[princesslayer]

Ok, so yesterday one of the ewes started getting restless, separating herself etc and this morning lost interest in food. Checked at 12pm and she's straining, 12.06 and she has a lovely pair of twins. She even had the courtesy to have them in the shed, so I settled her where she was. Lambs up and feeding, no bother.

I go out to get kids from school, hubby at home. He finishes work in his office, goes straight out for chips and when he gets back there's a second ewe with a lamb, well washed, possibly half an hour old, up and about! Fine, I think, but I'm expecting her to have twins. She's enormous and all the girls are twins themselves and daughters of twins, and the father was a twin! They're Jacobs. She was found with the lamb about 5.30pm and now it's 7.45 and no twin or placenta delivered. She's now inside next to the other on straw. I've felt her tummy and it seems hard, not floppy, but I can't specifically feel a lamb.

What shall I do? Leave her? Examine her? How long shall I leave her for? She seems well enough, but if there is a second one, how long shall I leave it?

Help please!

[shep53]

You seem to be saying that you haven't scanned but you would like the ewe to have twins , she doesn't look in pain or discomfort and no pushing ?

[nutterly_uts]

If she's happy, eating and seems comfy I don't think you need to worry. If she looks uncomfy, has discharge/temperature or is off her food, maybe one for the vet

[Melmarsh]

If no sign of a placenta , personally I would examine her internally before she starts to close up, is she showing no sign of straining again ? Would she have had the lamb somewhere else and moved to where she was found leaving another lamb elsewhere Good luck but I wouldn't leave it much longer !!

[mowhaugh]

When you say you are expecting her to have twins, do you mean she was scanned for two?  That would make a big difference to my course of action.

[shep53]

If you want to stand behind the ewe bend forward and put your arms round the stomach  just in front of the udder , lift up the stomach and if a lamb is there you should feel it , going internal  would be your next step if a lamb was felt

[princesslayer]

Thanks all, no she wasn't scanned I was just expecting her to have two. Absolutely fine if she has one, she just still feels so big and tight in the belly. Would she go flaccid when she was empty?

[Beeducked]

I had a ewe that had triplets last year and she still looked pregnant and felt firm after. I would guess that like humans it takes a while for the uterus to shrink down to its usual size. If she is comfortable and looks happy and not scanned for twins I suspect I wouldn't worry to much.

If you want to stand behind the ewe bend forward and put your arms round the stomach  just in front of the udder , lift up the stomach and if a lamb is there you should feel it , going internal  would be your next step if a lamb was felt

I have to say, I had read about this technique and tried it this afternoon on a ewe I knew was pregnant to see what it felt like. It feel a lot like a kick to both kneecaps! She wasn't all that impressed and took prompt and effective evasive action as she jumped over my arms with a well aimed flick of both heels!


Hope all well with your ewe.

[shep53]

Depends if your asking about the womb , empty space now starting to shrink or the stomach ,full of food  /water and maybe a cleansing  .   the ewes behaviour  should tell you whats going on

[shep53]

BEEDUCKED  a ewe that has  no birth fluids and one less lamb is totally different and easy to feel a remaining lamb

[Sbom]

It's very easy to feel a second lamb by bumping the tummy gently as described above, if there is another one you'll feel it if your not sure there's probably not.

[princesslayer]

I feel much better now I've checked her again.  She seems happy, lying down with her lamb and is in the process of passing the placenta I think.  I'm going to do a last check before bed.  When she was disturbed by us and got up her lamb came for a feed, and feels like he has a round tummy.  I want to disturb her as little as possible as she is quite a flighty ewe.

Thanks for all your help folks