I was expecting the first lambs in about two weeks so it was a surprise when I saw a ewe who looked as though she was in labor tonight. I put her in a lambing pen and the more I watched the more I knew that she would lamb. I was a bit worried though because lambs can be considered premature and at risk if they are born even ten days before their due date. I put most ewes with rams on September 16 which makes first lambs due February 11. There were two ewes with a ram 6 days earlier which gives us a lambing date of February 5.
![](https://meridianjacobs.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/img_4322.jpg?w=1024)
All is OK. I went to the house for dinner and pulled up the barn camera feed on my phone.The ewe was definitely in labor. By the time I went back to the barn the lamb was mostly out. The ewe was standing. One more push and the lamb was out.
![](https://meridianjacobs.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/img_4329.jpg?w=1024)
This is a single ewe lamb out of a 7-year-old ewe, Meridian Dilly.
![](https://meridianjacobs.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/img_4330.jpg?w=1024)
She was on her feet in about 20 minutes…
![](https://meridianjacobs.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/img_4332.jpg?w=1024)
…and nursing within a half hour.
So how did we get such a vigorous healthy lamb that much sooner than expected? I sent an email to Farm Club to announce the lamb. One of the members reminded me of an email I had sent in early September in which I said three ram lambs had gone through the fence to where the ewes were. That timing makes sense. One of those is the sire.