Weaning Lambs

[CritterZone]

Yesterday we separated the lambs for weaning. The oldest are early March babies and the youngest are two weeks old. We left three ewes with the lambs - a 13 year old who just needs a little extra nutrition, the momma of the two week olds, and a ewe that hasn't lambed yet. This morning the lambs were doing great; quietly eating and seemingly happy. The ewes however are still sitting in their pasture screaming their heads off standing at the gate trying to see the babies (we have a one acre pasture that separates them). Most of them were no longer letting their lambs nurse, but they obviously weren't ready to let them go... I hope they quiet down soon

 

[Sheepshape]

Consider yourself lucky.....sometimes you have the lambs bawling for their mommas, too.

Usually by day 2 the mommas are beginning to rejoice in their new-found freedom. It is odd, though, that the ewes are barely if at all nursing their lambs, yet they still want them around.

I have this pleasure tomorrow, so I'm hoping that the weather here cools down so I can shut the windows at night!

 

[secuono]

I just stick noserings in and move on. No extra paddocks, no noise, no stress, no anything.

 

[CritterZone]

After two weeks most of the ewes are fine with the separation and are more interested in getting more vegetables from the garden (they have the pasture next to the garden and stand at the fence when I am out there working). We have one older ewe, the one who tried to crawl under the fence, that is still pining away and staring in the direction of the lambs. Everyone else has dried up so now we need to separate the boys from the girls. That shouldn't be nearly as traumatic.

"I just stick noserings in and move on. No extra paddocks, no noise, no stress, no anything"

We wanted the physical separation so the lambs were not competing with the adult sheep at the feeders. The adults don't need grain and alfalfa when they are just lounging for the summer, but we are looking for max size on our lambs since they are sold for meat.