Help me determine is my sheep have started “showing” in their pregnancies

[MMGardens]

I wanted fall lambs, so divided up 13 ewes between 3 rams in April. Rocky didn’t get down to business until August. Evidently he didn’t read the memo. Rocky had 5 ewes and bred the last one on September 10. He had them since APRIL!!!! AAARRGGHHH!

Coopers ewes look to be pregnant. Little Ringo only had 2, registered first fresheners and they maybe sorta halfway look pregnant.

Here’s a good article that explains the breeding process of which I obviously know nothing……..

https://publications.ca.uky.edu/sites/publications.ca.uky.edu/files/ASC237.pdf

It’s very possible that the two ewes that look so poorly, may not be bred. They might have been in such poor condition that they did not cycle or have been able to hold a pregnancy. But since they are sheep and love to make you crazy, they probably are bred.

I just got to go back and read that link you posted. Very interesting because I was told by a few local sheep and goat farmers that they usually breed the sheep right about the first week of July every year, which is quite close to the long daylight hours, and where I am our temps are very hot at that time, some of the hottest of the year and also very high relative humidity, so I dont know. I guess we will see next year when it’s my turn to play animal husbandry

 

[Baymule]

I’m in East Texas and have practically the same climate. Hot, humid and more hot.

 

[MMGardens]

Hello again all,

Alright it’s been a month 1/2 and my girls that I posted all have bag changes now

I think two of them will lamb this week, but are there any things specifically I should look for?

The bellies have dropped down low and sides have hallowed out

One of them has had a little bag going for 3 weeks now, and the others have started more in the past 1-2 weeks

Here are some pics of them


The very last pic is a first timer and has a tiny little teacup sized bag and her teats are enlarging but I think she probably has a few weeks left

 

[SageHill]

Looks like you've got some bags there. Should be lambs on the way.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Mine usually start bagging up about 2 months before delivering. It could be as long as that, or as short as a few weeks or even days. Their udders will most likely "pop" or increase by about ten percent the day before they lamb. Do you know when they were exposed to a ram?

 

[MMGardens]

Mine usually start bagging up about 2 months before delivering. It could be as long as that, or as short as a few weeks or even days. Their udders will most likely "pop" or increase by about ten percent the day before they lamb. Do you know when they were exposed to a ram?

Unfortunately not, they were kept with rams year round before I got them, and I’ve had them now for about 3 months

 

[Baymule]

My Sheeps udders get full, the teats get so full that they stick out. I know you are anxiously waiting for lambs, but it doesn’t look like it yet.

Before birth, the ligaments at the base of the tail and spine area will loosen up and get squishy.

 

[MMGardens]

My Sheeps udders get full, the teats get so full that they stick out. I know you are anxiously waiting for lambs, but it doesn’t look like it yet.

Before birth, the ligaments at the base of the tail and spine area will loosen up and get squishy.

Yes, I spoke with my vet yesterday and he said feeling for that would be my best bet. I did feel the two that look farthest along and they do def feel different than the others but I wouldn’t describe it like jelly yet, although I haven’t felt it before.


Unfortunately, my husband accidentally left my garage upon unattended for about 20 min and my sheep got in and ate my chicken and duck food so now I’m mostly on watch for negative symptoms for that and not so much baby watch anymore


No changes for any of them yet at the 17 hr mark, but the vet said I should know by this evening


Pic is of my girl Betty today who decided to have changes overnight and bag up a bit fuller and her vulva is pink and poofy

 

[Baymule]

Oh no! Getting into the feed could be very bad, but it sounds like you got to them fairly quickly. At the 17 hour mark and no problems, I think you are home free.

I lost a lamb to bloat, he got in the chicken coop and I didn’t find him until it was too late. I had a ewe bloat one time, unknown reason. I drenched her with mineral oil and made her walk for 3 hours. That meant I walked for 3 hours too. I mostly pushed her and didn’t let her lay down. She farted and passed gas, music to my ears!

 

[MMGardens]

Oh no! Getting into the feed could be very bad, but it sounds like you got to them fairly quickly. At the 17 hour mark and no problems, I think you are home free.

I lost a lamb to bloat, he got in the chicken coop and I didn’t find him until it was too late. I had a ewe bloat one time, unknown reason. I drenched her with mineral oil and made her walk for 3 hours. That meant I walked for 3 hours too. I mostly pushed her and didn’t let her lay down. She farted and passed gas, music to my ears!

I know I was / am so worried

I went and got tough locking food bins, so it can’t happen again even if they do get into the garage

It’s been 27 hrs now and still no signs yet, I do hope this means we’re in the clear, but I’m going to still check on them every few hrs tonight just in case

That’s so good!

last night I filled a bucket with baking soda and water as their only water source and gave it a ph of 10, and dusted hay with BS and brought it out to them every 4 hrs. They drank 1/2 the 5 gallon bucket last night, so I filled it back up today for them and dumped all the other water (except the pond which I can’t) and kept them eating hay today every few hrs. They roamed around and grazed all day as usual and went and bedded down under my oak tree, for the night, so I hope all the walking and running and hay and BS did the trick. Of course we would have a scare like this while I’m just waiting for babies