# -Resolved- LAMB JUST BORN! HELP? Don't know if I should interfere; not really prepared for this



## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

My GCN ewe just gave birth, even though I THOUGHT she was due at the beginning of February. Her udder is roundish, but small and I'm concerned about the lamb getting enough milk. She seems to latch on and suckle for a moment, but mom turns and baby loses her grip. Mom is a bit flighty, and harder for baby to catch when I get too close. The roads are frozen, but I don't have any colostrum or milk replacer. What should I do? Help a first-time lambing idiot out.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

Also, I just heard the words "up to 25 degrees" followed with a woot to describe the temperature. This is the coldest weather I have ever seen in Texas.
It's sunny, but the ground is cold and wet from yesterday's rain and snow.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

Also, I suspect there is a twin yet to come.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

Baby has passed meconium; does that mean she's getting milk?


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## mysunwolf (Jan 17, 2018)

Childwanderer said:


> Baby has passed meconium; does that mean she's getting milk?



Yes, meconium is a great sign and usually means they've gotten at least a bit of milk! Keep watching for a few hours if you have the time and make sure you see her suckle a good deal of that time. Sounds like you should be good, though. Keep them dry, and congrats!


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

I just saw something white and creamy at the corner of baby girl's mouth, so I guess she's getting good stuff. 
I'll post pictures when I can. I just wish the ground was dry! I'm afraid to move them into the barn because mom/Cherry gets nervous when I get close and I think she has another baby to birth.


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## mysunwolf (Jan 17, 2018)

I'd personally make a 6'x6' stall out of pallets or panels, grab the baby, and have her follow the lamb into the stall in the barn. But I am very hands on with my sheep, they are not too skittish. And we definitely need pictures!!


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

The other sheep were harassing baby, so we moved the interlopers away into another paddock. Does that look like a second bubble/amnion coming out of mama?


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

I'm just gonna be spamming this forum.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)




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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)




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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

All our rag towels were wrapping pipes for the freeze, so we put down good house towels on the muddy pasture to give the lamb a warm dry place to stand.


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## Latestarter (Jan 17, 2018)

You are a GOOD lamb grandmomma! Dilly Dilly! You know you're a good owner when you forfeit the good house towels for your livestock!   Congrats on the new lamb! Have you sexed it yet? Hope you got a ewe lamb  Looks like mom is being very attentive!   Hope you have a twin coming.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

Thanks! Yes, it is a ewe lamb. Eyes wide open and hopes high for a twin.


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## Latestarter (Jan 17, 2018)

Gonna be another really cold one tonight before the warming starts tomorrow... Do you have a little pet sweater you can put on the lamb for tonight or maybe a warming jug (barrel with a dog house style opening and a heat light inside) for the lamb(s) to use to stay warm tonight? Or maybe you have a warmer barn they can stay in...


 



You don't really need a red heat lamp... just a high wattage regular bulb. Enough to knock off the chill.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

Only have the one barn. We're making a farm store trip in a couple of minutes; I'll have them look for a lamb coat while they are there. Cherry/mama sheep is pawing the ground and fidgeting. My teenaged brother says he saw her belly wiggle like there was a baby still moving in there.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 17, 2018)

Placenta passed; baby girl practicing jumping around.


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2018)

That is a good sign when the placenta is passed. Congrats on the beautiful lamb.


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## Sheepshape (Jan 18, 2018)

I've just woken up to your news. Congratulations. Keep them warm and dry and mum well fed and watered. Iodine on the navels if you haven't already done so.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 18, 2018)

Thanks! I applied iodine to the lamb's navel. I've been sleeping with them in the barn, so I can confirm that both big and little girl are regularly getting up to eat and urinate. It's now 1:22 am and 22 degrees Fahrenheit.


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## Sheepshape (Jan 18, 2018)

Childwander....if they are safe, feeding and warm,it's time you went off to your own bed.......

And, once more, congratulations to you all.


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## Baymule (Jan 18, 2018)

I remember my first lamb a couple of years ago. I woke up, rushed out to be greeted not by ONE set of twins, but TWO ewes had twins! My excitement was over the moon!

I totally understand your love, devotion and excitement. You are a excellent sheep Mommy.


