Sheep Baaing

[shae]

Ever since our 2 ewes lambed (the first about 5 weeks ago) they are baaing all the time and it is driving us crazy. Last night it was somewhere around midnight for about 1/2 an hour then they start up around 5:30 and carry on through the day. We've just had a big foot care session with one of the ewes and her baby, so I'm not too sure why they are soooooo noisy. They are in a smallish orchard, so can always find their lambs easily. Any ideas?

[Jack]

Gidday

You could do one of two things:-

Make sure they have enough feed

or

Don't live in the country.

[shae]

Yeah, well we suppliment with hay and sheep nuts. But I've never had sheep before and was a bit worried that there might be something wrong that I'm missing. We hardly heard a peep out of them before the lambs, now it's about half the day

[Jack]

Gidday

Sorry about that. I sometimes say things which I shouldn't. It's just that so often we hear about people complaining about the normal noises in the countryside.

Now that's done, to the point. Sheep communicate, especially with their offspring. It is a normal natural thing, mothers call their young to check on how they are.

However, if sheep or cattle are a bit hungry or thirsty they will also voice their protest about that.

So if your sheep are well fed and not thirsty, what you have been hearing is a normal communication of mothers to their children.

[Millymollymandy]

They also make a heck of a racket after being sheared! What got us is that the sheep round here do not baa, they make the most dreadful wierd noises, often they sound like they are gargling under water. A most unpleasant sound! However it is purely only after shearing time and then they are quiet again - thank god!