SheepGirl's 2014 Lambing Thread

[Riva]

One tip for getting reluctant mothers to accept their lambs is put momma on her backside, let the lamb feed, then put lamb in a small pen next to momma,make the pens small, and she will accept her lamb in a couple of days.

Bottle fed lambs do not grow as well as normally fed lambs.

 

[taylorm17]

Good pointer!

 

[SheepGirl]

Had lambs born this morning to Katy Perry, she had twins. All cleaned and dried off and fed by the time I found them Such a great end to a rough lambing season. She had a boy and a girl. The girl is so itty bitty at just 5 lbs! She feels like nothing. The ram is 7.6 lbs.

 

[SheepGirl]

RECAP OF THE LAMBING SEASON

2/15 - Ciqala, triplets

• #18 - 7.0 lb ram - passed away 3/6
• #19 - 8.2 lb ewe
• #20 - 7.6 lb ram (assisted - coming out backwards with one leg back)

3/4 - Rosie, single

• #21 - 10.0 lb ram (assisted - large baby, head started swelling)

3/9 - Bella, single

• #22 - 8.4 lb ram (assisted - baby coming out head first, swollen head, vet assisted) - bottle lamb

3/9 - Lady Gaga, single

• #23 - 10.2 lb ram (assisted - no progress, so lamb was pulled) - bottle lamb

3/13 - Ali, twins

• #24 - 8.8 lb ram (severe hypothermia when found, revived, then rejected by dam) - bottle lamb
• #25 - 8.8 lb ewe

3/15 - Katy Perry, twins

• #26 - 7.6 lb ram
• #27 - 5.0 lb ewe

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Overall, that makes 10 lambs out of 6 ewes.
Mature ewes (2006 and 2009 ewes) - 250% lambing rate
Yearling ewes (2012 ewes) - 150% lambing rate
Ewe lambs (2013 ewes) - 100% lambing rate
Overall - 167% lambing rate

Average birth weights:
Mature ewes: 8.1 lbs
Yearling ewes: 7.6 lbs
Ewe lambs: 9.2 lbs
Overall - 8.2 lbs

Total lambs:
7 rams (9 since last year)
3 ewes (6 since last year)

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

I was expecting 9 babies, but I got 10. Though I only have nine because the "extra" baby (one of Ciqala's triplets) passed away

 

[autumnprairie]

I am sorry for you hard kidding season
I am still waiting for kids I have 6 due and have no dates
2 are bagging up

 

[taylorm17]

I am very sorry about your hard season. It must have been so frustrating . At least you got 9. Thats good.

 

[SheepGirl]

Well we have 10 babies now. I'm now the owner of a 1 day old Cheviot ewe lamb. I was found through Facebook through a mutual friend. The guy works at a farm where they train border collies on Cheviot sheep and the ewe lambed yesterday with her, cleaned her off, fed her, and tried to have another baby but died before the farmer could do anything. But she made it through the night outside covered in straw even with a relatively empty belly. So she's inside in a dog kennel a room away from my other bottle babies.

 

[Ruus]

So cute! I bet she grows into a good ewe!

 

[taylorm17]

Congrats! She is so cute!

 

[autumnprairie]

Awesome her face reminds me of Bella