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## Latestarter (Jan 18, 2018)

Ummmm OK, I have to agree with the common sense approach... since they are both doing well, time to sleep in your own bed.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 18, 2018)

Haha! I'm sleeping inside tonight I introduced them to the livestock guard donkey today. He seems to approve of the new addition, and should keep them safe.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 24, 2018)

Childwanderer said:


> My GCN ewe just gave birth, even though I THOUGHT she was due at the beginning of February. Her udder is roundish, but small and I'm concerned about the lamb getting enough milk. She seems to latch on and suckle for a moment, but mom turns and baby loses her grip. Mom is a bit flighty, and harder for baby to catch when I get too close. The roads are frozen, but I don't have any colostrum or milk replacer. What should I do? Help a first-time lambing idiot out.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 24, 2018)

Is this her first time lambing?  First timers often take a bit to figure things out. Sounds like she is nervous and doesn't quite know what to do. Keep them in small pen. Catch the ewe and tie her then put the lamp on the teat. If lamb doesn't latch on check that milk is coming out. The test opening is protected by a waxy plug that usually comes out when the lamb nurses. If lamb is not super strong it can't suck out the plug and won't keep nursing if it doesn't get milk. Once the lamb learns to nurse and the ewe learns the lamb is hers everything will be fine. Ewe's udder will get larger as she makes more milk as lamb grows. Once lamb learns to nurse it will be ok. DON'T try to take lamb and bottle feed!  Ewe and lamb need to bond. Ewe's milk will come in. If you are concerned that lamb is not eating gently pinch lower sides of lamb's body. It will feel ful if lamb is eating. If lamb is not eating sides will feel like empty sock.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 24, 2018)

Just saw this is an older post so my info not needed. Glad everything is ok. Congrats on twins!


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## Childwanderer (Jan 24, 2018)

Thanks! It turns out we had a singleton, actually. Both mom and baby are doing great.


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## ducks4you (Jan 24, 2018)

Congratulations!  I think that milk replacer comes in a powder?  Next time buy ahead of time.  I stock up on bedding in the winter ahead of the storms and we were in the deep freeze, off and on for 3 weeks, -22 degrees F wind chill for several days in a row!!  Agreed, don't use a heat lamp.  Somebody locally burned their barn down with one of those, keeping their chicks warm.  You only need to create a box without drafts, but allowing for air flow.  I created this for my chickens under their wooden coop to make a wind shelter and I just used plywood pieces supported by cinder blocks.  Plywood is cheap and you probably have extra pieces stored. 

Spot clean and replace the bedding every day.  Lambies come with a coat and whatEVER bedding you have your critters will lay down in it and the heat will radiate back on them.  Plus she has her mom to lay against.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 24, 2018)

Yes, next time I'll definitely stock up in advance! The lamb, whom we have named Chinchilla, is one week old and has moved with her mother out of the barn into the rotational paddock with the rest of the flock. She is high-energy and in good health. Yesterday she started testing the other sheep's patiences, jumping on them and systematically making herself the maximum nuisance to them. She is learning about grazing, too. she'll mimic her mom eating and gum on grass and hay. She's so cute! She tolerates petting well and lets us hold her for cuddles.


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## Childwanderer (Jan 24, 2018)

It hasn't rained or gone below freezing since they left the barn, so they're enjoying the weather. I felt the time was right to bring her back to the flock from a combination of weather forecast and watching the mom's behavior. She switched from being apathetic about the stall door to eagerly hovering around the door with her lamb close beside her, hoping to be let out. I still put out bedding for them and they have a rain-wind-and-sun shelter on the pasture.


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## RathdrumGal (Jan 24, 2018)

Nursemate Lamb ASAP is a fantastic product.  It is an electrolyte/ probiotic gel that you squirt into the corners of the newborn's mouth.  It gives the newborn energy until they can find the teat and start getting colostrum.  It helps weak newborns.  I know it has saved some weak babies.  I now use it routinely for all of my lambs and kid newborns.  Go slow when you squirt it in and make sure the babies are swallowing, you don't want the babies to aspirate.  Buy some to have on hand for those middle of the night births. One syringe does about 4 babies.


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## RathdrumGal (Jan 24, 2018)

Childwanderer said:


> Yes, next time I'll definitely stock up in advance! The lamb, whom we have named Chinchilla, is one week old and has moved with her mother out of the barn into the rotational paddock with the rest of the flock. She is high-energy and in good health. Yesterday she started testing the other sheep's patiences, jumping on them and systematically making herself the maximum nuisance to them. She is learning about grazing, too. she'll mimic her mom eating and gum on grass and hay. She's so cute! She tolerates petting well and lets us hold her for cuddles.



So happy to hear that things are going well!  You sound like my DH -- he is so proud every time one of our goat kids passes a developmental milestone!

May I recommend a baby box if your lamb is now out with the other adult sheep?  A baby box is simply a three sided wooden box laid on it's side.  It is tall enough so that the baby can crawl in to sleep and be protected from the other adult sheep, but not so tall that the other sheep can get it.  It gives lambs and kids a snuggly place to sleep and get away from the adults.  We have lost kids who were possibly crushed by my full sized sheep.  Some pens have feeders that serve the same purpose.


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