shepherdO
Loving the herd life
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2018
- Messages
- 127
- Reaction score
- 129
- Points
- 106
- Location
- Okanagan area of British Columbia
Well, I'm down to the last few weeks before lambs are due, and I'm trying to make sure everything is in order. I have 8 ewes, including 3 experienced mums (a little Katahdin who had quads last year, and other multiples before that, 2 big hair/wool crosses, both having had twins and triplets in the past) and 5 first timers. These include a suffolk-ish ewe who is due to lamb on her birthday, two commercial twins, and two huge rambouillet-suffolk crosses. All are due to lamb between Feb 23 and mid March, although most are at relatively even intervals of 2-3 days starting Feb 23rd. *** This is my first real year lambing, so they're all new to me ***
It's very cold here at the moment - temp's got down to -24 celsius the other week, and it's VERY windy around here, so I'd like to have the ewes in the lambing area for lambing - if nothing else, for my own peace of mind.
Anyhoo, I've transformed my old chicken coop (big, 10x14 I think) into a lambing shed, complete with heat lamp, several 'jugs' using pallets, and a side feed-room. I'm excited (and anxious!) about lambing and I have a couple questions I'd love answers for.
1) How much space do jugs required? In the lambing area I have a larger jug set up that's about 6x7 or something like that, and room for another one or two smaller ones. I've read that 4ft square is satisfactory - I have hay racks high enough that they don't interfere with the roominess of the jugs. However, I assume that 4x4 is NOT large enough for a sheep to actually labour/lamb in? My rambouillets are like hippos, so I think 6x7 is small enough for them as it is!
2) How far ahead of the due date would you enclose a ewe? I have several who I think are having triplets due to size and reproductive history. I've read that triplet-bearing ewes can lamb up to 10 days early - has anyone had this experience? My little Katahdin lambed quads yesterday right on her target date, so... My plan is to watch the first gal - triplets - due on the 23'd, and assuming she's on target, pen her up (with a friend next to her) a couple days in advance...?
3) For those who've had prolapses (my biggest fear...) when, in your experience, do they tend to occur? I can't get hold of a spoon around here at this point...
I think that's all, although of course I have a million other things whirling in my mind as the time approaches.
Thanks in advance,
ShepherdO
It's very cold here at the moment - temp's got down to -24 celsius the other week, and it's VERY windy around here, so I'd like to have the ewes in the lambing area for lambing - if nothing else, for my own peace of mind.
Anyhoo, I've transformed my old chicken coop (big, 10x14 I think) into a lambing shed, complete with heat lamp, several 'jugs' using pallets, and a side feed-room. I'm excited (and anxious!) about lambing and I have a couple questions I'd love answers for.
1) How much space do jugs required? In the lambing area I have a larger jug set up that's about 6x7 or something like that, and room for another one or two smaller ones. I've read that 4ft square is satisfactory - I have hay racks high enough that they don't interfere with the roominess of the jugs. However, I assume that 4x4 is NOT large enough for a sheep to actually labour/lamb in? My rambouillets are like hippos, so I think 6x7 is small enough for them as it is!
2) How far ahead of the due date would you enclose a ewe? I have several who I think are having triplets due to size and reproductive history. I've read that triplet-bearing ewes can lamb up to 10 days early - has anyone had this experience? My little Katahdin lambed quads yesterday right on her target date, so... My plan is to watch the first gal - triplets - due on the 23'd, and assuming she's on target, pen her up (with a friend next to her) a couple days in advance...?
3) For those who've had prolapses (my biggest fear...) when, in your experience, do they tend to occur? I can't get hold of a spoon around here at this point...
I think that's all, although of course I have a million other things whirling in my mind as the time approaches.
Thanks in advance,
ShepherdO