# Lambs born in harsh temps



## KatahdinMomma (Jan 17, 2017)

Hey all! 
Our worst fear confirmed today when our mama lamb birthed about 20 min ago. It's 0°f and the lamb is shivering under a heat lamp inside the barn. We are concerned for hypothermia. Any suggestions? We are about to bring her in and bottle feed. 

Also,  has anybody heard of adding a organic free ranged egg to goat milk to sub for colostrum? I have a friend suggesting,  but had never heard of this before. Thanks so much! I love having this community to reach out to!


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 17, 2017)

can you make a warming barrel- we used a plastic food grade barrel- cut a hole out of the side big enough for our kids to get in and out of and then a hole in the top to secure a heat lamp with a 75 watt red bulb in.  The barrel gave our kids a warm place to get into and yet stay with the doe.  I don't have any good pictures of the barrel but you can do an online search and hopefully get some more information on it.

Congrats on the new lamb!


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## babsbag (Jan 17, 2017)

How to build a barrel.
http://onpasture.com/2014/03/03/dont-burn-down-your-barn/

I have never heard of the eggs as a substitute for colostrum. The colostrum has antibodies in it that eggs won't have. If you can't get colostrum from mom I would get the colostrum replacement from a feed store. 

You can also put a dog coat on the baby, or an old sweatshirt, put the head through the neck and front legs in the sleeves.


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## mysunwolf (Jan 17, 2017)

I agree with all of the above. As long as the lamb stays dry, the sweater is an awesome idea! I hate heat lamps, but this is definitely the time to use one. Don't bottle feed her--if you can, just make a pen for mom in the barn and bring the lamb out to nurse multiple times a day. Once she has a few feedings of colostrum in her she should be better adapted to the elements. Please let us know how she does!


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## Latestarter (Jan 17, 2017)

The colostrum is extremely important and best if she can get it from mom ASAP after birth and drying off. Congrats on your new addition! Hope you'll share some pics when you can


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## Sheepshape (Jan 18, 2017)

Agree with what's already said. Keep her and mom in as draught-free an environment as possible. See my avatar as to ideas for keeping warm.(this was a chihuahua coat on a tiny scrap of a lamb). Here's another .
example with a small dog coat. A baby sweater is also fine, but the dog coats cover more of the body. Sweaters are better with ewe lambs than ram lambs as the ram lambs tend to soak the sweater if it is too long.






Mum's colostrum is the right food for her. 

If she has become hypothermic, warm her up before trying to feed anything to her.

If the lamb isn't walking around, then place her in a cardboard box under the heat lamp. If she's walking around, generally she will be fine. Don't worry too much about the shivering....it;s pretty normal after birth and stops once they are dry.

Please keep us informed as to how she is doing(and post pics......everyone loves lamb pics.)


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## purplequeenvt (Jan 18, 2017)

Lambs shiver and shake after they are born. Completely normal! If you are ever concerned about hypothermia, start by taking a temperature. NEVER feed a chilled lamb! 

Chances are good that if the lamb had only been born 20 minutes before, that it is perfectly fine. We routinely have lambs in that temperature or lower that do just fine. The main thing is to make sure that they get up and get a good nurse.


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## KatahdinMomma (Jan 18, 2017)

Thanks everyone! Everyone is good an fine. We got everyone towels off and under heat lamps and all problems averted.


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## Latestarter (Jan 18, 2017)




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## Sheepshape (Jan 19, 2017)

Looking good....well done. Oh, but that blanket will never be the same again, meconium seems to be able to withstand pretty much any attempt to was it out! (Not that THAT is going to trouble you right now).


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## Mike CHS (Jan 19, 2017)

I'm really glad things worked out like they did but ditto on that blanket.


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## KatahdinMomma (Jan 19, 2017)

Sheepshape said:


> Looking good....well done. Oh, but that blanket will never be the same again, meconium seems to be able to withstand pretty much any attempt to was it out! (Not that THAT is going to trouble you right now).



It was a $4 emergency keep-the-animals-born-in-the-depths-of-winter-blanket, hahaha! Actually came in handy.


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## Baymule (Jan 19, 2017)

I have "animal towels" that are thick, fluffy and white. I bleach them 2-3 times in a row, then wash again with vinegar. They might still be a little stained, but by golly, they are CLEAN! LOL

Beautiful lamb, congrats on a healthy lamb!


