[Hillview Farm]

 I have a few ewes that have singles on board and I was wondering as I can get my hands on some orphaned lambs. Should I foster them on?

My ewes are shearlings and I know they are the hardest to get them to accept. But I can do the wetting adoption.

Any advice welcome!

[ZaktheLad]

Personally, I prefer to leave a shearling with the one lamb only as many shearling ewes find one enough to cope with.  Also, some shearlings can be quite surprised at the new arrival and so interfering with trying to adopt a 2nd lamb might only lead to problems.  Whilst I can understand everyone likes twin lambs, I think a good strong single lamb is just as good and certainlynothing to be disappointed about in a shearling ewe and definitely not in a ewe lamb. I feel that obtaining orphans for all ewes just because they have had a single lamb is unnecessary. The only reason I would try an adoption would be if a ewe lost her own lamb(s) or if I had a young shearling or a ewe lamb have a multiple birth and I would then try an adopt on to an older ewe with a single. 

[SallyintNorth]

Actually, I find it easier to add a second lamb onto a first-timer than onto an experienced ewe. 

But I totally agree with ZaktheLad, a first-timer making a good job of rearing a good strong single lamb is a much better prospect than the likely alternative, being an inexperienced young ewe with insufficient milk for two getting pulled down, possibly even getting mastitis, and making a poor job of the pair.

Having said which... if it's a very milky breed (like a Blue-faced Leicester, for instance), then there is maybe an argument for setting another lamb on.

It's not something I would be buying in orphan lambs to do, personally - and in fact we wouldn't even try to adopt our own orphan lambs onto a first-timer with a single unless she seemed to have an enormous bag and be very very fit, we were overrun with orphans, and there was masses and masses of lush spring grass for her to be eating.