# Rosie's lambing thread: The wait is over! Welcome Rasputin!



## luvmypets

Well I have been gone for a while and I've been debating posting a lambing thread, so here goes. Well I think I will start off with the sad news. Im heartbroken to say this, but Lily passed away to a severe case of bloat about a month ago . Long story short we learned our lesson and now all food is locked up. Rosie and Clover got treated and I can't wait to show you guys how beautiful clover has become. Her tail is docked, her fleece trimmed and she is a beautiful and healthy yearling.

And now for the good news 

So after two years of being on this forum, and the INSANE amount of advice I got, I put it all to good use. And so around October 15th Rosie went in with Reggie our ram. They stayed together for about a month, before I pulled her. So anyways.. She was _very _shy with him, and for weeks I debated if she was bred. Well I am so delighted to say she is in fact pregnant  I was seriously doubting her for the longest time, but as the weeks have gone by I've noticed her right side (if I have directions mixed up, its definitely the side with the baby ) is starting to poke out, and yesterday I felt the beginning of some udder development.

So here goes more months of being paranoid  But hey, I have plenty of time to prepare. And I'm going to try to take it easy until the last few weeks, but knowing me that's not going to happen. I will upload some pictures of Clover and Rosie later. I'm just praying this lambing season goes without any hiccups


----------



## mysunwolf

Glad you're back! I'll be following and can't wait to see what happens with Clover and Rosie


----------



## Poka_Doodle

Glad your back. I'm excited to follow your thread.


----------



## luvmypets

Here is Clover 

Then



Now

Horrible quality, also Rosie has a very weird clip on her face(from the summer, idk it wasnt us). And Pumpkin the chicken decided to visit


----------



## Poka_Doodle

So cute.
Lol, I used to have a chicken named Pumpkin. Let's just hope she doesn't have the sake thing happen that my Pumpkin had. My Pumpkin passed on Halloween


----------



## luvmypets

Poka_Doodle said:


> So cute.
> Lol, I used to have a chicken named Pumpkin. Let's just hope she doesn't have the sake thing happen that my Pumpkin had. My Pumpkin passed on Halloween


Lets hope not, but she is quite adventurous


----------



## Goat Whisperer

I am so sorry about Lily, I know she was very special to you 

You have really been through it, but I'm glad you aren't giving up and are doing what you can to remedy the situation. 

I'm hoping all goes well with Rosie & Clover!  They are pretty cute 

Are they still at the farm 5 minutes from you? I remember last time you on here you said you didn't live on the same property. 

Welcome back!


----------



## Poka_Doodle

luvmypets said:


> Lets hope not, but she is quite adventurous


Hmm, seems like ours have something in common. Does she like to play "games" with you


----------



## luvmypets

Goat Whisperer said:


> I am so sorry about Lily, I know she was very special to you
> 
> You have really been through it, but I'm glad you aren't giving up and are doing what you can to remedy the situation.
> 
> I'm hoping all goes well with Rosie & Clover!  They are pretty cute
> 
> Are they still at the farm 5 minutes from you? I remember last time you on here you said you didn't live on the same property.
> 
> Welcome back!



Thank you  It was very hard to loose her, but I got to be with her during her final breaths and for me to be there comforting her felt good because she was always my favorite ewe. However I still wish I could've gotten one more lamb out of her 

And yes we still have our animals on the same property. And I doubt we will move anytime soon, it just wouldn't be convenient.


----------



## luvmypets

Poka_Doodle said:


> Hmm, seems like ours have something in common. Does she like to play "games" with you


Not games, but she likes to escape her stall, and the chicken run. When she was a month old she ventured into the dog pen . Needless to say we are never surprised if she's somewhere she's not supposed to be


----------



## Poka_Doodle

luvmypets said:


> Not games, but she likes to escape her stall, and the chicken run. When she was a month old she ventured into the dog pen . Needless to say we are never surprised if she's somewhere she's not supposed to be


The reason I asked was because my girl liked to play what she thought was hide and seek, to me it was "where is Pumpkin?". Also she was a showmanship bird and thought the only time I was aloud to hold her was during a show


----------



## Latestarter

Welcome back! Good to see you here again. Thanks for starting the thread, I'll be here with the rest, waiting on stories and pics...   Really sorry to hear about lily's loss.  Glad you were there with her at the end. Hope everything with your lambing is successful.


----------



## goatgurl

welcome back luvmypets.  will be watching for the new babies.  and so sorry you lost lily.  i lost my favorite milk goat last summer when my sil forgot to lock the gate and she got into the feed bin.  it hurts your heart.


----------



## luvmypets

Here is her tummy from the other day  Not a lot yet, but hey we got something to look forward to.


----------



## Goatgirl47

I don't have sheep, but I'm excited to see the lamb(s)! I love kidding/lambing/calving threads. 

Both Rosie and Clover are beautiful! I'm sorry you lost Lily.


----------



## norseofcourse

I am so sorry to hear you lost Lily  
I hope everything goes well this year!


----------



## luvmypets

I thought Lily was bad about me touching her belly... My god Rosie starts to kick if I even as much as brush my hand against her side. I'm very excited, her udder is starting to show a teeny tiny bit.

