Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[Baymule]

Awww...... I'm so glad the vet was able to save them. Are the lambs ewes/rams or ewe/ram? And pictures? You KNOW we want pictures!

 

[Mike CHS]

No pictures yet but there is a ewe and ram. From the way they are getting around I think they are a little bit preemie on birthing but they are taking to the bottle good

 

[farmerjan]

It is wonderful to read that they are doing good with all the challenges. It may take the ewe a few days to come into her milk too since it seems they are a little premie. Oxytocin will help a little to get her lactating. And who knows, maybe this is just one of those fluke things and she can go on and raise more. Something to worry about down the road. Making sure the little ones get enough to eat is important, but make sure they are going to her to try for milk so that they stimulate her to come into production. Co-feeding with the ewe is alot better than having bottle babies and will help to get her to come into production....Best of luck to you.... and again congrats on being so in tune to your animals to be able to help save this ewe.

 

[Shellymay]

Mike, did your ewes graze red clover pastures or eat hay with red clover in it during breeding season? Red clover causes infertility/lambing issues in sheep, just thought I would mention it...

 

[Mike CHS]

Mike, did your ewes graze red clover pastures or eat hay with red clover in it during breeding season? Red clover causes infertility/lambing issues in sheep, just thought I would mention it...

Thanks. What little clover that we had this year was white clover and it was long gone by the time we put the ram in.

 

[Mike CHS]

Our #26 ewe is really doing well and doesn't seem to mind being in the stall and after all of this she really needs a name instead of a number. She is as tame as they get and even if we decide she is no longer a breeder, she isn't going anywhere since she is now the most expensive sheep on our little farm. She is healing well but definitely favors one of the lambs (the biggest). We will need to take her back to the vet in two weeks to have the stitches removed but that is easily done with her. The first picture doesn't show the surgery area so if you have a week stomach don't scroll down. The last picture is the ewe lamb that gets most of the milk that we take down. The ewe stands for her but she still hasn't figured out how to latch on to that milk valve. We won't do it but if we wanted a flock of super tame sheep, we would make it a point to give every lamb born here a bottle on the day they are born. After one bottle, they come every time you go down and they aren't the least bit skittish.

 

[Baymule]

I'm glad that the ewe is healing up nicely. What are y'all going to name her? I get it on the "she isn't going anywhere". I have Ewenique, original ewe, that loves attention. Complete strangers are welcomed to pet and scratch her. If you stop, she lifts up a dainty hoof and paws you for more. The grandkids can hug and love all over her, she adores the attention. She is 7 years old, still breeding, but if she is not able to be bred for whatever reason, she will become a yard pet. And there's Miranda, not as friendly, but has had so many really nice lambs over the 7 years, that she will never go anywhere either. She is the ringleader on the attacks on the bird feeder and leads the charge to the front porch.

 

[Mike CHS]

Teresa said last night that she is now Babs.

 

[Baymule]

I like it!

 

[Mini Horses]

The imprinting of newborns does work! My minis always got that. Most were handled a lot anyway until sold but makes training and handling so much easier. Strange that the impact is so great at the stage of entry to the world. It is. Those handled at once, left by humans, then worked even a few months later show far less resistance and settle to handling faster. Like you, I prefer dam raised but, I do pen my does and kids a couple days at birth...they bond and I handle them. Of course I have dairy goats and want a lot more hands on! . But even that couple days gives me their trust.