Counting Lambs

[Sheepshape]

The adventures have begun. (And the weather is bitterly cold again).

Yesterday afternoon a ewe began to show the classic signs....scratching up in an isolated spot. I went to see her and found a heavily meconium stained tail hanging out and the ewe straining furiously and making no progress.We bought her down into the shed. She had a well-and-truky struck extended breech lamb who was VERY difficult to bring into the world. No 2 lamb arrived after about an hour and looked deab...not breathing or moving...but I could feel a heartbeat. A good 30 minutes of 'swinging', rubbing, and 2 episodes of mouth-to-muzzle and she eventually began to show signs of life. This morning mum is eating well and has two contented-looking ewes lambs.

This morning I found a ewe who had given birth in the early hours to triplets....one, unfortunately, dead, but a healthy pair of twins left.

Sorry same image X2!

 

[Sheepshape]

Just managed to get a ewe in from a blizzard......huge sac hanging out. Twin ewe lambs safely delivered in the shed.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Geeze, you're really catching heck - but you're doing a great job of saving those babies!

 

[Mike CHS]

Congratulations on a good save

 

[Latestarter]

Sorry about the weather challenges you're dealing with. Glad you were successful saving a couple. Shame about those lost though.

 

[Baymule]

I hope it warms up for you so lambing isn't so miserable. Sounds like you found the ewes just in the nick of time! You are going to be busy!

 

[Sheepshape]

The Beast from the East 2 is every bit as bad as the first and we have very low temps. and driving snow again. All the pregnant girls are in the shed now (pretty cramped)...but any lambs born would be dead out in the blizzard. Twins born overnight (in the shed)...seem fine. I don't like lambing in the sheep shed any more than I have to as the risk of infection to the lambs ids so much higher, and the task of cleaning huge. Today it has taken 2 of us 3.5 hours each to clean, feed, and fetch water from the stream (taps frozen off again). At least the house is OK this time....extra lagging, external water supply to the house dug in deeper and central heating turned up HIGH.

Here's what the weather's like.(I'll take some more interesting ones of lambs when I next visit the shed).

 

[Sheepshape]

Sheep shed

 

[Latestarter]

All I can say is wow... Hope you and your charges make it through this one. Global warming/climate change...

 

[Sheepshape]

Global warming

.....yes......doesn't FEEL like it, though.