Thinking she is due march. And now that I think of it there is no way she can't be pregnant..  Well there is , but looking back she went with Reggie more than a month.

Ok wow, I probably have three months of waiting, but I'm super excited!


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

Sorry you lost Lily!  It's not easy to lose them! 
Aww, congratulations!! Best wishes for Rosie's pregnancy and delivery!


----------



## luvmypets

Got to see Rosie today 
She is looking great, her belly is getting bigger every day. Ugh, I am so impatient, but can you blame me? All these kidding threads, I need some babies 

Also, Clover is finally starting to put on some weight. She had lost a lot after her near-death experience with bloat, but now she is filling out nicely.I will try to get some pictures in the next few days


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Glad Clover is gaining her weight back, poor baby! 

I could have kids in as little as 5 days 

I know how you feel though. We didn't have anyone kid this fall, I was having withdraws when everyone would post the fall kid pics!


----------



## Baymule

Glad you are back! I hope your Rosie has twins for you!


----------



## Baymule

Glad you are back! I hope your Rosie has twins for you!


----------



## Baymule

Glad you are back! I hope your Rosie has twins for you!


----------



## luvmypets

Goat Whisperer said:


> Glad Clover is gaining her weight back, poor baby!
> 
> *I could have kids in as little as 5 days *
> 
> I know how you feel though. We didn't have anyone kid this fall, I was having withdraws when everyone would post the fall kid pics!



Well, I don't see a kidding thread  -hint- -hint-

Just make sure you give pictures... LOTS of pictures  (you can post em here I don't mind)


----------



## Goatgirl47

I agree with @luvmypets. @Goat Whisperer you need a kidding thread - with lots of pictures!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

I may have to do that  Pretty busy right now, so I might have to post pics once they are here. Do y'all remember my doe that quads last year? She is due in a few day  She is huge, looks like a beached whale right now  She isn't as big as last year though, so who knows what shes gonna kid out this year.

I'm hoping to keep some doelings this year 

I need to go shave udders and muck pens! I'm super excited. Gonna bottle feed all the kids again this year.


----------



## luvmypets

Goat Whisperer said:


> I may have to do that  Pretty busy right now, so I might have to post pics once they are here. Do y'all remember my doe that quads last year? She is due in a few day  She is huge, looks like a beached whale right now  She isn't as big as last year though, so who knows what shes gonna kid out this year.
> 
> I'm hoping to keep some doelings this year
> 
> I need to go shave udders and muck pens! I'm super excited. Gonna bottle feed all the kids again this year.




Oooh, is she Bunny's mom? So exciting !


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Yep! She is HUGE! Her udder is starting to boom now. It got huge over night. Ligs are getting softer and she is miserable. Poor girl. 

She could kid as early as this Saturday! I'm super excited!


----------



## luvmypets

Goat Whisperer said:


> Yep! She is HUGE! Her udder is starting to boom now. It got huge over night. Ligs are getting softer and she is miserable. Poor girl.
> 
> She could kid as early as this Saturday! I'm super excited!


Keep us posted  All I know is when I can have my own animals , Nigerians are #1 on my list


----------



## luvmypets

Does anyone else just question that their animal has conceived for the longest time. Like one day their side is poking out, but the next they are skinny. Like even if Rosie's rumen is full she looks skinnier(as in there is no baby). But I worry and stress over every little thing so it's probably nothing and, she will literally start bucking if I touch her underbelly. But I will keep an eye on her and make sure she is progressing as she should. I am thinking she is due late-march into April, as I really don't know the exact due date. I would have a better idea of her due date, but for some reason our marking harness got put on back order  and not to mention I never saw Reggie(ram) actually do the deed, however she was with him for over a month and then some so I feel like she HAS to be pregnant. 
So, very early to start preparing for the actual lambing, but I can't help but be worried out of my mind. Most of you know I lost my ewe mammy and her twins to a freak accident during lambing last year. So anyways I think for any sheoples out there, what do I need for vaccinating Rosie, I know of CD&T and I read that selenium is a must have. Also, how big should our lambing jug be, I read something like 6x8. And any other advice is welcome from anyone experienced with lambing (or kidding) 


And here's a little backround on Rosie: So we bought her as a first time mother and Clover was a month old. There is some confusion regarding how the birth went down, so I remember when we first got her my dad mentioned that Rosie just dropped clover in a field no problems. But as I went to discuss it later my dad mentioned Rosie dropped her and left  Then he said "maybe a snowstorm?". I honestly don't know, but it gives me another thing to worry about because we do not have times for bottle babies, and I would hate having to get rid of them if that did happen.

Oh geez, a long paragraph and I'm not even sure she is pregnant Let the craziness begin


----------



## Latestarter

IMHO, there's not much use in getting this crazy this soon... You should really conserve that energy until it becomes really necessary! Hope she's pregnant, hope she's a good mother, hope there's no snowstorm, hope she has the lamb(s) in a controlled environment, without any stress or issues, hope you can hold out till that time comes and passes 

Edit to say: re-reading, it kinda comes across "harsh" and that wasn't my intent... I was actually trying to be lighthearted and joke with you about all the various things you can stress over and HOPE that you could put off some of it for a while.


