[plumseverywhere]

The 3 orphan lambs are 4 days old today. As yet, not seeing much in the way of poo from them. Their shed seems very clean in fact! They are definitely weeing but no poo's.
Do I need to be stimulating their bottoms with a wet cloth like in rejected kittens? they are fine in themselves, no straining or looking uncomfortable. not sure what role mother sheep have in helping bowel movements in lambs.

[SallyintNorth]

plums, do they look a little concave when it's feeding time?  (Then nice and round afterwards.)  Unless their bellies are getting bigger and bigger I think they must be pooing - but definitely make sure every one of them does have an anus and it won't do any harm to wipe with a warm wet cloth.

[plumseverywhere]

Thanks Sally - they do plump out a little after feeding and look quite hollow before hand. I checked they had an anus last night and each has one present and correct. One lamb had a mucky bum but the other 2 are pristine clean!

[SallyintNorth]

Put a spot on the one that had the mucky bum, then you know he's definitely ok.  Then when you see another mukcy bum, spot that one... and let us know when you've got 'em all spotted! 

[Anke]

If you have got them bedded on straw - poo is the same colour at the moment, and if they are racing round in their pen (mine always do), it may just disappear in the straw...

[plumseverywhere]

If you have got them bedded on straw - poo is the same colour at the moment, and if they are racing round in their pen (mine always do), it may just disappear in the straw...

that's most likely what it is then!! thank you. they are too well in themselves to be constipated I would have thought - and too gutsy at bottle time!

[ScottishSmallholdersAssoc]

Tom has some success giving oral castor oil, waiting a few hours and massaging the bowel with a chopstick. Castor oil can also be injected at the other end, using syringe with no needle. If they don`t poo they die. A chopstick has proved to be best as a thermometer is too short

[Fleecewife]

I think you would have to know EXACTLY what you were doing to use a chopstick in that fashion - the risk of perforating the bowel is huge.  In this case the lambs seem happy and not in need of any intervention.

[plumseverywhere]

 they are bouncing about and it seems that the yellow poo had blended into the yellow straw and the heatlamp glow was masking it somewhat. daughter just sat in a pile, that's how I know hahahaha!!

[Anke]

they are bouncing about and it seems that the yellow poo had blended into the yellow straw and the heatlamp glow was masking it somewhat. daughter just sat in a pile, that's how I know hahahaha!!

 

Been there, done that and got the mucky bum.... (and if you feed them on your lap they may just have a wee straight after their bottle, boys are the worst...)

[plumseverywhere]

funny you should say that...my dad (getting on a bit now) was reluctant to go up to see our new additions yesterday so I thought "if mohommed won't go to the mountain..." and brought a lamb in...yep, pee'd 3 times in 5 minutes  lucky it was on tiles!