Counting Lambs

[Baymule]

Adorable lambs!

 

[Sheepshape]

So, 4 weeks to go for my lambing to start

There doesn't look much difference. BUT...the weather has been ghastly....snow/sleet, driving rain and high winds and it is taking its toll on my girls. They have started on ewe nuts, but several are so thin I think that if i don't do something drastic I'll be heading for Twin Lamb Disease BIG TIME. So, before it is too late....here are some of the girls not in the picture.

Oh, and we're on 'lockdown' for chickens as a few cases of bird 'flu have been found (none locally)....so the other end of the shed is Chicken Town

So, problems already, but bringing the thinnest girls in order to keep them out of the horrid weather and feed them up before lambing should mitigate against Twin Lamb.... I hope....

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Keeping fingers crossed that everyone gets and stays healthy for you and lambing pretty little babies with no problems.

 

[Baymule]

You are up against it. I hope that the lambing goes ok and all the ewes and lambs are healthy.

 

[Sheepshape]

You are up against it. I hope that the lambing goes ok and all the ewes and lambs are healthy.

Thank you,Baymule....feels a bit like "one step forwards and two steps back'.....but keeping animals often feels that way. All we can do is our best, but I'm worried as to what this years outcome will be.
At least the chickens look really well from their enforced confinement. The Brahmas have feathers rather than mud balls on their legs/feet!

 

[Baymule]

We are getting LOTS of rain too. Because of our sandy soil, I don't have mud. I have dealt with mud like that before and am so glad I don't have that now.

 

[Sheepshape]

So, 3 weeks to go

The weather has finally broken....drier, but much colder. The mud is hardening.Some are 'sinking'....

Others are 'widening'

Some are 'uddering'

This rear belongs to Bella who is always a bit fat, and currently is widening by the day.

All ewes are now having ewe nuts....these girls outside the shed are having 1lb per day and the thin girls in the shed are having 2lbs daily. The vast majority are improving in their general condition. Only 2 of the 'shed girls' are now cause for concern. Everybody had their shot of Heptavac P-Plus last weekend (uneventful).

In a few days they will move into their fields for lambing. "Experienced' ewes having a single lamb will stay outside in a field which has been resting for some weeks (and is green!). They will lamb outside and stay on 1lb of ewe nuts daily. First timers, having twins or triplets, or are Blue Faced Leicester (!) will go into a different field (also rested and green) above the sheep shed. They will have 1.5 lbs of ewe nuts daily and will come into the sheep shed overnight....so I can watch them closely. The field in which the 'multiples' will spend their time is above the house and all areas of the field are visible from the top floor of the house, so I can check on their status without having to walk the field.
Now this may sound very organised, BUT, as soon as the lambs start to appear the whole thing descends into chaos....slightly organised chaos, that is.

Ewes who give birth from the 'multiples' field are bought into (or stay in) the sheep shed for about 48 hours (or longer if there are problems to be sorted.).

I'm 'dusting off' the ewe harnesses....but hoping not to use them, digging out lamb bottles....knowing I'll need them, lambing gloves, iodine, stomach tubes(I hate to use these), checking bulbs in lamb lamps, ensuring dog coats, baby sweaters etc are clean and generally crossing fingers and toes......

 

[Latestarter]

Good luck!

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

 

[Baymule]

Ewe harness? Can you post a picture and explain please?

I am glad the rain has let up on you and your girls. I love the pictures of them.