My neighbour came round just as it was going dark, and asked had I lost a lamb. Er ....No. Looked in Finlays pen and he was still there, so definitely not him escaped. Went up to the neighbours house, and she pointed behind her car, and there was a small lamb bleating loudly. I had heard a lamb about an hour before, but assumed the farmer had put the sheep in the fields behind ours. Anyway, I scooped the lamb up and went and looked - no sheep in there. Although, it stretches about 40 acres, so possibly sheep are in there somewhere. But surely, a lamb bleating like that, the ewe would be around, and calling back. even if the lamb had got through the fence or something.
There has been a farmer back and forth all week, with his sheep trailer, but not sure which fields he is going to - wondered had the lamb somehow fell off the trailer. By this time it was dark, so impossible to see who had sheep in their field. I had no option but to keep the lamb for the night. Its a ewe, ear tagged and numbered on its side.
No telling how long its been away from the ewe - its no more than a week old if that. I have managed to get it to take a bottle, and it was hungry, but did not let it have too much. Will offer it some more in a while.
So tomorrow, I will be off up the lanes, clutching a lamb, looking for a ewe who is bleating, and hopefully the lamb will bleat back.
Failing that, I will have to ring animal health and see if they can trace the owner through the ear tag number.
Its asleep in a cardboard box lined with straw, so must be satisfied with the bottle I gave it.