I am well trained.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 18, 2018)

So lambing is over....love it to begin, and even more for it to finish!

Here's one of a bottle lamb in the 'Director's Chair'....definitely not directing "The Silence of the Lambs'






 He liked that vantage point.


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## Baymule (Apr 18, 2018)

I like your barn. Mine went from a pitiful 8'x8' plywood shelter to a 20'x24' roof (no sides yet) and the sheep love it. I had radiant heat barrier installed under the metal roof and it really cuts the heat. I put the sheep in the pipeline pasture and after about 3-4 hours, they are bawling at the gate, wanting to go back home! They lounge around under their new barn and ruminate. Spoiled brats.

Your lamb looks like he's up to the challenge of telling everyone what to do. He's just too cute!


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 18, 2018)

That’s POW material!!! Too funny! 

Congrats on finishing lambing season. I know you are ready for a break!


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## Sumi (Apr 18, 2018)




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## Latestarter (Apr 18, 2018)

Nice pic and so glad you can call that task "DONE!"


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## Sheepshape (Apr 22, 2018)

Yesterday saw the 'unexpected bonus'. A hogget scanned as 'empty' produced a perfect and rather large ewe lamb in the 'dry ewes' field. She must have had a very early pregnancy when scanned by the very experienced scanner, so the little bundle of cells were missed. She's a nervous little ewe and couldn't be persuaded to come for food etc. As she has done a pretty good job without any intervention I have left her where she is.

I have about 100 lambs, but all have struggled so much more this year as the Spring has come so late and still is limping along here with temperatures barely high enough for the grass to grow.

Next year I plan to have less ewes


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## Baymule (Apr 22, 2018)

Are you going to sell some of your ewes or just not breed as many?


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## Sheepshape (Apr 23, 2018)

Baymule said:


> Are you going to sell some of your ewes or just not breed as many?


I have a fair few very old ewes (over 8). Some don't look like they could manage another season, so I plan to let some of these old girls go, whilst restricting the number I breed.

Of course, the ones which are particular 'old friends' will stay and be retired.


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## Baymule (Apr 23, 2018)

They do get next to your heart don't they?


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