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

I agree with @Latestarter... try not to stress out to much right now! I know it can be difficult to know if they're pregnant or not. Has she come back into heat? I don't know how sheep's heat cycles work, but if she hasn't come back into heat during the timeframe of their heat cycles, my opinion is that she's likely bred. I don't have sheep though, I have goats, and I haven't seen any of them come back into heat this year, so I'm guessing they're bred as well. 
@Baymule @SheepGirl @norseofcourse ? Any suggestions/advice? Correct me if I'm wrong too please!


----------



## Roving Jacobs

I rarely see my sheep get bred but they're always marked and even when I didn't use a marking harness I always ended up with lambs. I try not to even ponder how big or not big they are until about a month before they're due when I need to do vaccines and I give everyone's udders a grope while I'm at it. 

When I get stressed out I try to remember that there's nothing I can do while those lambs are baking (or not!). They'll come when they come and I can deal with any issues when they are actually born.


----------



## Baymule

I don't stress too much over things. They will or they won't. I bought 4 bred ewes. One miscarried and lost her lamb. My first. Darn it. Then two ewes both twinned the same night. More than made up for the one I lost. The last ewe had a brown ewe lamb. So 4 ewes gave me 5 lambs, not too bad.

Relax, enjoy them and try not to worry too much.


----------



## luvmypets

Well... I give up, after not being able to see my girls for two weeks, I finally got to see them today. And again rosie was messing with me. After she had her dinner I led her out so I could see Reggie's reaction to her, because he is a very gentle ram around expecting ewes. Not only did he court her.. She stood for him.. Maybe its all my imagination and Reggie is just.. Rambunctious? I didnt let him actually do the deed..but her tail was up for the minute I put her in. So, now I give up, I just dont know what to do.. All I wanted was one baby There is a chance she is still pregnant but I doubt it. Its so unfair, why cant we ever get this right  Four years, a handfull of lambings and Lily was the only one who made it.. I give up, but I guess there is always next year.


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

Aww!  Maybe she's trying to pull "ewe code" on you... when would her due date be? Is she a first freshener?


----------



## Latestarter

Awww... so sorry luvmypets  I hope she was just messing with you and Reggie... Is there some reason why you couldn't re-breed her now? I mean I know it would mean mid summer lambs, but is that not an option?


----------



## luvmypets

Latestarter said:


> Awww... so sorry luvmypets  I hope she was just messing with you and Reggie... Is there some reason why you couldn't re-breed her now? I mean I know it would mean mid summer lambs, but is that not an option?


Well, my ewe Lily had her baby in the summer and he got pnuemonia and passed after two weeks. There were other contributing factors, but someone said the heat was part of it, he was born on May 27.


----------



## luvmypets

So I feel bad for getting upset over nothing. Rosie is looking good and progressing nicely.

Here is a picture of the sire. This is Reggie our 3yr old ram.





I was going to take some pictures of rosie, but my phone decided to die


----------



## Latestarter

Reggie looks like a handsome fellow.


----------



## Baymule

Where did you get that sheep halter? I like it! All I have seen looks like a rope wrapped around their head and noes, but that looks like a horse halter, scaled down to a sheep size!


----------



## frustratedearthmother

@Baymule   Jeffers has them...

https://www.jefferspet.com/search?utf8=✓&animal[]=Sheep&q=halter&button=search


----------



## luvmypets

They are alpaca halters, which just happen t o fit him


----------



## Goatgirl47

luvmypets said:


> They are alpaca halters, which just happen t o fit him



I use horse/pony halters for my calves, and sheep halters/dog collars for my goats, too.


----------



## Baymule

Thanks! I bookmarked that link!


----------



## luvmypets

Rosie looked good tonight, no udder yet, but since this is her first lambing with us Im not sure when her development will start 

You can see her belly poking out 

 



Also, Clover is such a little angel. She reminds me of a big puppy


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

Aww!


----------



## luvmypets

When the vet came out for our Ram yesterday she said Rosie looks pretty far along and is due march/april


----------



## luvmypets

Got to see Rosie today. She finally has started udder development. She doesnt even look pregnant at all! Vet says she doubts Rosie has more than one in there but crazier things have happened. 

Apologies for the quality


----------



## Goat Whisperer

She is such a good girl for letting you get that pic! 

I saw your post about your ram, I am so sorry


----------



## luvmypets

Goat Whisperer said:


> She is such a good girl for letting you get that pic!
> 
> I saw your post about your ram, I am so sorry



And by good girl you mean I had to get on my belly and try like 20 times to get a good picture, then yes _VERY _good girl 

Thank you for your condolences, you are always so supportive and I really appreciate it


----------



## luvmypets

She is finally starting to show!

 

So, my guess is she will have her baby next month. She has started nice udder development and you can finally see she's got something in there! So excited, I swear I get tortured with all these kid pics leading up to lambing


----------



## Goatgirl47




----------



## Goat Whisperer

Yay!

Hoping for a smooth delivery


----------



## luvmypets

The nerves are on, and as we are getting closer.. I can't help but be deathly afraid something goes wrong. Many of you know what happened last year and just.. god I can't relive that. 

