The happy lambing thread

[jemski]

There's always plenty of threads on lambing problems/disasters, so I thought I'd start one on happy lambing stories.

Here's mine from today...

10 days ago had a ewe with toxaemia. She was stargazing, blind and could only walk backwards. I treated her with calcium and ketol but no improvement by the end of the day. I called the vet for advice, he wanted me to take her in, do a blood glucose test and then give her a steroid to abort the lambs. He wouldn't leave me a steroid without seeing her. she was still bright and alert, and my gut feeling was it was too soon to abort the lambs, but the vet was adamant that she would die if I didn't. After speaking to @sixdogs, who backed up my gut feeling, I decided to just keep treating her.
She wouldn't eat by herself, but if I put hay and nuts in the side of her mouth she ate them happily. So I spent a fair bit of time that evening doing just that. The next morning she was at the hay rack when I walked in, could see again and walk forwards. After a couple more days she was still bright but not eating cake so I decided to turn her out with the the singles in a paddock by the shed. After a day or so she was pretty much glued to the feed block, and then in the last few days has been so perky I wondered if she had slipped her lambs, or if they had died inside her, as she didn't seem to have got any bigger over the last 10 days. But this morning she had a lovely little twin, and even has a bit of milk. This has made me very happy!

 

[MJT]

Nice one ! Makes it all worth while !

 

[hillman]

This is mine stress free fostering


It's the only time you don't mind sheep defilling you ...well done for perserving with her and going with your gut

 

[Man_in_black]

There's always plenty of threads on lambing problems/disasters, so I thought I'd start one on happy lambing stories.

Here's mine from today...

10 days ago had a ewe with toxaemia. She was stargazing, blind and could only walk backwards. I treated her with calcium and ketol but no improvement by the end of the day. I called the vet for advice, he wanted me to take her in, do a blood glucose test and then give her a steroid to abort the lambs. He wouldn't leave me a steroid without seeing her. she was still bright and alert, and my gut feeling was it was too soon to abort the lambs, but the vet was adamant that she would die if I didn't. After speaking to @sixdogs, who backed up my gut feeling, I decided to just keep treating her.
She wouldn't eat by herself, but if I put hay and nuts in the side of her mouth she ate them happily. So I spent a fair bit of time that evening doing just that. The next morning she was at the hay rack when I walked in, could see again and walk forwards. After a couple more days she was still bright but not eating cake so I decided to turn her out with the the singles in a paddock by the shed. After a day or so she was pretty much glued to the feed block, and then in the last few days has been so perky I wondered if she had slipped her lambs, or if they had died inside her, as she didn't seem to have got any bigger over the last 10 days. But this morning she had a lovely little twin, and even has a bit of milk. This has made me very happy! View attachment 473090

Fantastic feeling.
Vets, EBV's & electronic recording etc all has a place but nothing can replace the instinct of someone who knows their sheep.
Good on ya @jemski

 

[Lili]

Well done. There is nothing like it really is there. Hope the rest are as rewarding.

 

[Jerry]

Im happy tonight. Nothing doing so think I've earned one of these.

 

[msheep66]

Sometimes a bit of tlc makes all the difference. Good luck with the rest of your lambing.

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Im happy tonight. Nothing doing so think I've earned one of these. View attachment 473280

Heard of people leaving tups in for just 14 days, that would leave 351 days with nowt lambing!!!

 

[Henarar]

Heard of people leaving tups in for just 14 days, that would leave 351 days with nowt lambing!!!

would it ?
none would lamb a bit early or a bit late ?

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Only joking, meaning deserving a beer as so many days not lambing. Some early some late? Normally have a few start about a week ago, yet have an odd one in jan , tend to get an odd one start of june, so I for one may have an odd one early and late!!

 

[ARW]

6 sheep lambed so far, all lambed themselves, loads of milk and good weather for it!
I only have 30 but its so easy I cant see why i dont have 300!

 

[neilo]

6 sheep lambed so far, all lambed themselves, loads of milk and good weather for it!
I only have 30 but its so easy I cant see why i dont have 300!

We'll all be buggered if you and @Cab-over Pete go into business together.

 

[Al R]

First 40 were perfect, no pulls, all twins fine etc.. and then the last 10 have been disasters and why we lamb the pedigrees a month before the main flock :0
70 pedigree/terminals take as much looking after as 700 commercials, checking at 11pm and not having anything for weeks is tedious :/ at least if you go down the shed every hour with 700 lambing you always have 1 or 2 happening

 

[neilo]

First 40 were perfect, no pulls, all twins fine etc.. and then the last 10 have been disasters and why we lamb the pedigrees a month before the main flock :0
70 pedigree/terminals take as much looking after as 700 commercials, checking at 11pm and not having anything for weeks is tedious :/ at least if you go down the shed every hour with 700 lambing you always have 1 or 2 happening

Agricamera. @Sleepy

 

[Al R]

Agricamera. @Sleepy

Never thought of it! Can't put a camera on 1000 outside though

 

[neilo]

Never thought of it! Can't put a camera on 1000 outside though

Don't need it for them, best to switch off at dusk and be fresh for the morning.
Camera is great for when you're piddling about with small numbers in a shed though. Roll over in the night, check round the shed with the iPad, then straight back to sleep if nowt happening as you've not woken up properly.

 

[Al R]

Don't need it for them, best to switch off at dusk and be fresh for the morning.
Camera is great for when you're piddling about with small numbers in a shed though. Roll over in the night, check round the shed with the iPad, then straight back to sleep if nowt happening as you've not woken up properly.

True, triplets and singles will be in when they start. I live 3mile away mine. Dad is half a mile so he checks most the time. Outsiders(twins) are dusk till dawn only.

 

[neilo]

True, triplets and singles will be in when they start. I live 3mile away mine. Dad is half a mile so he checks most the time. Outsiders(twins) are dusk till dawn only.

You're keen. I only check my outdoor ones from dawn till dusk.

My nephew helped out lambing at a place a couple of years ago. 400 ewes lambing outside IIRC. his job was to drive round them in a Land Rover every two hours overnight, looking for problems in the lights. FFS.

 

[MJT]

You're keen. I only check my outdoor ones from dawn till dusk.

My nephew helped out lambing at a place a couple of years ago. 400 ewes lambing outside IIRC. his job was to drive round them in a Land Rover every two hours overnight, looking for problems in the lights. FFS.

*causing problems with the lights

 

[Al R]

You're keen. I only check my outdoor ones from dawn till dusk.

My nephew helped out lambing at a place a couple of years ago. 400 ewes lambing outside IIRC. his job was to drive round them in a Land Rover every two hours overnight, looking for problems in the lights. FFS.

You knew what I meant sunrise to sunset then..
that's nuts! Imagine the carnage of lost lambs! Foxes and badgers must've had a field day!