[SafeHaven]

So my ewes lambed Monday evening... waited until we were both out and they both popped simultaneously, of course. Two sets of twins.
 
We came home to chaos, both ewes in the same pen, lambs mixed up and the ewes headbutting each other.  So we separated the ewes and attempted to get the right lambs to the right ewes.  But seems we didn’t get it right straight away, and one ewe rejected one of the lambs, so we looked at them again and got the lamb from the other pen that looked more like a twin to the one the ewe was accepting.  She immediately sniffed and licked it and all was fine for the first 24 hours.  Then she started to push it away.  The other lamb can feed ad lib, climb on the ewe, whatever.  She is fine with it.  But this other one is getting some rough treatment.
 
When she has her head in a bucket getting her cake feed, she seems oblivious that both lambs are feeding.  So I know this lamb is getting at least two good feeds a day.  All other times it seems to have to grab a quick drink when she’s looking the other way, or distracted by food, hay, or me being in the pen (I am away during the day so don’t know how much it gets during this time).
 
The temptation to remove the lamb and hand rear it is so strong as it’s heart breaking to see it getting treated unfairly.  But having said that, it is still alive today (Friday morning, having been born Monday evening), grabbing a quick drink as and when.
 
My question is, should I intervene at all or  just let her and the lambs just get on with it?  Is it advisable to give it an additional bottle feed (if it will take it) to make sure it’s getting enough food?  And if so, is it OK to mix a substitute milk (Lamlac) with whatever it is getting from the ewe?  Or should I milk the ewe and bottle feed (if it will take it).
 
For info, I still have both ewes in pens, though planning to give them roam of the barn this weekend as I’m sure they’d like more space now.  Also, the ewe in question, I have put their Crystalyx High Energy lick in the pen with her and the lambs so the lamb that’s getting less food can lick it for energy if it wants to.  I am planning to start putting them outside in the day as soon as the weather is stable too.
 
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Backinwellies]

Firstly I would  keep this ewe and twins in small pen until problem is solved ... don't let them out into larger area.   It may be a good idea to give the lamb a 'safe' place to escape too (under a barrier of some sort to get away from ewe if necessary.  ) .  If you are away in the day then I cant see you would be able to bottle feed anyway (5 x a day) .     

Whether top up will help or hinder is difficult to say and I hope others will have ideas on this.  Always better to feed ewes milk as it is the smell of her on it that creates bond, but not necessarily easy.

[Anke]

You will struggle to get the lamb to take the bottle if it hasn't ever had it before.... Have you weighed them at birth and again since - that way you can see if it actually gains weight. I would also keep them in a smallish pen and put the lamb onto the ewe several times a day to make sure it is drinking - also maybe at the w/end you can observe a bit more what is going on during the day - my guess is that if this lamb is active and looks contented (as in stretches as it wakes up), and is putting on weight it will get enough... I would however also make sure the lambs have no access to the water bucket, as they can fill themselves up on water, their tummy looks full when in reality they are slowly starving...

[SafeHaven]

I would however also make sure the lambs have no access to the water bucket, as they can fill themselves up on water, their tummy looks full when in reality they are slowly starving...

They currently cannot reach the water. I wasn’t sure when they would start to need it and the best way to supply it.

[harmony]

Don't let ewes and lambs out in to bigger area until they are bonded.
I would make a safe place for the lamb, as suggested, to get out of harms way. If it is sticking in there it has a good chance of being accepted. Hold the ewe so both lambs can suck or make a head hold so she has no choice. I wouldn't bottle feed unless you know it isn't getting enough but if you restrain the ewe it should fill up.
 
Sometimes a ewe doesn't completely accept a lamb but the lamb learns to dive in and drink once the other lamb is sucking and manages just fine.
 
It is harder to get lambs onto a bottle as they get older but not impossible.

[Marches Farmer]

I doubt the lamb will avail itself of Crystalyx.  We have ewe adopters available for this sort of situation - fits across the corner of a pen, tied to the hurdles, with a gap at each side so the lambs can get under her nose.  Ewe's head fits in a piece of thick ply with a U-shape cut in it that goes almost to the ground, so she can stand up and sit down at will, with a bucket of water on one side and hay in a net attached to the hurdle on the other.  A bar across the top attached with a nut & bolt at each end keeps the whole thing rigid.  It gives both lambs unlimited suckling opportunities and she calms down over a couple of days and accepts them both when freed.  Ours are gathering dust, however, as we don't breed from ewes that aren't thrilled to bits with their new lambs and we haven't had to use one for quite a few years.