My old self would be posting every two seconds and fantasizing about babies.. but ever since last year the initial "hype" isn't really there anymore. I mostly worry about every possible outcome. For example I haven't seen any movement so my thought is: "What if the baby is stillborn" This is Reggie's last baby and our ONLY baby for this year. Kinda panicking even though I'm sure everything will be fine.


----------



## Goatgirl47

I don't know what happened last year, but by the sound of it, it wasn't good. I'm so sorry. 

 Praying that she has a healthy lamb (or lambs).


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

Aww!  I'm sorry, @luvmypets... 
I too, pray that everything goes well!  Please try to not stress out too much!  And remember, we're here for you! 
What kind of sheep is Rosie? Does she like to get rubbed/patted?


----------



## Latestarter

Hang in there and try to relax... You are positively due for smooth sailing this lambing!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

I know the worries and stress of kidding/lambing, but you cannot get yourself to worked up over this. It won't help the situation and it will only make things worse for you. I have had to work with these same issues too All those "what ifs" going thru your mind, right now there's nothing you can do. The lamb is fine,   I don't feel movement every time I feel my does bellies either 

Don't take the above as me being harsh, I know you have really been thru it. I have faith that everything will be fine 

So what about those lambs you were looking at?


----------



## purplequeenvt

I very RARELY see lamb movement. And I've raised sheep for 16 years. Sometimes, when the lambs are developed enough, you can feel them if you push on the ewes right side. 

Any bulges or movement on the left is the rumen, no lambs over there.


----------



## luvmypets

Rosie is looking nice. Unfortunately  we lost power in our barn and I have only been able to see her at night so no new pictures. I have printed out a few lambing jug designs to see what will work for us. My anxiety is getting better, all the reassuring posts help so thank you all for that. Her udder is about the size of an apple now so we are on the right track. Lamb watch starts March 10, here we go!


----------



## Southern by choice




----------



## luvmypets

The girls got to go outside today! They are very happy to stretch their legs. Pictures coming later


----------



## luvmypets

Rosie is looking great! 


 

 

Btw her hip has a lot of fleece so thats why it looks sunken in. 

 


Happy girls


----------



## luvmypets

oH.my.gosh.. First due date is in a week! Her udder is about the size of an orange now.... and guess what! I was feeling her tummy and I felt a leg(or some part that definitely wasn't her), which was insane because she _never _lets me touch her belly for long. I decided to grain her as she was getting a tinny bit thin, so now waiting is on! 

Oh geez I'm so excited, and nervous...a bit anxious, and just overall ready to walk in the barn and see a happy mama and baby. Did I say I was nervous?! Haha, anyways I think I did pretty good with...saving my excitement this year.. I don't know, for anyone who has known me... well I normally got WAY excited when they were like... about five months away or so? 

Ok, anyways, we are going to start building a lambing jug soon. In two weeks we are going away for the weekend, so that is most likely when she will go


----------



## Latestarter

Really excited for you and hope that EVERYTHING goes perfectly for you this time around!


----------



## luvmypets

Just thought I would do an 18 day comparison picture. She didnt look pregnant at all
 

 

This helps my anxiety and tells me that the lamb is alive and growing


----------



## purplequeenvt

You may want to consider giving her more than just a little grain. She's pretty skinny. 

A complete sheep pellet (16% protein if you can find it) would be best. Start her off slowly with 1/4 lb or so, but I'd work her up to close to 2 lbs until she's gained the weight she needs. At that point you can back off and just feed enough to keep her in good condition. 

She may have trouble raising a baby in her current shape.

Also, deworm her right after she lambs. I'd suggest Safeguard drench at 2x the normal dose and treat her 3 days in a row. Make sure you get a good weight on her so you aren't under-dosing her.


----------



## luvmypets

I was afraid she was too thin, but a few weeks ago the vet came out and said that what were feeding her was ok. So, we have been graining her for a bit, so can we gradually increase it?? 
Also how much weight does she need to put on? I am still learning a lot about nutrition. She has been eating hay + some grain throughout her term, and the vet said she should be fine. 

Any more advice is greatly appreciated.


----------



## purplequeenvt

What you are feeding might be fine quality wise, but she needs more quantity. Try to weigh what you are already giving her so you get an idea of your starting place. 

She looks like she has quite a bit of weight to gain. I can't give you a number since I can't see her in person. I like their back to be nicely rounded while still being able to feel (not see) the back bone and ribs without digging through fat. You don't want the spine or hips sticking out.


----------



## luvmypets

Ok, what would be the best way to weigh the food. We don't really have a scale, would it be easy to buy one?  But, I have been checking her regularl and  I know she is underweight, but the excess fleece on her hip adds to the underfed look. Thank you for the advice, may I ask, do you think as long as we have her put on some weight, she will be ok for lambing. As always you are so much help so Thank you!


----------



## norseofcourse

@luvmypets, how often do you feel her spine?  A little more than halfway down her back.  Does it feel sharp?  Or a definite ridge but not sharp?  Or a rounded 
ridge with padding on both sides?  If you look at pictures of 'sheep body condition score' you can get a visual of what I mean.  I agree she looks thin.  Measure the feed if you have to, a quarter cup at first and *slowly* increasing till you feel her body condition improve, then level off.  IMHO, too thin is better than too fat for lambing, but a decent weight is best of all.  You should have enough time to get her in better condition before she lambs.


