Last night, I went over to the barn to give Lilly her evening feed, and found Misty in labor, it was after I'd had my tea so she could have been straining for some time....... anyway, there were 2 little hooves and a nose so I pulled out each leg first... they sort of click into place... then gently pulled till the lamb was born....... she was fine.... I quickly cobbled a temporary pen together and could tick another off the list....
This morning while we were turfing out all the mums, Lupin was hotching round in a corner, so when we had finished I refreshed a pen and we popped her in... then started to clean out all the other pens ready for the last 3 births...
Now Davinia, our vet, has always said that if a ewe is in labor for more then an hour, then intervention is required.... so when a nasty yellow brown gunge started to plop from her rear I knew it was time to do something.... It's an indication that something is wrong and probably that a lamb is in distress.... I found 2 hooves, and there was a little mouth inside too.... but they weren't near to the outside, so I gently eased both feet forward, and thankfully the nose came with them.... I clicked the legs into position and pulled.... wow it was tight.......Lupin wasn't helping much either, and refused to lay down so I called for Nigel to help... he's much stronger than me, so while I held Lupin he birthed the lamb....... I've never seen anything quite like it?
When a lamb is in distress inside the sheep, they "poo" themselves.... it's why some lambs are born with a slimy yellow coating.... well this one had got really frightened... it came out chocolate brown... Lupin licked its head and left the rest to dry naturally, I don't blame her.... we may call it "crusty"... there was another too which was born through the murk... so it was a bit yellow too.. but both are fine and Lupin loves them equally and is feeding them like a pro... The crust should ware off quite quickly... it did with Peewee when her mum refused to lick her at all if you remember? Pictures to follow!
Lupin is Sammy and Smudge's full sister... more about them too!
This morning while we were turfing out all the mums, Lupin was hotching round in a corner, so when we had finished I refreshed a pen and we popped her in... then started to clean out all the other pens ready for the last 3 births...
Now Davinia, our vet, has always said that if a ewe is in labor for more then an hour, then intervention is required.... so when a nasty yellow brown gunge started to plop from her rear I knew it was time to do something.... It's an indication that something is wrong and probably that a lamb is in distress.... I found 2 hooves, and there was a little mouth inside too.... but they weren't near to the outside, so I gently eased both feet forward, and thankfully the nose came with them.... I clicked the legs into position and pulled.... wow it was tight.......Lupin wasn't helping much either, and refused to lay down so I called for Nigel to help... he's much stronger than me, so while I held Lupin he birthed the lamb....... I've never seen anything quite like it?
When a lamb is in distress inside the sheep, they "poo" themselves.... it's why some lambs are born with a slimy yellow coating.... well this one had got really frightened... it came out chocolate brown... Lupin licked its head and left the rest to dry naturally, I don't blame her.... we may call it "crusty"... there was another too which was born through the murk... so it was a bit yellow too.. but both are fine and Lupin loves them equally and is feeding them like a pro... The crust should ware off quite quickly... it did with Peewee when her mum refused to lick her at all if you remember? Pictures to follow!
Lupin is Sammy and Smudge's full sister... more about them too!
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