[SafeHaven]

I doubt the lamb will avail itself of Crystalyx.  We have ewe adopters available for this sort of situation - fits across the corner of a pen, tied to the hurdles, with a gap at each side so the lambs can get under her nose.  Ewe's head fits in a piece of thick ply with a U-shape cut in it that goes almost to the ground, so she can stand up and sit down at will, with a bucket of water on one side and hay in a net attached to the hurdle on the other.  A bar across the top attached with a nut & bolt at each end keeps the whole thing rigid.  It gives both lambs unlimited suckling opportunities and she calms down over a couple of days and accepts them both when freed.  Ours are gathering dust, however, as we don't breed from ewes that aren't thrilled to bits with their new lambs and we haven't had to use one for quite a few years.

Is it too late at this stage to use a method like this?

[sabrina]

I had a ewe who did this. the lamb learnt very quickly that if Iwas there time to feed from mum. I had to hold her. She would not have it feeding any other way. I topped the lamb up with a bottle but in the end put the family out in a wee paddock. Lamb did fine, was a cheeky wee thing and very good at sneaking under mum when she was not looking. It only had to see me coming and it was making for mum to feed. She came for her food no bother. As the lamb grew it got stronger and mum had to choice when it came to feeding. I was home most of the day so kept a very close eye on the family.

[Marches Farmer]

I doubt the lamb will avail itself of Crystalyx.  We have ewe adopters available for this sort of situation - fits across the corner of a pen, tied to the hurdles, with a gap at each side so the lambs can get under her nose.  Ewe's head fits in a piece of thick ply with a U-shape cut in it that goes almost to the ground, so she can stand up and sit down at will, with a bucket of water on one side and hay in a net attached to the hurdle on the other.  A bar across the top attached with a nut & bolt at each end keeps the whole thing rigid.  It gives both lambs unlimited suckling opportunities and she calms down over a couple of days and accepts them both when freed.  Ours are gathering dust, however, as we don't breed from ewes that aren't thrilled to bits with their new lambs and we haven't had to use one for quite a few years.

Is it too late at this stage to use a method like this?

The longer you leave it the longer it will take her to buckle down but all of ours did in the end.  Just have to do a daily clean up at the ewe's rear end as all the muck and urine is concentrated in one area.

[SallyintNorth]

I think it would be unacceptable for a ewe to be in a restraint when no one can check on her during the day. 

Sounds like the lamb has figured out how and when to get a drink.

I agree with others, keep them in a small pen until you’re sure the lamb is managing on its own, and then try in a slightly larger pen until you’re sure the lamb will be fine. Don’t turn out until you’re sure.

Also agree about making a creep area where the lamb can get to safety. And that the best course is to support as many feeds each day as you can, so it fills up then and will manage quick slurps in between.

[Marches Farmer]

My vet is quite keen on giving a painkiller to ewe that've had a hard lambing.  I'm sure on occasion I've called out the vet when, if I'd guddled around inside the ewe for another 20 minutes, I could've got the lambs out myself, but at what cost to the ewe and lambs.  A tired ewe and tired lambs don't make for good mothering up.

[SafeHaven]

All good advice, thank you. I’ve booked time off work now so I will be home now for the most part for the next 10 days so I will be making sure the little lamb is getting fed and see if I can turn this around. She should get a bit bigger during this time so that should help.

When I’m feeding the ewe or otherwise distracting her (she loves having her head and ears scratched) the lamb pretty much sucks non-stop. She is quite the opportunist. So hopefully that will continue until she’s big and bad enough to fend for herself.

[nimbusllama]

Glad it is working out for you, but did you consider the lambs could have been a single and triplets, and not two pairs of twins?  This might explain the confusion.

[SafeHaven]

Both ewes scanned as twins, and both sets of twins look distinct from each other. That said, I did try to put the rejected lamb in with the other ewe, but as soon as she realised she had three lambs instead of two, she attacked it.

[nimbusllama]

Sorry, didn't realise they had been scanned    Good luck with them