----------



## luvmypets

Its not sharp, but not a healthy weight either. I will do that with the cups. Thank you


----------



## purplequeenvt

Feeding by weight is best, but next best would be by measure. 

She'll probably lamb just fine. I would be more worried about her ability to make enough milk to feed her baby.


----------



## luvmypets

Thank you  We have started introducing gain back into their diet.


Does anyone ellse dream of their livestock having babies? Every few nights I dream she has twins, no assistance needed.


----------



## purplequeenvt

I took a couple pictures to help illustrate better.

This is a 5 or so year old Southdown ewe. She is too skinny, but with good reason. She lambed twice last year and is in the process of weaning off twins. See how she's got a dip behind her shoulders and her hips stick out?




This is a 4 year old Shetland ewe. She's in perfect condition, maybe even a little fat for the breed. She is due 3/21. See how she has a nice rounded back and hips?


----------



## luvmypets

e th


purplequeenvt said:


> I took a couple pictures to help illustrate better.
> 
> This is a 5 or so year old Southdown ewe. She is too skinny, but with good reason. She lambed twice last year and is in the process of weaning off twins. See how she's got a dip behind her shoulders and her hips stick out?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a 4 year old Shetland ewe. She's in perfect condition, maybe even a little fat for the breed. She is due 3/21. See how she has a nice rounded back and hips?


Thank you, this is very helpful


----------



## Latestarter

Pictures truly are worth a thousand words!


----------



## luvmypets

I think we might have a problem. Rosie and clover seem to be a little weak in the legs. When we let Rosie outside this morning she fell on her knees but quickly regained balance. They are both outside now but they seem weak. I feel like I screwed up big time. Any advice on how to help them?


----------



## mysunwolf

luvmypets said:


> I think we might have a problem. Rosie and clover seem to be a little weak in the legs. When we let Rosie outside this morning she fell on her knees but quickly regained balance. They are both outside now but they seem weak. I feel like I screwed up big time. Any advice on how to help them?



If it's front legs, sounds like a parasite issue to me... or maybe vitamin deficiency? Those two go hand in hand. If it were my sheep, I would make sure their loose mineral is well formulated. Then would give B12 injection, sheep drench with iron (our vet mixes up one that we add a small quantity of red cell to), and maybe Vit A+E. I would also consider worming again, though I hate to do so when they're pregnant  We have begun using Prohibit/Levamisole on our sheep because the worms around here are resistant to all the other wormers. Keep up the grain, just make sure it's not too much grain (sorry, I know that's not helpful). Hope your girls feel better soon 

*Edited out bad advice


----------



## norseofcourse

luvmypets said:


> I think we might have a problem. Rosie and clover seem to be a little weak in the legs. When we let Rosie outside this morning she fell on her knees but quickly regained balance. They are both outside now but they seem weak. I feel like I screwed up big time. Any advice on how to help them?


Rosie is the only one who's pregnant, right?

When is the last time you checked their eyelid color? What color was it?  What color is it now?

When was the last time you had a fecal test run by the vets? What was the result?
When did you last worm them, with what, and dosage?

How much grain are they up to per day now? What grain or mix is it?  Do you have loose minerals out all the time for them?

I'd worry about parasites, too.  Also possibly early signs of pregnancy toxemia, but I didn't think Clover was pregnant?  You can get urine ketone test strips at a farm store, or even the drug store, to check for ketosis.  But my gut says check for parasites first, then that they're getting enough to eat and a good balanced mineral.  Do you have a vet you work with?

@purplequeenvt , @Roving Jacobs  - blanking on other sheep folks but hope they weigh in soon!


----------



## Latestarter

Oh man... you do NOT need this kinda thing happening now! I wish I had something to offer, but based on the little info available my first inclination leans toward selenium/mineral deficiency... Only thing that makes sense (to me) would have the exact same effect on multiple animals simultaneously. I can't imagine 2 animals having the exact same worm load or exact same effects from a worm load. And didn't you just go through the wormer stuff about a month back? I may be confused about that...

 Find and solve the issue!


----------



## purplequeenvt

Get them started on corn for energy. 

Have your vet run a fecal on both to figure if/what kind of parasites are the problem. While I don't like deworming during pregnancy, your priority needs to be on your ewes and getting them healthy (actually, the "no white wormers during pregnancy" is really just important for the first 45 days). Make sure your vet checks for Coccidia along with the regular stomach worms.

Parasites would be my first guess, but a vitamin/mineral deficiency could be a contributing factor as well. Do you offer any loose sheep minerals to them? 

B Complex injections will help with a thiamine deficiency while also helping increase appetite.

We already know that Rosie is pregnant and too skinny, that puts her a higher risk of complications like toxemia. Is Clover in a similar condition (minus being pregnant)?


----------



## luvmypets

Ok, sorry I was on my phone all day and I just got a chance to use my laptop.

