[Penninehillbilly]

Hi, about 9pm tonight I found ewe had lambed twins, im sure they were both standing when I saw them, but had to feed goatlings first, as quick as I could, so i could put hurdle across field sheler, went out and black female lamb laid down very very cold. Brought them into field shelter, rubbed her but she just laid out. White male lamb standing. I brought black up into kitchen, hot water bottle, when warmed up i got her to suckling 50ml goat colostrum. She can lay upright, But she isn't moving, very lethargic. Advice please?  Ideally I could give her another 50ml goat colostrum and take her back to her mum. Field shelter closes up and windproof, relatively warm out of wind. Will she be better with her mum, would her mum accept her if I took her back in the morning?
I really want to save her, but can't manage another bottle baby, (obviously if that's the only option I'll find a way) ?,

[Anke]

If she isn't standing up by herself and not able to move around I wouldn't have thought it wise to take her back out - the ewe will most likely wander off with the healthy twin and leave her.

As to f the ewe would accept her after a night away, I think it depends on the ewe and how motherly she is - more of a chance if she has been fed exclusively with her dam's milk.

I maybe would pen the ewe with both lambs in a hurdle off the main pen and the just put both of them to latch on and feed together for a while until both of them are strong and hopefully bouncy. Then leave in pen with her and observe. Even then, once out in the field the ewe may still walk away from her...

[SallyintNorth]

My experience iis that ewes won't abandon lambs unless the ewe knows that the lamb isn't really viable.  I've had several situations where one lamb isn't very mobile at first, and the mothers have stayed nearby, or tucked the less mobile lamb up safely in a sheltered spot, returning frequently to check on it and feed it. 

I've had mixed results returning a lamb after a night away from the ewe.. i had one ewe took back a lamb after several days, but that was an older lamb, a couple of weeks old.  in general, if the pair were properly bonded, then I'd expect the mother to take the lamb back in the morning.   But in your case it sounds as though the lamb may not have fed, so the mother may not be fully bonded to it,

Ideally therefore I'd keep the lamb with the mother in the field shelter and top it up. 

And yes, take the lamb to the vet.

[Liz Kershaw]

When this happened to one of mine - weak lamb with bendy legs so she couldn't stand to feed and her robust twin brother knocked her out of the way, I put all 3 in a pen and went out every couple of hours and held the lamb up to the ewe to feed. The act of nursing anchored the ewe to the spot and she remained bonded to the lamb despite the lamb's removal for vet visit, leg splinting ... and she must have smelled powerfully like a human. The regime was tiring but worked and the lamb is now 2.

[Marches Farmer]

I'd milk off the dam and feed the lamb - she won't have enough energy to keep herself warm otherwise.  I put fragile newborns in a jacket made from a rectangle of old fleece bodywarmer or a sweatshirt, with two holes for the front legs to go through.  Just a couple of days makes a huge difference to survivability.  In this case I'd put one on both lambs, so that the ewe doesn't reject the "unusual" one.  Pen the lambs with the ewe and keep a very close eye on them -a ewe will sometimes appear OK with a lamb at first then, for no apparent reason, start bunting it away.

[Penninehillbilly]

Thanks all
Looking good so far.
I think she was just too warm and cosy in the pet carrier with hot water bottle :-). She wouldn't have much of a second feed, but i stood her on the carpet in the kitchen, fairly wobbly but soon started tottering round, nudging at me. Took her back to her mum about 1am, soon found the milk bar, mum wasn't sure, (had been rubbing her down with old towel), but started nuzzling her.
Keeping them in today because it's wet outside and I'm in love  .
Field shelter is a cosy shed when stable door is shut. Top open during day.
Think they've got their grandads legs, Long!  Zwarble.
Bit more please -
Should I band their tails today?
And should I band the boy or leave him a few days?

[twizzel]

As long as they are strong, sucking and bonded there's no reason why you couldn't band them today. Banding earlier seems to not set them back as much. Maybe if you have any doubts especially as one of the lambs had trouble leave it until tomorrow or Sunday.

[Marches Farmer]

I don't find banding tails causes a problem - they go to the dam for a quick suck afterwards, perhaps because they didn't enjoy being picked up and sprayed with a number or letter too.  We generally do ours at three or four days old but leave small or vulnerable lambs until the sixth day.

[Penninehillbilly]

They all seem happy today :-).
Leaving banding till tomorrow.
she has usually had singles, wasn't expecting twins, shes only been getting a small handful of ewe nuts twice a day, could someone please advise me how much to feed her? I don't want to bounce up too fast, shes had a good handful tonight, hay and water obviously ad-lib.
Hard to imagine she used to be as black as the lamb.

[Marches Farmer]

I'd consider increasing the feed by 50g twice a day until she gets up to around 450g twice a day, depending on her condition score.  I don't generally feed my twin-bearing ewes that much, unless they're older ones, but am happy to let them feed off their backs and lose up to a condition score in the period up to weaning.  Again, depending on her condition, that may not be a good option for her.

[Penninehillbilly]

Thanks.
Gave her a bit more this morning. Will keep increasing.
Banded tails but male doesn't feel to have anything there yet.
Turned out this afternoon, but will bring in at nights, for a few nights at least.