# Do you think they will lamb in February?



## secuono (Jan 16, 2012)

Here are pictures from today! Please let me know how far along they are and if they will lamb in February. Sorry the pics aren't the best, too cold and windy to take close up pictures w/o trembling and blurring them. One definitely has a lamb or two. They seemed to have a higher belly a week or 2 ago, now one seems to have a lower one. 

Pics are from before they were bred and then in early to mid November, I think. Last pics are from today. 










November.





Today.


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## SheepGirl (Jan 16, 2012)

Hard to tell from the side pictures. But with http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/sheep2.jpg, the ewe on the left looks bred. It's hard to tell with the ewe on the right because of the angle.

Did you use a marking harness to see which dates they were bred so you have due dates?

Your ram is looking a bit scraggly. I would check him for external parasites.


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## secuono (Jan 16, 2012)

What makes him scraggly looking? 
His last owner did shave the underside of his wool, making it look weird. 
Looking at the pics, I can see they didn't trim it even at all. 


No, I don't use anything, they live together 24/7. He would get stuck on something[barn, boards, fence, trees/shrubs] or when he plays with the pony, the pony could get caught on it and hurt him.

This first image on the left is the last one on the right. You can tell by the black speck on her butt & the shorter wool on the tail.


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## SheepGirl (Jan 16, 2012)

He looks scraggly because he has patches of wool that look like it broke off or something...could be attributed to the fact that his underside was sheared, but in the November picture, he looks fine.

We have never had any issues with the marking harness getting caught on anything. As long as it's tight (but not too tight) it won't cause any trouble. And it's only temporary (one to two months until the ram moved to his own pasture). Plus it gives you the exact dates they were bred so you can plan for lambs, vaccinations, wormings, etc accordingly. If you don't want to use a marking harness, then use paint. It's money well spent.

As for the image, that was my bad. I didn't realize those were two pictures put together. So what I meant to say was the ewe without the black dot DOES look bred. The ewe with the black dot now that I look at the picture does look bred as well. From the side, they don't look bred, but from the back they do. IF they are bred, I would say the black dot ewe would have a single and the non-black dot ewe would have twins. But that's assuming they were both bred around the same time. My neighbor's purebred Babydolls bag up two weeks to a month before lambing. So I'm not sure how close your ewes are.


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## secuono (Jan 16, 2012)

November picture you can still see where the shaved and non-shaved wool meets. It's prolly hard to see because it's blurry and a small picture. Back left leg is smooth, back of neck is thick and messy.

His wool grows tiny braided-like dreadlocks, is that normal?? Mainly on his neck, ewes don't have any wool like that. 

Checking the eye lid color for worms, that works for sheep, right?


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 17, 2012)

It's really almost impossible to tell by those pics.  Do you have any hand shears or clippers?  I really would try to crutch the ewes (trim all the wool away from vulva/tail/udder/lower belly areas.  Then you'll actually be able to see any udders and keep a better eye on them.


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## secuono (Jan 17, 2012)

I have hand shears, but they wiggle, I don't know where what is yet and they work odd. Also, no pen to trick them into and they seem to have learned a lead = being caught...Pony is telling them stories...lol.


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## secuono (Jan 18, 2012)

Bought a shearer. Do you shave the ram's parts, too? If so, how and how long can you wait to do it or is it yearly like everyone else?


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## SheepGirl (Jan 18, 2012)

secuono said:
			
		

> November picture you can still see where the shaved and non-shaved wool meets. It's prolly hard to see because it's blurry and a small picture. Back left leg is smooth, back of neck is thick and messy.
> 
> His wool grows tiny braided-like dreadlocks, is that normal?? Mainly on his neck, ewes don't have any wool like that.
> 
> Checking the eye lid color for worms, that works for sheep, right?


I can kind of see what you're talking about in the second picture. Third picture I can also kind of see it.

About the wool--yes, that is normal. My 3/4 Babydoll ram has wool as you described on his neck as well.

You do check the eye lid for anemia, which is a sign of only ONE type of worm, the barberpole worm. There are many different types of worms (internal parasites), but if your sheep act unthrifty, lose weight, get bottlejaw, etc then that could be a sign that they're wormy.

As for EXTERNAL parasites, there are many types as well--keds, lice, ticks, etc--and you will see them when you shear your sheep or if you part their wool. Usually they act itchy, their wool breaks and will leave patches of very short wool, or they will rub their wool off onto a post or something trying to relieve the itch.



			
				secuono said:
			
		

> Bought a shearer. Do you shave the ram's parts, too? If so, how and how long can you wait to do it or is it yearly like everyone else?


Yes, you do have to shear the ram's parts as well. Absolutely positively MAKE SURE you do not shear off his sheath. And with ewes, make sure you don't shear off one or both of their teats or accidentally cut their vulva. Babydolls only need to be sheared once a year and you cut the wool completely off their entire body. No need to miss any parts. But with Babydolls, they do have wool on their face and legs. Do shear the wool on their face, but you don't have to shear the wool on their legs. I know one shearer that doesn't, but our current shearer (Emily Chamelin) does.

Are you going to be shearing them standing up or will you tip them?

ETA: Also make sure you don't cut off the ram's teats, either. They won't be prominent and sticking out like a ewe's but the possibility is there.


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## secuono (Jan 19, 2012)

I was out giving them more hay yesterday and the wool doesn't come off. But all do sometimes rub their backs on a wood board on their side of the barn. Don't see anything but nice, white wool when I part it. They don't do it all the time, maybe once a day they are actually in the barn. 
I'm going to shear them which ever way they cooperate and works for the both of us.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 19, 2012)

I was talking about crutching the ewes to check for udders and to help lambs find the teats.  If that's the shearing you're doing, then you do not have to crutch the ram, unless you're wondering if he's bred.


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## secuono (Jan 19, 2012)

No, I just didn't know if ram parts are sheared yearly like the rest of them, every other year or something. 
Shears should come in next week, that's my guess at least. Will post how it went....

BTW, should I vaccinate the ram with the CDT shot when I do the ewes as well?


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 19, 2012)

secuono said:
			
		

> BTW, should I vaccinate the ram with the CDT shot when I do the ewes as well?


Yep!


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