First off I went to update and my phone died, but once they went outside they seemed to become much livelier. I did research on pregnancy toxemia and I do not think that is what she has, I believe it is probably a mineral deficiency + parasites. They were both wormed last month on their normal schedule, I am not sure of the dosage. Going onto eyelid color I can already tell something is off in that department. Their eyes are a lightish pink, which I know is a sign of worms/parasites. We don't do loose minerals, and quite frankly I do not even know what that is . One good thing is that Rosie, when I checked her back, I could feel that there was a little more padding there. Vet is coming out tomorrow to evaluate them. One last thing I thought I should mention is, I am in highschool, so in the end the decisions are made by my dad. I try my best to keep my girls happy but my parents are seperated and I have schoolwork and other things to focus on. I love my girls to death so when something goes wrong I always ask "What could I have done better". I try to get to my barn around 2-3 times per week. I am still learning, but I know there are things we can be doing better.


Thank you for all the advice.


----------



## norseofcourse

I know you care about your sheep a lot.  I'm glad the vet's coming out - will you be able to be there?  The vet would be a good one to ask about minerals, and about deworming strategies.

Sheep need something that gives them salt and minerals they don't get from their diet.  Especially minerals that are deficient in the soils in your area (selenium is a big one in many areas).  Because sheep can break their teeth if they try to bite a solid salt/mineral block, they get loose (ground up/powdered) minerals, in a feeder that they can have free choice - mine take little nibbles from theirs several times a day.

Parasite resistance is a big problem in sheep.  Worming on a schedule doesn't work as well with sheep as it does with other animals, like dogs.  One of the best ways to limit parasite resistance in sheep is to only worm when truly needed - and that need is determined using things like FAMACHA (eyelid color), 5-point check, and fecal worm tests.  Then about a week after the worming, rechecking to see how effective the wormer was (fecal is best, FAMACHA and 5-point next best).  Just because a sheep was wormed, doesn't mean the wormer did any good.  I had a lamb last year that was wormed several times with two different wormers, and was still anemic.  The vet recommended a third type, which finally worked.

I don't know how much into sheep your dad is, but I'm sure he wants to protect the investment you have into them.  Good luck with the vet visit tomorrow, and glad to hear Rosie seems to be gaining some weight!


----------



## Latestarter

Sweetie, you're doing a wonderful job and I'm sure (you just verified) you have plenty on your plate on top of caring for the animals. Especially since you aren't even living where the animals are... We're all just trying to support you and help you in any way we can.  Hope we're not overloading you ! Want us to do some of your homework for you?  I doubt I could help there... been too long, I'd probably get you failed  I was actually volunteering everyone ELSE to do your homework... 

Hope everything goes well with the vet.   Keep up the good work there girl!


----------



## luvmypets

Update: vet is coming out tomorrow at 3:30. Its making me really anxious but Im sure they will be fine until then. Anything we can do in the meantime?


----------



## mysunwolf

luvmypets said:


> Update: vet is coming out tomorrow at 3:30. Its making me really anxious but Im sure they will be fine until then. Anything we can do in the meantime?



Do you have sheep nutridrench? That would help keep their strength up. A little warm molasses water would work as well.


----------



## luvmypets

Hey everyone, an hour away from the vet visit. Just got home from school and I will be going over shortly. I'm so nervous, I just want it to be an easy fix. Also, my Dad wormed the girls yesterday, giving Clover a full dose and Rosie a half dose. My dad also mentioned that the girls fought him which means the are still lively.  We have had wonderful experiences with this vet before, so I'm positive she can give give me plenty of insight on whatever is going on. I feel like I will annoy her with the amount of questions I have in my head


----------



## purplequeenvt

Hope your vet is able to get things sorted for you. 

Just an FYI, it's not a good idea to under-dose (do half doses) with dewormers. That's how worms develop resistance to drugs. 

Sometimes a vet will have you do lower doses if the worm load is so high that the animal is likely to get sick from parasite die-off and they want the worms to die in smaller numbers, but that's not the norm.


----------



## luvmypets

The vet visit went great and she said, that other than being underweight both girls are fine. We came to the conclusion that Rosie just lost her balance because she was being clumsy rushing out of her stall. Wanna know the weirdest part of the visit? The vet isn't 100%  sure Rosie is pregnant  so tomorrow we are bringing her in for an ultrasound. I'm really excited, I have always wanted to see an ultrasound.Now I know it's a little over the top, but I think it will be interesting. I'm almost positive Rosie is pregnant, I mean she was with Reggie for over a month, and her belly/udder have been growing steadily this past month. At least I can finally breath easy again knowing my girls are ok ​


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

Yay! That's great to hear that they're both okay, and it was nothing serious!


----------



## luvmypets

Going to the vet, Im so excited and anxious!


----------



## Latestarter

Good luck!


----------



## luvmypets

She is such an angel



Out of all this excitement I forgot to say we built a lambing jug!


----------



## luvmypets

Oh my goodness her udder exploded overnight  It was half this size yesterday!


----------



## luvmypets

WE ARE POSITIVE! 

​


----------



## samssimonsays

Congrats!!!


----------



## luvmypets

More news! The vet did a vaginal and said her cervix is wide open. She estimates a lamb within 24-36 hours!


----------



## samssimonsays

woo hoo! Can't wait! Hopefully when I check back there will be something!


----------



## norseofcourse

With the size of that udder you could have skipped the ultrasound     Congrats and I'll look forward to lambing news.  Hope all goes well - could the vet tell how many?


