# Ewe udder development question...



## Parsnip

I feel like such a newbie asking this question...
But I'm raising (possibly pregnant) hair sheep for the first time.

Two of my ewes are scheduled to lamb early-mid January.
That is, if they were bred. Both being exposed to a ram.
I also have another maiden ewe that should be due in mid Feb. (I saw her being bred)

With the two ewes supposed to be coming up, when will their udders develop?
I need some expert eyes/advise, and I thought I might find it here?

Also can you tell a ewe is pregnant by looking at her?
I have doubts that my ladies have buns in the oven... but I'll post pictures!



 
If Wendy is pregnant, she should be due the middle of next month.
What do you all think?




This is Wendy again, and her first lamb, MaryEllen. I'm hoping MaryEllen took when she was bred to the ram we had. If little miss MaryEllen is pregnant, she should be due in mid February.




Lastly, there is this maiden ewe. She was exposed to a ram in August before I purchased her... but I have no idea if she took or not. She is scheduled to lamb the first week of January... but I really don't know with her! I guess she could have a little lamb tucked up away in there?

I hope this wasn't a weird post? I'm just really curious!!!
Thank you all for looking.


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## bonbean01

No, this is not a weird post!!!!  All good questions, but not a whole lot of good answers from me.  First off, when I'm looking to see if my sheep are showing, I do best looking at them from behind or front...looking to see if there is a noticeable baby bump, from the side view I can't tell.  As for udders...some of ours get a big udder a few weeks before lambing, and some a few days before lambing...depends on each ewe.  I lift tails to see if there is any puffy and redness in the girlie parts too when they are getting closer, or I think they are getting closer. 

Congrats on getting your first hair sheep!!!!  And wishing you a very good lambing season


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## Parsnip

Thanks for replying!

Let me pull up some pics of them from the front and back....




This one has Wendy from the front, and MaryEllen from the back.
Both pictures taken within the last 30 days.




Here's one of Pax from behind and below a little... (omg look at her black nipples how did I not notice that before)

I also took a picture of Wendy's udder just cause.


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## SheepGirl

There is not much to their udders yet. If they are pregnant, since they are in their last month of pregnancy, make sure you have plenty of loose sheep mineral available to them and also start them on either high quality hay or grain (ideal). 70% of fetal growth occurs in the last month, you need to make sure they have enough nutrients to grow their lamb(s).

Look in my 2013 Lambing Thread to see photos of my bred ewes.


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## Sheepshape

None of the 3 girls look very 'round' to me and Pax's udder doesn't look like that of a pregnant ewe BUT as bonbean01 and Sheepgirl have already said,some ewes are quite late ( a month or so) in showing their condition. the udders of 'first timers' are also notoriously slow to develop.
This is the typical profile of a pregnant ewe


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## bonbean01

Glad you posted that pic Sheepshape as my pics of preggo ewes in their last month were on my old and crashed computer, and I am too wimpy to go out in the cold this morning to take photos of our gals due in January. 

Parsnip, is it possible your due dates are wrong?  None are looking very large in the photos, but I am no expert and I am known for keeping my sheep a little rounder than most people do year round.  My concern is being sure I don't let the mamas in waiting get too fat, which can cause problems with birthing.


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## Parsnip

THANK YOU FOR THE PICTURES.
It's possible that I have Wendy's due date wrong.
She was with a ram a long time before I purchased her.
Then I had rams leased to me and they were with the two brown ewes for a month and a half.
It didn't look like Wendy went back into heat when the two rams were at my place.
MaryEllen was possible bred to one of the rams. I saw it happen, but she might not have taken to it.
Then again, Wendy could have been bred then, but I just didn't see.
So it's possible that Wendy and MaryEllen's due dates are both in Feb, not Jan.

It wouldn't surprise me if Pax wasn't bred!
She was with a ram for about a month before I got her, and not all the ewes in her group were bred the first time.
But that is okay, this will be my first time lookin' after lambs, and I think I'd rather have less, than more to start.

I'll keep a look out with MaryEllen, and maybe next month she will start to show a bit!
Thank you for all the information on everything!
I will definitely keep y'all updated with my ewes if that's alright 

THANKS


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## bonbean01

If that's alright????  Ohhhh...you are going to love us sheep people on here...we can't get enough of this lambing...ever...LOLOL....hope you do keep us updated!


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## bonbean01

p.s....we were all newbies in the beginning of having sheep...I often still feel like a newbie and the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know!!! 
Wishing you great success and you will love, love, love, those baby lambies!!!!


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## Parsnip

Yes yes I'm definitely learning as I go!
Sheep seem to be easier to take care of than pigs though. lol
Pigs are a terror.

If there are lambs I will ABSOLUTELY be posting pics.
And if there's not lambs I'll still post pics of my sheepies.


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## bonbean01

Sounds good!  And I do hope you get some lambs!!!


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## alsea1

Wendy never got very big on her first preg. A few weeks before birth her udder started to expand. 
It could be that with the size of black belly sheep that they just don't get huge.  
My group has yet to twin, so that may come into play as well. I cannot remember if Wendy's mom twinned or not. 
You can't tell with my black belly sheep by looking at them. They hide it.  
The udders do not get overly big either.


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