Lambing essentials for first timer!!

[farmerm]

I have 20 Mule Ewe lambs due 2nd week April. I will be lambing outside but live in the field in a caravan which should help. Looking for advice on equipment or anything really..

Things I have so far:

Purchased a big garage tent which will have 4 pens inside if required (running power to it for lights).
Just ordered a medium lambing kit which seems to have most bits https://www.tannertrading.co.uk/lambing-kits/essential-lambing-kit-medium/
Also went for a gambel restrainer as I will be on my own.
3 Teat feed bucket and a few bottles.
* Need tags and tagging tool

Anything else you can think of?? Especially as I am on my own...... Should I have injections at the ready?? A call to the vests is probably in order..

Looks like a sensible selection in the kit. Someone will have to explain to me the purpose of the teat dipper? For navels I put iodine in a spray bottle and hold the lamb by its front legs with its bum on the ground. If I used a teat dipper I would end up wearing half the contents at some point.

 

[yellowbelly]

Don't forget yourself.........

..............the fuel of shepherds

 

[farmerm]

If you know someone who starts lambing before you spend a day with them or at least an hour, if nothing else have them show you how to stomach tube a weak lamb. I some times have a nightmare catching ours inside let alone outside the catch funnel in field suggested above will be a lifesaver and not just at lambing time.

 

[deere 6600]

If you know someone who starts lambing before you spend a day with them or at least an hour, if nothing else have them show you how to stomach tube a weak lamb. I some times have a nightmare catching ours inside let alone outside the catch funnel in field suggested above will be a lifesaver and not just at lambing time.

This is defo good idea amazing what you can learn in a short space of time obviously the longer you can be there to learn the better

 

[curlietailz]

How about one of those prolapse trees to keep the prolapse in

 

[ARW]

A george mudge leg crook is a great tool for catching a wild shearling
Decent lambing rope
Lube

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I keep promising myself I will make a hoop (like a big hula hoop) with netting over it, so I can throw it on a lamb I want to catch from the quad bike, maybe I will do it this year, I suppose I could make it from rebar.

 

[DrWazzock]

If necessary creep up from behind and pounce like a cat when they’ve worn themselves out a bit and hold on for dear life. Sometimes you can get very close in a vehicle as they don’t see it as a threat, slip out a door, creep round the vehicle and pounce. Or rub your hat in the juice, throw it on the ground and make a bleating noise. Sometimes they will lick it then follow it into a pen if you move it a bit at a time......sometimes they won’t. I’d only round the lot up if I was desperate. I don’t like running them around close to lambing.

 

[DrWazzock]

Yes, prolapse harness and head torch.

 

[DrWazzock]

Somebody you can ring for a hand.

 

[primmiemoo]

When we were lambing a couple of hunderd ewes too many outside, I would make some grab packs to shove in a pocket for when they were needed in the mothering up pens ~ or sooner.
Each would be a heavy duty zip lock bag (still have two that must be over 20 years old) containing an extra lambing glove, a clean screw top bottle to milk fresh colostrum into (repurpose plastic pop bottles), a clean stomach tubing tube and syringe, and a thermal lamb rug.

Saves weary legs a lot of work.

 

[ploughman61]

Thermovite from Tithebarn brilliant stuff, best product I've used on new born lambs

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

For a lamb warming box we use one of the tubs of 80kg feed lick
Put the lamb inside with plenty of hay and a gallon can of hot water (hot water bottle) don't cover with anything solid just hay because of condensation
Not ideal for outdoors but works OK if you have a boiler
Have also done this with calves but just bury them in straw with a 5 gallon drum of water

 

[Enfoff]

I keep promising myself I will make a hoop (like a big hula hoop) with netting over it, so I can throw it on a lamb I want to catch from the quad bike, maybe I will do it this year, I suppose I could make it from rebar.

We used to use a carp type landing net. One you can unscrew from the handle. Very useful with the handle and in 'hula mode'.

 

[Robin2020]

Gosh this is becoming quite a list. Thanks for the extra ideas. I read the foxes and lambing thread yesterday....wish I didn't .
I could approach the farm up by road for some experience but covid may get in the way...
Loving the landing net and hat techniques .

 

[ploughman61]

What part of the country do you live in ? Someone on here may offer some lambing experience

 

[muleman]

A long spade and a short memory!

 

[Purli R]

Lump of 3by2. ........... Only joking,before someone starts.

 

[Hummin-Cummins]

A good shepherds crook is bloody handy

 

[Lili]

There is nothing better than experience but a bit of revision before the event might be worth it