----------



## luvmypets

norseofcourse said:


> With the size of that udder you could have skipped the ultrasound     Congrats and I'll look forward to lambing news.  Hope all goes well - could the vet tell how many?


She has a single


----------



## luvmypets

Rosie is panting like she just ran a mile. She is getting up and laying down frequently. It cannot be much longer!


----------



## OneFineAcre




----------



## luvmypets

No baby as of this morning, but she is getting close


----------



## samssimonsays

Woo hoo! Fingers crossed


----------



## luvmypets

No baby yet 

I think she will go tomorrow because her udder is still growing and she is yet to have milk. She is really bratty today and doesn't want anyone touching her. I tried to pet her nose and she swung her head into my arm. She is normally very docile. I am excited, but crazy nervous! 

Here is her lambing jug


----------



## Goatgirl47

So excited for you! If she has a ewe will you keep it?


----------



## luvmypets

Goatgirl47 said:


> So excited for you! If she has a ewe will you keep it?


Whatever she has, we will keep it  since this is the last piece we will have of our ram. If its a ram lamb we will most likely castrate it.


----------



## luvmypets

Her bag seems to have dropped more, but no milk yet


----------



## Goatgirl47

How do you know there's no milk yet?


----------



## luvmypets

Goatgirl47 said:


> How do you know there's no milk yet?


I'vd tried to milk her, but there is a chance Im not trying hard enough. Either way she is panting faster than yesterday.


----------



## Goatgirl47

I thought you shouldn't milk her until she lambs?

Keep us updated!


----------



## luvmypets

Ok, we are going out to eat, then coming back. Her current behavior is panting like crazy, pacing her pen, chewing cud, and stretching. 

Watch her have it while we're out.


----------



## luvmypets

No lamb yet. 

Her udder got very tight overnight, and she has colostrum as of 9 pm last night. @Goatgirl47 you were correct that you aren't supposed to milk until after she lambs. However the vet asked me to check for milk. Well, it's been past the 24-36 hours the vet estimated. I honestly don't see how Rosie can hold out another day. 

She isn't off her food, but Im not sure if she will go either way. She always wants to eat. When she's not eating she chews cud and paces her pen stopping at each corner, staring into space and stretching. She is panting like she ran a marathon, and this has been going on for 3 days. Her udder as I mentioned earlier, is very tight and full. Her vulva is VERY swollen, more so than last night. 

One last thing, today marks 1 year without my precious Mammy. RIP Mam's


----------



## luvmypets

Nothing yet


----------



## luvmypets

Ok, she proved me wrong and held out another day  

But this is the final countdown. Her vulva is swollen and red, her bag dropped. I was amazed at how large it was this morning. Its obvious her lamb has dropped aswell. We are close  Also she has been putting on weight, so this extremely sunken in look tells me she is almost there!


----------



## luvmypets

Let her out to streth her legs and she has seperated herself from Clover. She is driving me nuts!


----------



## luvmypets

Literally one minute later she had a nice contraction and some juices came out. I know it was a contraction cause her lower back arched. Very excited! Brought her inside to be in her pen! Here we go!


----------



## Goatgirl47




----------



## luvmypets

I think I saw a few little contractions. She is currently pacing her pen and pawing the ground.


----------



## Poka_Doodle




----------



## luvmypets

She wouldn't do anything with us there. Lets hope for a lamb by morning


----------



## norseofcourse

hope all goes well, and hope you can get some sleep tonight...


----------



## luvmypets

No lamb, but she is acting off more so than the past four days. She ate her grain but isn't foraging around her pen. She is so uncomfortable, I feel so bad for her. Everyone is asking if shes had it yet


----------



## luvmypets

So, it figures BYH goes down when Rosie went to lamb  

Anyways, yesterday Rosie had been acting off more so than usual. While we were outside she gave a contraction but since she faked us on saturday I wasn't overly convinced, and this was at around 10am. However by 3 pm she had, had about 5-6 more contractions so I knew we were getting close. Its funny because I had been taking on and off naps throughout the day and when I woke up I was hungry. So me and my dad were about to go get some sandwiches and this was around 5:30 PM. I said "let me go check on Rosie". Nothing,I sat in my dads truck for about 10 minutes before doing one last check. And then she started pushing. I ran out to get my dad, and by then the bag was starting to come out. I said "Dad go get your phone to videotape it" By this time we could see the head. My dad was gone for a second and by the time he came out the lamb was born.  The birth was so fast and by the book. Once I saw the bag the lamb was out within five minutes.

I was sort of the midwife in the situation, I cleaned off the lambs nose and cleared its mouth and then... The ultimate check, I lifted the leg and.. Its a boy! We named the little guy Rasputin. I dragged him up to mom, and man are they slippery! Rosie was a good Mom and cleaned him off well. He got up fast, and was immediately searching for the teat. After a few hours he was already bouncing around, to the best of his abilities. 

Im so happy If any of you guys are familiar with FFA we have a mandatory project called an SAE project. I picked sheep breeding and My dad got video of me pulling the lamb and doing all the mandatory stuff, which I will get to show to my class at the end of the year. Im so happy it went perfect, and we have a close eye on him. 

