Crash course?

[Laodicia]

I have chickens. My friend who has Sheep, pigs, and goats, chickens, ducks, and geese is in the hospital and I'm taking over for her, filling in as best I can.

She has 3 ewes who are due to deliver babies this month, and it sounds like she won't be able to be back to taking care of things this month.

My friend said she was hoping one of her ewes would have her baby before she left for the hospital... so really likely she'll have a baby this week. I have no clue what to expect, or how to care for this ewe and her baby. The birthing pen is set up with a heating area that I know she used last year for the babies.

If you guys have any suggestions on what I can do, or even what to expect, that would be awesome. I was shown how to give Selenium vit E shot last night and there are 2 ewes who haven't had that yet but will need to, and the babies are supposed to get some. She said the amount varies based on their weight..... but didn't say what weight would indicate more than 0.5ml and will the mother freak out if I take the baby into the house to weigh it?

My friend said that this sheep who is going to have her baby isn't a great mother. I'm kind of panicking, but also... I mean I have kids of my own so not ENTIRELY new to the experience.... Sort of...

I have to go to her house now and close everything up for the night, I'll check back when I get back home.

 

[Baymule]

What breed of sheep and does she usually assist at birth? Sheep are generally pretty hardy, have their lambs with no fuss. Since this is a ewe that’s not a great mother, be sure to put them in the small pen. Provide hay, water and feed for the ewe. If you go to feed and she has lambed, pick up the lamb, stick your finger in its mouth, if warm, that’s good. Watch to make sure lambs are sucking.

 

[Laodicia]

What breed of sheep and does she usually assist at birth? Sheep are generally pretty hardy, have their lambs with no fuss. Since this is a ewe that’s not a great mother, be sure to put them in the small pen. Provide hay, water and feed for the ewe. If you go to feed and she has lambed, pick up the lamb, stick your finger in its mouth, if warm, that’s good. Watch to make sure lambs are sucking.

Not entirely sure, I just got here I can take a picture. Maybe dorset

 

[Laodicia]

The one who is due soon is in the foreground, her belly is lower around the hips than the other ewe who is the same breed. I have a picture of her vulva too if you want that, not sure it's color accurate though because I had the flash on. She's eating like the others and doesn't seem particularly distressed besides having a person she doesn't know well trying to touch her.

Spoiler: Vulva pic

 

[Baymule]

Her vulva will get puffy and swollen. The ligaments on each side of her spine, over the hindquarters, will loosen up in preparation for delivery. Instead of a firm feeling, it will be soft and mooshy. Ewes can bag up weeks before birth, THAT will drive you nuts! Or they can have a tiny bag and all the milk will come in after lambs are born.

I call those Jamaica Sheep, as in Ja-may-kuh me crazy!

You are a true friend and a wonderful person to take this on for your friend. During this time, you may grow quite fond of the sheep and get a better understanding of how much your friend loves them. I just want to say thank you on behalf of your friend for taking the worry away from her.

I’ll call a few friends to help
@Alaskan
@Mike CHS
@farmerjan
@Legamin
@Ridgetop

 

[Laodicia]

Her vulva will get puffy and swollen. The ligaments on each side of her spine, over the hindquarters, will loosen up in preparation for delivery. Instead of a firm feeling, it will be soft and mooshy. Ewes can bag up weeks before birth, THAT will drive you nuts! Or they can have a tiny bag and all the milk will come in after lambs are born.

I call those Jamaica Sheep, as in Ja-may-kuh me crazy!

You are a true friend and a wonderful person to take this on for your friend. During this time, you may grow quite fond of the sheep and get a better understanding of how much your friend loves them. I just want to say thank you on behalf of your friend for taking the worry away from her.

I’ll call a few friends to help
@Alaskan
@Mike CHS
@farmerjan

I'll compare what I feel with her and the other sheep along her back tomorrow, I'm not sure I'll be able to tell if there's a difference they have their winter wool on.

I missed a question you asked earlier, I don't think she really assists their labour, but I know she was sleeping out in the barn with them last winter when the babies were due. I can't stay overnight at her house though, I have 4 children, so I'm really nervous the baby will be born in the night while I'm not there and then be frozen by morning.

Idk if it's on my profile on BYH but I'm in Nova Scotia, and it has been decently cold here this past week. Although it's supposed to be at or just above freezing this week coming so maybe that won't be a problem.

Thank you so much for helping.

If I knew for sure she was in labour then I could ask my husband to maybe take the day off work, or possibly work from home so I could stay. I really don't want her animals to die because of something as simple as someone needed to be there.

 

[Baymule]

Texas had a freak winter storm last winter, it got to -6F here. I know a lot of people experience such temperatures, but not Texas! I had 15 new lambs and one born during the storm. My “barn” is open on 3 sides, built for excessive HEAT! The lambs were fine. They are a lot tougher than you think. Mine usually lamb at night and surprise me the next morning.

I’m sure she and lambs will be ok. You just keep doing what you are doing, she will do what she does.

 

[Laodicia]

Texas had a freak winter storm last winter, it got to -6F here. I know a lot of people experience such temperatures, but not Texas! I had 15 new lambs and one born during the storm. My “barn” is open on 3 sides, built for excessive HEAT! The lambs were fine. They are a lot tougher than you think. Mine usually lamb at night and surprise me the next morning.

I’m sure she and lambs will be ok. You just keep doing what you are doing, she will do what she does.

That's what the temp was here 2 days ago. That makes me feel so much better thank you! Did you have a lamp for heat turned on just in case?

 

[Mike CHS]

I'm late to the party but you seem to have everything under control. We also have Katahdins but we are pretty hands off and normally lamb in the pasture. We do provide heat lamps in our nursery paddock but the sheep rarely take advantage of it. One of our mentors spent some time in New Zealand sheep stations and told us that many of the owners went on Holiday when lambing started so that the best survived. The ewes know what to do most of the time and you can normally rest easy letting them do what is natural.

 

[farmerjan]

You are getting pretty good advice. First off, I hope your friend is doing okay. Second, you are a VERY GOOD FRIEND to help out this way.

Does she have a smaller pen... called a jug.... to put in the momma with her baby separate from the rest since she is not a "very good mom" ????? It helps them to bond and the ewe cannot get too far away from the lamb so it will be able to nurse more/better.
Since they are not first timers, I think you are okay with them doing their own thing. The big thing is water and feed while it is cold to keep their metabolism up.....

They look like Cheviots or crosses.... clean legs and face. Dorsets have wool on their legs.... We had horned dorsets for years and really liked them but there is no market for the wool here. Went to White Texas Dall sheep... hair breed but have the horns... not a friendly breed overall....