[Jacob-list] Lambing question

[Katrina & Dave]

Peggy and list-
When we were managing the commercial sheep flock in Md, we were told that feeding or even checking at evening/night can cause the ewes to lamb during the night.  Kind of gets them stirred up, etc.   But who knows...I know there are lots of opinions out there.

Peggy, your mention of noisy and quiet ewes made me think of Amiee, our first Jacob ewe...  The first time she lambed we were asleep in the sound-proof farm house and her yells woke us up!   She would spend all day hunting for just the right 'nest' where no one could see her, but when she was actually in hard labor, everyone knew where she was!   She was an excellent mother and actually an easy birther..always had twins.... and ALWAYS yelled at the top of her lungs.  I used to chuckle at her...but in a few months I might be more sympathetic.  *smile*  Am hoping I am more like those ewes that you check one minute and then are shocked to see little lambs the next minute.  How do they do that???
-Katrina Lefever, Chicory Lane Flock 
___________________________

Katrina & Dave Oberholtzer Lefever
Pigeon Hills Place
7890 Gnatstown Rd
Hanover, PA 17331
(717) 637-6670
davekat at copper.net
http://chicoryjacobs.com


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Marguerite Van Beek 
  To: Robert May ; Jacobflock at aol.com ; shepherdofspots at yahoo.com ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com ; Linda 
  Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 1:08 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Lambing question


  I feed in AM, hay & grain, PM hay.  My lambs have been coming at night, between 
  11:00pm to 6:00am.  I have a monitor in the barn to listen but some are very quiet when they lamb,  some are so loud they would wake up the neighbors LOL.  The ones I found that concern me the most are the first timers, especially when they have twins.  they look dazed, confused and if they are in a group of ewes you have to watch out for the stealers, the ones that take lambs that are not their own.  Of course you always have the shepherd that feels they should have two instead of one by mistake LOL.
  Peggy
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Linda 
    To: Robert May ; Jacobflock at aol.com ; shepherdofspots at yahoo.com ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
    Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 3:49 PM
    Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Lambing question


    I've been feeding at pretty much the same times since we got sheep in 1992.  The vast majority of our lambs have been born during the hours from about 5am to 8pm.  Very few (only two that I can think of right off) have lambed between 8pm and 5am and both of those started labor during the 5am to 8pm time frame.   It does seem that in a given year, the ewes will tend to lamb at close to the same time of day.  I don't have any scientific data to back that up, but some years we have mostly morning lambs, some years mostly lunchtime lambs, and some years mostly evening or late afternoon lambs.  I like the years when the ewes go into labor after I've had a cup of coffee.

    Linda
    www.patchworkfibers.com
    Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn



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