Its started - lambing update

[chunky monkey]

It is with great sadness that i have taken my poorly girl up to the hunt this morning to be pts. She had become so emaciated and the under belly has swollen with more fluid, and around the draining hole was becoming black and fluid was not draining out anymore.
I phoned yesterday and left a message and the hunt rung me this morning.
We were in the shed most of yesterday so i was able to watch her and she was clearly struggling to stand, dragging herself around, several times she laid on her side. I do feel bad as she polished off a whole ration of food this morning but wasnt wanting hay. Sooner or later whatever was going on inside was going to turn even more nasty so i didnt want to put her through all that.

 

[blazer]

Sorry for your loss

 

[Jessey]

Aw I'm sorry, but better a day too soon x

 

[Trewsers]

Aw so sorry.xx

 

[chunky monkey]

This awaited me tonight.


Thats two lots of triplets now.
So far 6 lambings and 13 lambs. So just above 200% lambing rate. Waiting on one that should have lambed yesterday but shes quite skinny so i expect only a single from her. We shall see.

 

[chunky monkey]

Busy day yesterday with 3 more lambing. One more this morning. We are nearly finished. My lambing percentage has dropped this week as ive had a few singles. On the plus side though they were all single female lambs so they are all good sizes and will do well on there mums. Think totals are up to 26 now from 15 lambing. Loads of female lambs. In fact twice as many females to males.

I lost one lamb a few days ago. It was the first one born and was doing really well on mum as it was a single. I just found it dead in the shed one morning. I wonder if one of the other ewes had given it a wacking or something. As it had been perfectly healthy, no sign of being ill. Its the downside of having them in the shed at night but if i left them out the fox would have them. In a few weeks once the lambs are big enough i will leave them out day and night but i cant risk it at the moment. The fox was stood in the paddock amoungest them a few days ago, in broad daylight.

Technically i have 3 more to lamb but one is unlikely being this is her third time attempt. She is not showing any sign of an udder dropping and is most definitely not maternal when her big build comes flying at you when she is asked to leave the shed. Sooner or later my feet are going to be taken out from underneath me i swear.

2nd had a date for earlier this week but the udder was only just starting to drop so i didnt think she would lamb this week. I have a remate date for her in a couple of weeks.

The third is due in about 9 days, im not convinced at the moment as she only has a bit of blubber. I have another date for lambing but not until the end of May. Which will really spread things out, but as its only one sheep i dont mind and shes a real sweety for a cuddle which is a huge plus.

Breakfast time for mums. Before going out for the day.

 

[Jessey]

Great news you got lots of females shame you lost one but I guess sometimes you just don't know why

 

[chunky monkey]

I thought i should post up a few pics of them but most look blurry as usual.

Waiting for there tea. Lambs are all grouped together at the back. Floss is there too doing her bit.




Eating tea. The lambs eat if they want too. But i only give a token ration so i can do a head count so most of the adults get it currently but the lambs are starting to learn to get in there too.



Moved the main bunch to my neighbours fields a few weeks ago but kept two back that were still to lamb. Ones now got a single lamb and is two weeks old. Im just waiting for 141 to lamb now. But shes got another 12ish days to go.



141 looking very chilled with her eyes closed.



Stood waiting for a cuddle. She loves a good massage. Really leans into it. So affectionate.

 

[Trewsers]

I miss woolly lambs - it's lovely seeing your pics.

 

[chunky monkey]

Well Billy wasnt sure what to make of them. Dont know if he could smell the birth fluids or something but we went down to do some pole work and he had a freeze moment. My last lambing for this year, 141 had just lambed in the field. There must have been a scent or something because hes ignored her and 231 and her lamb grazing there for the last couple of weeks whenever weve gone down. Today he froze for a few seconds then wanted to run.
Was trying to get an ear shot of his view.




Safely tucked in the shed for the night. They were a little shivery in the cold wind.



It seems like weeks ago since the main bunch of lambings. I feel out of sorts having another odd one. I had her down to lamb tomorrow and i saw weeks ago that she was developing an udder so i knew.

28 lambs now. I only wanted 20 really. To think i definitely had 30 and i wonder what 118 had in her.