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## soarwitheagles (Feb 10, 2017)

Golly,

After seeing all the hard work and incredible effort you all make to help your lambs, I feel like a totally mean, hard-hearted, uncaring, really bad villain!

Your lambs are so cute, and every piece of wool appears perfectly in place, dry lambing pen, custom cold weather coats, colorful blankets. etc...  Gosh, please promise me, whatever you do, DON'T tell my wife or our lambs or our ewes that there is a much better life available!

Now I feel as if I am an extremely poor provider, a somewhat abusive manager, and a really bad shepherd...

If my lambs ever find out what life COULD be like, they might barbecue me!

I think I should go for counseling or psychological evaluation...is there any law and jail time for abusing sheep?  I may need a lawyer.


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## babsbag (Feb 10, 2017)

One of the big differences is the number of sheep and the reason for the sheep; often times it is the difference between business and pleasure.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 10, 2017)

babsbag said:


> One of the big differences is the number of sheep and the reason for the sheep; often times it is the difference between business and pleasure.


 I'm sure you're right.I wish I could get that balance right  . Well,no, actually I really don't! 

My ewes are expecting around about a hundred lambs, due to start 'dropping' within a month, and I'm going to feel responsible and sad about each and every birth which 'goes wrong'. No doubt I will be to blame for not spotting/intervening/leaving alone some deliveries, but some won't be due to my ineptitude (but I'll still feel responsible).I'll lose sleep, shed tears, feel proud and generally go through emotional turmoil during lambing.

What is a long-term cold-hating vegetarian doing with sheep anyway? I ask myself at time....so does my OH.

Whatever, I feel some comfort from knowing that I do my level best for them, they are well-cared for, and I treat them as the sentient beings they are. So I think I am keeping them as pets, really.


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## soarwitheagles (Feb 12, 2017)

Well, you are all treating your sheep much better than us.  Little by little, my paradigm has shifted...before I saw them as cute little animals...now I see our sheep as super time saving lawn mowers, exotic zoo animals that our neighbors adore, emergency back up food, and last, but certainly not least, I see each new lamb as a valuable two hundred dollar bill...definitely do not see many altruistic motives here on our side of the ranch....


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 12, 2017)

Well @soarwitheagles , there is a difference from an "Object" that ya can make a little from selling....like a business with "Product"; and, one ya take in...share your "World" with and are a part of that "World"....the difference is whether it is done with the "Head", or done with the "Heart".
I'm not saying one is better than the other, but that is the difference....IMO.
My animals share my "World" and I am honored by tending to them....instead of "Serving" me.


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## CntryBoy777 (Feb 12, 2017)

KatahdinMomma said:


> Thanks everyone! Everyone is good an fine. We got everyone towels off and under heat lamps and all problems averted.


Sure are some sweet little ones ya got there....Congradulations!!


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## RuralFarmGirl (Feb 16, 2017)

Loving reading everyone's experiences. I'm definitely falling in love with our animals even if they are going to be meat. At least falling in love with raising them

Our sheep are not as pampered as a lot of sheep I see here. They are currently in a permanent outdoor pen with a 3-sided shelter. We keep adding foraging leaves and twigs raked up from the yard as they finish what's in thier pen. It's good to keep them busy when they aren't eating their daily hay or grain rations. I keep feeling a little bad that they don't have a big cozy barn but then I keep realizing that they are very happy as they are! We went back and forth a lot as we considered lambing options but ultimately came to keeping mom and babies within view of the flock too not cause stress and make their transition go well. We are waiting on lambs currently but when they arrive we'll seperate them and momma into the shelter by a cattle panel for a few days of bonding before giving them full access to the rest. I appreciated the conversation about different farming styles. Sharing a few pictures of my sheep enjoying thier home-wondering who else has a simuliar setup!


