[Roxy]

As requested at 2pm today, not 2am - isn't she good!!
 
I checked the ewes at 11am, and all lay there chewing the cud.  Went shopping, dropped that at home and came back to the farm.  As usual first stop the ewes - but did not expect to see a lamb standing there being dried by Felicity!!  It was a big un  (male).  Could see another lamb on the way, and after checking there was a head and two feet, I moved out of the pen.....Felicity was so intent on licking the first lamb, she never bothered to look round for the second.  I immediately got back in and made sure it was ok, and its nose and mouth were cleaned.  Once I put the lamb in front of her, Felicity did dry it. But it was so tiny compared to the other one. Very slow getting to its feet. 
 
Unfortunately, neither lamb showed any signs of feeding, although I kept a close eye on proceedings.  I managed to get them both on the teat, and they had a little - but it was a struggle.  Did this three times, and also tried to draw some milk from the ewe, but not much success there.  Felicity was actually very good, about her udder being touched, and also me clipping round her udder to make it wool free.
 
I have brought the little female home, and she has drunk from a bottle.  She is sitting in a plastic container, with a hot water bottle.  Not very optimistic about her chances, but will do my best.  Will aim for little and often with the bottle, do not want to risk overfeeding the little thing.  I thought the pygmy kids were small, but this lamb is rather smaller I think.
 
Hope the bigger lamb has got the hang of the milk bar
 
 

[Hellybee]

Congrats, I m sure she ll pull through Roxy,  c mon little bubba xx

[Anke]

There is only a limited number of cotyledons in the womb, and sometimes they get unevenly distributed. So you get a big one and a tiny one. As long as the lambs are born full-term the small one should grow on normally. II have had this in Shetlands one year, and by the end of the summer I couldn't distinguish between the two lambs!

Little and often should do it - did the wee one get some colostrum from mum? Are you intending to bottle feed the small lamb or return it to the dam? If you plan to return it the lamb would better only be fed by stomach tube to make sure she keeps her latching-on instinct.

But if you have got goat colostrum and milk she will probably do well on the bottle too...

[Roxy]

Fed the little one every 4 hours through the night, and bright enough this morning.  Put her back with Felicity and the other lamb, and she had some milk from the ewe.  Just looked in now, and both lambs curled up fast asleep, so must be getting enough milk.  Would prefer not to bottle feed, as already got the pygmy kid. Fingers crossed the little one is strong enough now.
 
Still cannot get over the size difference....although have had it with the goat kids, and yes, they do catch up.
 
 

[Bionic]

Roxy, I had twins, (well my ewe did) a big ram and a very small ewe. She struggled to get to her feet, taking much longer than her brother. I thought she wasn't going to survive. I gave her some kickstart but more went over my hand than she swallowed. I tried putting her to the teat and it wasn't very successful at first but she got there eventually.


Anyway, a week later and she seems to be doing fine. Still smaller than her brother of course but less noticeable now

[Pedwardine]

Can't believe Felicity is a mum and Fynne a dad!! Seems no time has gone by since they were babies themselves. So pleased she's proved a natural first time. We've had that huge size difference as well and they usually catch up. So relieved she's suckling from mum. Pics NOW!!!!! Sooooooo jealous 

[Roxy]

Pedwardine, both are obviously black, and have a little tuft of white on their heads, and also white muzzle like Felicity.  She likes being a mum, and keeps checking them when they are lay down, making sure they are ok.  They are so cute!!  Filly and Freya cannot be long, they are both enormous!!