Newgirl97- Lambing Thread 2014: A light in the dark

[norseofcourse]

I'm so sorry for your sad weekend I can't imagine either of those, let alone both happening so close together. Best wishes that your last ewe has a good healthy lamb with no troubles.

 

[newgirl97]

We've now had an outbreak of sickness in 6 of our ewes, and we are treating them. My sister informed me that a mum laid on one of her lambs and killed it... Not sure who yet.

She also informed me shes sure Cinder is dead... I really hope not because she was one of my three favorites...

 

[aksrabbitgirl]

 

[newgirl97]

Snow was the one who laid on one of her babies.

 

[newgirl97]

Thank you to everyone who has posted sympathies, it really means a lot to me.

I thought I'd give a more detailed clear description of what is going on over here. Our one ewe, Daisy was having some problems a few days ago, and we were able to treat it and heal her before it got too bad (read all about what happened in this forum post: http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/nursing-ewe-with-possible-leg-injury.28732/ ) Yesterday morning we went out and all of our sheep appeared fine. In the afternoon we noticed some of the sheep laying down and when we went towards them, they wouldn't get up. These sheep include: Jazz, Scout, Cinder, Aurora(or Alice... which ever one has the triplets... the two are very identical),Lady, Snow and Gem. We treated them the same as we treated Daisy, and right away Gem started improving. Out of all of them, Cinder was definatley the worst. When we first went out in the afternoon and noticed some sheep were off, she was standing in the doorway, and would not move, no matter how annoying your were to her, or how much you pushed her. Later in the evening when my dad got home with more supplies to treat them, Cinder was down laying on her side. We got her into a jug and got her laying normally.

Flash forward to today and most of the ewes seem to be on the mend... Except for two.
My beautiful Cinderella passed away today leaving us with two little heartbroken lambs to feed. Snow White is also doing very poorly right now, she's in a very delirious state and she laid on one of her little guys. I'm very certain we're going to loose her too. I went in the jug to see her and shes just grunting, her ears are back and shes not holding her head up for long periods of time. Yesterday she was one of the ewes that wasn't even doing that bad, she was walking around only having her ears back. Out of all our ewes, there were three that i was/am very close with. Cinderella, Snow white, and Minnie. And so far I've lost one, and appear to be loosing another.

I know this may seem silly for me being so sad over the loss of a sheep, but i was holding it together very well... until i went into the barn and saw poor Cinder's boys just crying and crying for their mama, and seeing the state Snow was in. I really pray that Cinder and Snow's boy will be our only casualties.

Rest in peace, Cinderella
throwback to when she was a lamb

 

[bonbean01]

I'm so very sorry

 

[newgirl97]

Thanks bonbean,


This morning the beautiful Snow White passed away

Rest in peace, sweet sweet girl
Throw back to day one with her

 

[newgirl97]

We took Snow in for an autopsy tonight and our sheep have been diagnosed with Black Leg.

Which is caused by the open dirt in the pasture we have them in (We had pigs there prior, and a lot of the newly planted grass died in the winter)

Black leg is caused by sheep breathing in a certain spore, that coats their lungs.

The good news is, they only need an injection of penicillin each day,
The bad news is, We found this out after we lost two of the sweetest sheep out there

 

[norseofcourse]

I'm so sorry you lost Snow White, too. I'm glad you know what it is now, and it's something treatable.

 

[bonbean01]

And NO...do not think you silly at all for being upset and grieving your sheep...they are not just sheep...they are all our babies and we love them. You can cry on my shoulder anytime and I will never think you silly...hugs to you!