Form an orderly queue
The first morning in the Big Green Shed! I had some extra help this morning, not least of all from Aila and Tilly but also Abbie, Alisha and a friend up from Edinburgh, Amber. We tentatively walked into the shed and spotted a lamb. As soon as we went all the ewes were up and looking to be fed so the lambs mum got mixed up with the rest of the pen. I pulled out the ewe that seemed the most interested along with the lamb although I wasn’t convinced it was right.
A second ewe was lambing, everything was coming out the right way but the lambs tongue was out which isn’t a good sign. Alisha started off lambing her but it was a bit tight and tricky to get a grip of the lambs hooves (it is all quite slimy!) so I helped to pull both legs out then Alisha managed to pull the lamb out. It was a big lamb, we cleared the nose and mouth and all was well. We squirted some iodine on the navel to prevent infection after transferring her to an individual pen. I think my technique of shifting ewes needs improving but no doubt I will have plenty practise!
Whilst getting the feed bags ready Amber and my brother James, who was passing, checked the pen we took the first ewe out of to see if they could find a ewe that had lambed. They spotted a ewe with some blood at her back end which looked more likely to be the mother of the lamb. So we switched mothers! It’s going to take a bit of practise, for me, to make sure I match up the correct ewe and lambs!
Anyone need a stick?
I was glad of the shelter today as it was quite damp out, however the ewes and lambs out in the field needed fed so off we went.
The rest of the day was relatively quiet. Dad and Amber marked the lambs born yesterday and also got some of the lambs in the shed out which free up some pens.
Amber helped Dad lamb a ewe in the afternoon, it was a big lamb again. Dad was a little concerned that the lamb hadn’t sucked by late afternoon so Amber and I attempted to help the lamb find the teat. I ended up turning the ewe on her back and giving the lamb a feed by lying the lamb on her side and putting the teat in its mouth. If you scratch the lambs back it helps the lamb to suck.
Back home for dinner and Dad did the evening shift – all quiet!