Now here are some pictures!  

 


Sorry the stall was dark


----------



## Latestarter

Congratulations! So happy that everything went text book and that you were there for it! Rasputin is a handsome devil too  Nicely done!

Edit: Hope you finally got something to eat... how was the sandwich?


----------



## Poka_Doodle

Congrats!


----------



## luvmypets

Is the lambs back end supposed to be messy. He has a quite messy back end.


----------



## Latestarter

ummmm @secuono @purplequeenvt @Roving Jacobs  Did he get colostrum? Have you taken his temp?


----------



## purplequeenvt

luvmypets said:


> Is the lambs back end supposed to be messy. He has a quite messy back end.



What color is the poop? Bright yellow/orange means that he is getting lots of milk and he'll be fine. If it's green or brown, there might be something wrong. If it is sticky and black, that would be the meconium or first poop.


----------



## secuono

luvmypets said:


> Is the lambs back end supposed to be messy. He has a quite messy back end.



It can be a little gross/loose the first day or three and mom should be cleaning his butt. If not, you need to clean it or it will clog and cause serious issues. 
There shouldn't be a big mess nor last more than 1-3 days. It also shouldn't be runny and covering his backside. If it does, he might be sick. Is he on replacer? Replacer may be too water, too much given during each feeding, inconsistent mix or formula. 

First poops are meconium, black, tar-like stuff. Soon it turns into a yellow paste and after that, mini pellets like the adults have.


----------



## luvmypets

Ok, other than being a bit backed up he seems fine, we will keep an eye on him. I saw him do jump in the air and run around, he has so much energy. Thank you for the fast reply


----------



## luvmypets

Bad quality but his face is so cute


----------



## Poka_Doodle

Wow, he is adorable!!!


----------



## Goatgirl47

Awwww, congratulations! He's a cutie.  I'm glad everything went well!


----------



## norseofcourse

Congratulations!  Glad you were there, and it's wonder when everything goes well, isn't it?


----------



## luvmypets

Prepare for a lot of pictures!

Razzy got his first day outside


















These are his natural markings, including legs 


He met Clover and she was super gentle


----------



## Latestarter

He's awesome  Congrats again!


----------



## babsbag

I love his markings and really glad that the birth went well. You earned this cute little boy.


----------



## L J

congrats! Beautiful lil lamb


----------



## Goat Whisperer

I have been reading but haven't had time to post. Seems whenever I have time the site goes down!

anyway.....

CONGRATULATIONS! 

Great job getting his nose cleared right away! 
So happy to hear all went well, I knew it would! Now you can focus getting weight on Rosie and not have to worry about lambing issues


----------



## luvmypets

Little Ras is a week old. Any advice on how to bring up milk production? He gets milk yes, but she definitly isn't producing as much as she should be.


----------



## Latestarter

Best way would be to up her grain. Don't know if it's already in there but I'd consider adding some steamed/rolled oats... like oatmeal, not the instant stuff, but like Quaker old fashioned. Here I buy Oat groats, 50# bags to mix in my FF for the chickens. He's adorable! What a cutie!


----------



## purplequeenvt

You are going to have to put more good feed into her in order to get more milk. She's wicked skinny and doesn't have a lot to spare. Can you get alfalfa hay?

That being said, the baby looks like he's getting enough. My concern would be mom and making sure she isn't getting the life sucked out of her.


----------



## luvmypets

Yes, we can get Alfalfa hay. Im not sure from where but I know there is some around here. As you mentioned her body is working really hard to support him. She gets her grain, along with hay. She thankfully has put on a bit of weight, but like you said she needs more. We also are putting electrolytes in her water. As always thank you for the advice


----------



## purplequeenvt

I'd feed her some alfalfa hay along with her regular hay. What kind of grain are you feeding? If possible, I'd feed a 16-18% protein sheep pellet mixed with some cracked corn. I'd try to get her up to at least a pound of grain a day.

Does she need the electrolytes? It doesn't hurt once in a while, but too frequently it can cause imbalances. I'd offer her free choice plain water and then once or twice a day some water with molasses in it for extra energy.


----------



## OneFineAcre

Congrats


----------



## BlessedWithGoats

Congratulations on the new lamb!!


----------



## luvmypets

Rosie is finally putting on some steady weight. She had remained the same for the past two weeks, and considering she also has to feed a lamb I was getting genuinely concerned for her health. She has been getting lots of food, so we were wondering why she wasn't putting on weight. I know these things do not happen overnight, so finally relieved to see her getting into shape. Anyways just in case she drys up early, we have milk replacer on standby which we have had to use a few times, but Ras is not a big fan of the bottle. Other than that he is doing great at two weeks old, he is healthy happy and driving our chickens crazy.  Also I think he is polled, not signs of horns coming in. Is there a chance they can come in later?


----------



## Roving Jacobs

If you can't feel any horn buds by this age he won't have true horns. My horned ram lambs have very prominent horn buds at birth, there's no missing them.


----------



## purplequeenvt

He won't have horns based on the cross he is.


----------



## luvmypets

I found this thread and wow has time passed! He is almost two! Looking at all the pictures I almost started crying, I love him so much!


----------



## Baymule

It's fun to read on past posts.


----------

