[Jacob-list] jugging

[Debbie Bennett]

My younger ewes stay out of the way. Any of them not pregnant seem to 
form new friendships and run together. The ewes that are lambing stay 
closer to the barn, most of my barn becomes a nursery. I start putting 
out alfalfa for new mothers (of, course, everyone else wants some, too) 
and there can be a mob scene when I go out in the mornings. The lambs 
flee to the outside walls or the back stall, out of the way of all the 
ewes. If the weather is nice, they all play outside the barn. They hook 
back up with their moms after breakfast. I've also noticed the yearling 
ewes are not as mean to a curious lamb as other mothers tend to be.

Last year, I had female llamas in with lambing ewes (not this year 
because of space considerations). The llamas always watched the births 
from a distance and then would go over and sniff the new lamb(s). I am 
told this is their way of welcoming them into the herd. It kinda 
freaked out some of the ewes, but they got over it. The llamas were 
very careful not to step on anybody. After the lambs got older, I would 
see some of the lambs jump. play and even sleep on the llamas. One of 
the llamas became a first time mother last May. After watching all 
those lambs being born, she kept licking her lips and tilting her head, 
like she was trying to figure out if she was supposed to clean her 
cria, it was very funny (llamas don't touch their babies at birth, they 
dry naturally in the sun and then get up to nurse).
Debbie Bennett
Feral Fibre Farm
Oakland, Oregon
On Mar 6, 2004, at 5:12 AM, Gillian Fuqua wrote:

>
> 	I have been debating about rigging up a jug.  I have two ewes with 
> their 2 yearling daughters.  The ewes are bred.  I shut the girls up 
> at night in a stall that is about 12X12 due to coyotes.  I am 
> wondering if the yearlings are going to interfere with younger 
> siblings if they are born when all are inside.  Lambs are due the 
> beginning of April and it will still be too wet and muddy to put up 
> the electric so they have to be shut up at night.  I can take a hog 
> panel section and divide the stall so that a mama who is looking ready 
> can be segregated.
> 	I guess the basic question is how are these guys at being siblings?
>
> Gillian
>
>
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