Day 150

The average gestation length for Shetlands is approximately 147 days. The only ewe I've ever been able to track is Clover, (because Shetlands like their privacy,) who twice lambed at 149 days. Today is day 150 and not a single ewe looks close to lambing. However, I did witness Cedar mounting at least one ewe the day he was to leave, but that was at the far edge of the field, so I have no idea who is actually expected to lamb on April 6th (147 days from that date). Given that the ewes tend to cycle in groups, I suspect that several of the girls will be lambing in April, and we waited just long enough for him to get the job done. Judging from the pictures it certainly looks like we'll be busy the first week of April.

The only ewe that I think we MAY see a lamb out of by next weekend is Edna. And I think it will be A lamb, not lambs. She is SO narrow compared to the other ewes, and her mother always carries straight out to the sides and looks uncomfortably large. Edna also seems to be acting a bit strange, secluding herself from the flock and staying in the barn most of the day. I'll have to keep an eye on the weather, because with low temperatures and a snow storm predicted, I'd hate to have her lamb outside.

My next bets are on Maggie and Crystal, both of whom I think will lamb the week before Easter. 

Although...Poa may beat one of them to it. Poa looks like she's about 10 days to two weeks from lambing.

Kira looks like she'll go at Easter. This is what she looked like 2 weeks prior to lambing triplets last year. She and Poa lambed within 24 hours of one another, so my guess is they'll be pretty close again this year.

Wynona's always last. My guess is this year will be the same.

The only two ewes that may lamb after her are Madeleine and Claire. Neither have much of an udder, and both are still pretty narrow. It's always so hard to tell with first-timers. But Cedar did seem to be chasing several girls in those last 48 hours before his departure.

Just for comparison, here are Edna and Crystal. Crystal is huge but has a very small udder, while Edna is tiny and has a well-developing udder. 

If there are lambs before next weekend, I'll post again. If nothing exciting happens, I'll post in a week.