[Remy]

how long do you give it before you call it a day?

This morning I got two little cade lambs for my ewe that lost her twins on Thursday, they look less than a week old.  I put them in a stable with the ewe to see what her reaction was - to be honest she didn't seem that fussed over them.  I then tied her up with a haynet and put them onto her teats, both had a good suckle (that was this morning).  As she didn't look like she was going to kill them, I didn't pen them separately.

The ewe isn't 100% and is grinding her teeth a lot, so must still be in a bit of pain, although she is eating and drinking.  She had an anti-inflammatory and long lasting AB jab after she had lost her lambs, and I gave her a drench today.

Hubby and I between us have been watching them during the day, and she won't let them suckle (cow-kicks).  She has also occasionally gone to butt them away, although not really violently.  I've tied her up every few hours to give them a chance to suckle, but each time they are put to the teat they seem less interested - is this because they're wary of her?  There was one occasion that she was eating hay and one little lamb actually got latched onto the teat without any reaction from her, but it just made a half-hearted attempt and gave up.

I'm concerned that they won't be getting enough (one has been shivering all day) and have tried to top them up but they aren't very interested in that either.

I was thinking of trying all this Easter weekend and if not successful then just bottle feed them - is that giving it long enough?  Also should I separate them while I'm not watching?

[jaykay]

Yes, I'd give it a few days. She'll probably like them more as her milk 'comes through' them and they start to smell right. Lambs have tiny stomachs so if they're not interested they may have had sufficient for now.

I tend to put the lambs in a corner, separated off by mesh or similar, where the ewe can sniff them but not butt them when I'm not there.

Fingers crossed.

[shep53]

AS long as it takes, some 1 day up to 2 wks . The ewe is never allowed to butt the lambs (some will kill lambs )

[SteveHants]

Have you got a dog?  Sometimes ewes will suddenly 'decide' to adopt lambs when there is a dog present. Tie the dog up or hold him on the lead away from the pen, but where the ewe can see him.

[MrsJ]

I've heard that as well Steve, but no idea why it works.

[feldar]

We had a twin of lambs whose mother didn't have any milk, so we penned a ewe next to her who had lost her lamb. Every day for about two weeks we would pop the lambs across for a feed with the  foster mum then return them to their own mum. the foster mum was a complete bag to these lambs which we expected but we persisted and held her for them to suckle and topped off with bottle milk if they needed it.
At first they wouldn't take much which is maybe what your lambs are like if they are full they wont suckle more. do they look full are they loosing energy are they acting like lambs should? or are they bleating for food and looking listless. If they are not getting enough they will go downhill very fast.
Anyway our foster ewe eventually accepted these lambs and they are out in the field with her, so don't give up too soon. There is no text book for this,it is a case of keep trying and see what happens.
Good luck

[Remy]

Update today I had penned the lambs away from her overnight then first thing this morning tied her up and they were very hungry, she did a bit of token cowkicking then let them suckle for quite a while.  I let her loose and she even let one of them suckle a bit more without reacting.  She's still not showing a keen interest in them but I will persevere!

Yes I do have five dogs but I think it's more the primitive sheep who have this reaction from what I've read - may bring one of them in on a lead and see what she does 

[jaykay]

Maybe have someone else there, close by, if you bring a dog in, because some ewes can panic and headbutt everything in sight - including their hapless lambs 

Sounds like it's going reasonably in fact, I bet if you carry on she'll start to tolerate them and then like them.

[SallyintNorth]

Maybe have someone else there, close by, if you bring a dog in, because some ewes can panic and headbutt everything in sight - including their hapless lambs 

Sounds like it's going reasonably in fact, I bet if you carry on she'll start to tolerate them and then like them.

Absolutely - both bits.

In my experience, bereaved mothers either take them gratefully straight away or it takes a few days, up to a week.  But in the end they will love their adoptee lamb.  (I can't say the same for adopting two - I only attempt this when it's immediate, I have the newborn dead lambs for rubbing in / jacketing and it's a very motherly ewe, so I don't have experience of your exact situation to share.)

[Remy]

A further update - she is letting me hold her head (untied) while the lambs go to suckle.  She initially stamps around but then seems to calm down.  I do this 4-5 times a day, but I have no idea if she is letting them suckle while I'm not looking!  They do seem to be much more forceful with their suckling though, as at first they were timid and didn't persevere if she cowkicked.  She is still unsure of them, not bonded but tolerating them and I'm happy enough to have taken away the pen and leave them all together. 

I don't want to leave them stabled for too long, the lambs need some sun on their backs and I'd like the ewe back out at grass, but think I will leave it for the rest of the week, or try to move them all to somewhere secure outside where I can spy on them!

Haven't tried the dog yet ...

[Sylvia]

She may be stamping because her udder is uncomfortably full then relaxes as it empties a bit. It's a bit painful when the lamb first latches on.

[Remy]

I watched them today and she just won't let them near her udder, doesn't do anything really bad just puts her head down at them and swings away.  I'm not hopeful it's going to work, and now both the lambs have eye infections and I think one of them has joint-ill!

I can see why my friend's husband gave up sheep and went into cattle ... 

[SallyintNorth]

Remy, you are being very impatient!    A bereaved ewe will either take a replacement lamb almost immediately or it will take several days, up to a week.  Keep supervising feeds 3 or 4 times a day, one day you'll find they aren't hungry, and she'll start to nicker for them.  I would keep them penned indoors in a small family pen until this time, however.

Their eyes may be getting dirty from being underneath her - if you can clip her inside her back legs and generally around the udder, that would help.  And/or, rinse their eyes with clean water after each feed.  Again, it could take a few days to clear up but it usually does clear up.  There are other threads on here about inturned eyelids which mention the various treatments you can use.

[Moleskins]

Well I've just given up on one after 3 days, the ewe had a lamb which wasn't suckling and managed a long drawn out death,  floppy at 2.5 weeks ( see separate post).  During the time it took him to go the ewe started to dry up so when I put one of triplets onto her I didn't think the lamb was getting enough milk. When I asked my farmer friend what he thought about mothering  onto a ewe who had lambed weeks ago his reply was "you could try"  I now think he meant "you could try but it won't work".
The ewe showed no signs of accepting the lamb which also developed a problem with its eyes, crusty deposits, washed with luke warm salty water. I've mothered on before, in fact in previous years I've lost that many lambs I think I was getting to be something of an expert. So I'm now bottle feeding it.
It's much easier when the lambs come in the right way, i.e. triplets, single, with no gaps in-between. Sheep of course know this .......... need I say more?

[Tilly]

Hi Remy
Keep persevering, I think it was a bit ambitious to put two orphans on - something I wouldn`t have attempted!
You may find you will have to reduce the adoption to one lamb ( the strongest) and hand rear the other lamb.
It sounds like your ewe isn`t being really to bad !, and if you carry on with what you are doing I am sure she will accept at least one lamb.
The dog idea can work ,- Gypsy
( Certainly helped with this shearling ,who hated her lamb to start with)

-Also  at feeding time the ewe will be distracted enough to let the lamb feed, and the lamb will soon learn it`s a good time to get under her.

Good luck
Tilly