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## KatahdinMomma (Feb 22, 2017)

RuralFarmGirl said:


> Loving reading everyone's experiences. I'm definitely falling in love with our animals even if they are going to be meat. At least falling in love with raising them
> 
> Our sheep are not as pampered as a lot of sheep I see here. They are currently in a permanent outdoor pen with a 3-sided shelter. We keep adding foraging leaves and twigs raked up from the yard as they finish what's in thier pen. It's good to keep them busy when they aren't eating their daily hay or grain rations. I keep feeling a little bad that they don't have a big cozy barn but then I keep realizing that they are very happy as they are! We went back and forth a lot as we considered lambing options but ultimately came to keeping mom and babies within view of the flock too not cause stress and make their transition go well. We are waiting on lambs currently but when they arrive we'll seperate them and momma into the shelter by a cattle panel for a few days of bonding before giving them full access to the rest. I appreciated the conversation about different farming styles. Sharing a few pictures of my sheep enjoying thier home-wondering who else has a simuliar setup!


After seeing everyone's post (haven't logged in a while obviously!) ya'll are so kind! Our climate had 3ft min of snow this year,  and all winter I've been stressing on the amount of nastiness in the barn. Next year we want a set up like this,  3 sided shelter in the pasture and have the barn for a medical shelter. We only have 14 sheep,  including the lambs btw,  so dramatically different ad to the large herd! Also,  they are meat sheep with an intended purpose to fill our families freezer. Though,  I'm new to sheep,  and homesteading in general,  and am still learning g where my lines cross!


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## Mike CHS (Feb 22, 2017)

We all have different reasons for keeping whatever livestock we have.  We do now and will always have some sort of shelter available.  Many we know have only an emergency shelter but they lose a number of lambs when the weather is nasty.

Nice to see you posting and more are always welcome.


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## RuralFarmGirl (Mar 19, 2017)

Hey guys. Wanted to update you that my first lamb has arrived. It was probably 35* or so the Friday when he was born. Momma cleaned him off and they were both up and moving around when we found him. Everything went great and he is doing splendid!!


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## Mike CHS (Mar 19, 2017)

One of the most pleasant sights is watching that little tail start wagging when they are getting milk.


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## Baymule (Mar 19, 2017)

Congrats on the new baby, he's adorable!


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## KatahdinMomma (Mar 21, 2017)

RuralFarmGirl said:


> Hey guys. Wanted to update you that my first lamb has arrived. It was probably 35* or so the Friday when he was born. Momma cleaned him off and they were both up and moving around when we found him. Everything went great and he is doing splendid!!


Awwww, precious. Congrats!


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## Latestarter (Mar 21, 2017)

Congrats! what a cutie!


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## Sheepshape (Mar 22, 2017)

Lovely little face!

The weather here is dire....very low temperatures and sleet/snow with driving winds. It's a real struggle to try to keep the lambs and mums safe.


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## RuralFarmGirl (Mar 23, 2017)

Sheepshape said:


> Lovely little face!
> 
> The weather here is dire....very low temperatures and sleet/snow with driving winds. It's a real struggle to try to keep the lambs and mums safe.



I'm definitely feeling less stressed about caring for my sheep. I felt like my shelter was less than optimal but she's been doing soo good with the lamb, and he's been thriving. Getting out of the wet is definitely a need though(in my understanding anyhow.) they seem to deal pretty well with everything else!


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## Latestarter (Mar 23, 2017)

It's funny... it seems like goats think they'll melt if they get wet, while sheep just don't seem to care... unless it's a torrential downpour... Sheep will just lay down out in the snow and end up with a snow blanket covering them in a storm, while goats many times won't even set hoof in snow... Always the exception to the norm though


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## Mike CHS (Mar 23, 2017)

Everything I read said sheep don't like to be in a shelter and what we have found is that in decent weather they prefer being outdoors.  Our sheep will go into their shelters even with a light mist even when it's warm out.  They may not have gotten that way since they did not know what a shelter was till we put them inside when it was freezing out and they didn't have their winter coats yet.  They then begged to be let in with the ewes with new lambs all warm and cozy.


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## RuralFarmGirl (Mar 23, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> It's funny... it seems like goats think they'll melt if they get wet, while sheep just don't seem to care... unless it's a torrential downpour... Sheep will just lay down out in the snow and end up with a snow blanket covering them in a storm, while goats many times won't even set hoof in snow... Always the exception to the norm though


Agreed. They don't seem to mind walking or laying out in the snow. And even a non stop drizzle didn't faze them-just down pouring rain ussually keeps them inside for the most part.


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