[goosepimple]

Please help.  After the uphoria of yesterday, we're not sure if our soay lambs are feeding - we've been watching them on and off all day and they don't seem to be doing it.  Very soon after they were born yesterday one of the two seemed to latch on to her mum but the other one was faffing around and couldn't seem to get it.  Today we saw only one set of after-birth but it is two lambs with what seems to be a mum each (?) Now they seem to be doing a mum sharing thing - I think the lambs don't know who their own mum is and I'm not sure if they are eating at all - I would say only one of the ewes looks like she has a milk 'bag', the other doesn't - I'm reluctant to interfere, these are 'wild' sheep - does anyone know of lamb sharing?  and if they haven't received their colostrum feed, how long is it before they go noticeably downhill?    Many thanks.  Realise I'm probably being over worried.

[Anke]

I would say if the lambs are bouncing around and the ewes are content with them all is fine! Are these already outside in the field? If still in a pen, sneak up on them when the lambs are sleeping and poke them with a crook, make them get up. If they stretch themselves on getting up, they are not hungry.

Also if the ewes are not first timers they will know what to do.

[princesspiggy]

when our goat kid didnt suckle properly, she went downhill pretty quick ie 4 - 6 hrs. we had to supplement for 2 days then she was ok.

[goosepimple]

Thanks so much for your prompt replies - yes the two lambs seem to be waiting patiently at both ewes sides - they are all going around in a foursome - not sure the ewes know which is their lambs either (nothing to distinguish either to my eye) - wouldn't say they were lively - either just sitting or standing patiently - not skipping around lamb style but still don't see them feeding - born tea time yesterday so I'll presume they are ok and will keep checking.  Many thanks - it's great to read reasurance.

[goosepimple]

We've come to the conclusion that they are twins (single afterbirth and born in the same half hour) and although they are not feeding at the same time, they are feeding off the one mum, and that there is a hanger-on ewe with them that for some reason the mum ewe doesn't mind ..... an au pair type ewe?  Could be a good concept...!  Wish I'd thought of that when I had the kids.  All seems ok at the moment so will try and stop worrying....Many thanks.

[jaykay]

Lambs don't really start skipping about (or at least, ours don't) until about 3 days old - before that they sleep a lot and hang around mum a lot. They don't feed for ages at a time when tiny so you'd have to watch for a while to catch them at it. There again, what's the fun of having lambs if you don't sit and watch them 

Are they too wild to get hold of? If you can herd them into a pen, then you can lift up the lambs so they're standing only on their back feet and feel their tummies by putting a hand either side, near their back legs and squeezing gently - you'll be able to feel if they're a bit fat, as they should be if feeding. If nothing else, frightening the lambs should have them running to mum and suckling for reassurance!

I don't always find afterbirths - sometimes the ewe has eaten it before I get there.

[suziequeue]

Goosepimple

I had exactly the same concerns when mine were born. The didn't seem to be gambolling and they seemed to be faffing about at the milk bar and not getting on with it.

However, it was obvious that they were feeding and I realised that mostly the only time I have seen sheep/lambs is from a train or a car when they most likely are running away from the noise.

Our lambs are strapping now and occasionally I seem them do the classic run, nudge and tail wiggle routine but left to their own devices the mums tend to keep them tucked away down in the dell by the stream and are very happy there.

The other thing I notice very strongly is that the ewes (and our little runty whether) have a nursery rota. It's really interesting to be aware of that.

[robert waddell]

cows have a nursery rota as well

[goosepimple]

Thanks everyone, just been out 5mins ago with the binnocs and both lambs are taking alternate turns at suckling from the one mum and the other ewe is the helper - didn't know that sort of relationship existed - the helper is very interested in seeing them suckle and yes they're only doing it a wee bit at a time and sitting about a lot - bit like himan babies I suppose - sook / sleep / sook / sleep - look forward to them bouncing about in a couple more days then hopefully and mum looking shattered fromt the sleepless nights.  Hopefully we will get a few more lambs soon and I'll be a bit less analytical about what goes on.  My other half recons they're tups - I should be able to get a hold of them in a day or two - they certainly didn't mind him stroking one today.  Must get those photos - and of the geese jaykay!  Thanks both, enjoy the good weather.

[suziequeue]

Makes me realise what an privilege it is to observe sheep flock behaviour at first hand - especially with binos and from the upstairs window.

Very different to how I imagined.

The lambs are much more sedentary than I expected - especially in the first week :-))

Our last born girl is a week behind all the others and desperately trying to do all the things they do - but not quite co-ordinated enough yet. My heart goes out to her.

She shouldn't be hanging round with boys twice her age!!! :-D

[goosepimple]

 

[Fleecewife]

<<I should be able to get a hold of them in a day or two..>>

Does this mean you didn't dip the umbilici in iodine?  It is worth doing this even with 'wild' sheep as it prevents infection from travelling up the torn cord into the bloodstream.  With Soays you can catch them just after they are born to do this, especially if there are two of you - and check the sex at the same time.  A very wild mother might run off but if you make the lambs squeak a bit she will come back once you've backed off.  Sometimes you can see the tiny scrotum from the back, or you can look at their heads and see that males have bigger horn buds than females - you can't really see Soay ewe lamb horn buds when they are first born.

The 'au pair' ewe is interesting.  At first I thought from your description that she was trying to steal a lamb, which is common when two ewes are labouring at the same time, but now I wonder if they are mother and daughter, as family ties continue forever in sheep.

I hope they carry on doing well

[goosepimple]

Well I must say my learning curve has shot up vertically over this past few days - no I didn't do the iodine dipping as they wouldn't have this in the wild, but you're right it would have been worth doing - pressumably it's too late now? Certainly our vet didn't mention it last week.  From what you say about the buds - yes they are definately showing so it looks like boys.  The au pair ewe is still there - I thought about a family tie there but thought it seemed unlikely as they were picked at random from over 60 soays before they came to us, but it does seem likely in fact in that the two ewes are still very cosy together - I didn't know about these blood ties, it does make you think more about what animals you pick to sell on together.  We are trying to make up our minds in the next 48 hours if we should castrate or not - I'll have to get someone to show me that - its not something I'd tackle from a book.  I expect its best to do it anyway - our vet said to bring one in and he would show me and then I could do the rest as necessary but as he's an hour round trip I'm sure the mum ewe would be a bit concerned.  Many thanks for that fleecewife, your experience I find invaluable - by the way did you get my continued thread re Palacerigg?