Blessedfarmgirl's 2024 lambing/kidding thread

[Baymule]

If there is a lot of hay, the afterbirth may be scuffed under the hay. The water bag is gone, so it’s there somewhere. I find and bury it. If it gets to smelling, it draws the black head vultures.

Beautiful lambs! They are healthy and that’s the best you could ask for.

 

[Ridgetop]

If I can't find the afterbirth after couple days, I will let one of the Anatolians into the jug and they find it. Sometimes the ewes eat it. If it is retained with problems, the ewe will show signs after a couple days. Some ewes can reabsorb it or it will degrade and eventually come out in bits and pieces which you will not notice. As long as the ewe is nursing the lamb properly and looks ok don't worry. Nursing makes the uterus contract and will expel any afterbirth debris.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Our cull ewe gave us a beautiful Valentine's ewe lamb yesterday! She's TINY, and so precious. I'll have to make sure I don't get attached to her 😂

No more lambs for a while. Our two yearlings are due at the end of March.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Annie is due tomorrow! I can hardly wait, though she'll probably hold them in for another five days just to spite me😜 I did my first pre-kidding shave this morning! She was NOT happy, but I think I did ok despite the kicking.
She has some udder fill, I'm pretty sure she's got colostrum in there. Ligs still there and no discharge. I'm changing the bedding this afternoon so she'll have fresh pine shavings to kid on.
Thinking pink! 🩷

 

[Mini Horses]

You did great on that shave! 😁. Ohhh, yeah, that'll get ya several days of "just wait! I'll show you!!!" 🤣. Good news, they can't hold them forever. ☺️

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

You did great on that shave! 😁. Ohhh, yeah, that'll get ya several days of "just wait! I'll show you!!!" 🤣. Good news, they can't hold them forever. ☺️

Thanks!
Yup, I'm grateful for that! 😅 And I hand bred her, so no chance of a different due date. (I think that's what you call it when you just put her in for a few supervised minutes, then take the buck away?)

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Annie kidded two healthy babies! She and my buck must have been carrying black, because both kids are black and white. And both BUCKS. Annie, that is not what I ordered!
But I'm thankful they arrived safely! Aren't they precious?

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

As a side note, those of you who pull to bottle feed, when should I do it? I'm thinking about pulling and selling them as bottle babies at a week or two old. The last time I tried to sell weaned bucklings, I didn't🫠

 

[Mini Horses]

Start bottles today. They'll take to one with just a little resistance now, a lot in a few days. So get with it! ☺️. Cute guys -- and color sells. Get dried , clean, more pics for ad.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Start bottles today. They'll take to one with just a little resistance now, a lot in a few days. So get with it! ☺️. Cute guys -- and color sells. Get dried , clean, more pics for ad.

Thanks! They're dried off and nursing, I guess I'll do it now. I have plenty of cow colostrum, and I'll milk her soon if I can coax her up on the stand.
She is super devoted to them, she might not take it well if I take them away from her. Is there anything I can do to minimize her distress?