What a bummer - how to care for an orphan lamb

When it says to never let them push their head against you or demand attention...

Does that include the lips-first nudging of a hungry bottle lamb?

Kyrt Ryder wrote:When it says to never let them push their head against you or demand attention...

Does that include the lips-first nudging of a hungry bottle lamb?

I include it, yes.  

This one wants to be a human.  Humans get to eat after all the other animals are fed and chores are done.  If she wants to eat early, she can be a sheep.  I think she understands this and has chosen to be a human for now.  But lately, she's starting to waiver and is thinking about the advantages of being a sheep.

r ranson wrote:First time Ewe, three years old, had twins.  I finally get her in the jug with her two lambs and she freaks out.  Butting and stomping on the lambs.  The larger lamb, can stand on his own, but two hours after 'hatching', the smaller lamb can't stand, is shivering and lethargic.  She accepts the larger lamb (for the most part) but she is dead set against the smaller one.  I managed to restrain her long enough for each lamb to get a good feed.  Both, including the weakling got a long feed from mummy at about 2 hours of life.

After 4 hours, it's obvious she won't take to the little lamb and it's getting to the point where it's still not able to stand or respond well to stimuli, so we bring it in the house to warm up.  

We have a bummer.  (orphan lamb)

I know it's very important to get the yummy mummy in the lamb as it's full of all sorts of goodies to help it grow strong.  But will one feed do it?  I don't think I can milk this ewe as she's too stressed out.  I only have a tiny amount of first milk in the freezer.  

Also, I don't know much about caring for a bummer.  Any advice would be appreciated.  

Looking forward to a night with no sleep.  I gave it a small feed of formula and now it's sleeping.  I would rather it had goats or sheep milk, but that's not in the budget... although, I might try milking the friendly ewe, she's got massive udders and her single is 4 weeks old.  She might have some to spare.

Need to find out how much formula/milk to give it as I understand I shouldn't give too much.  It's got one hell of a voice, but at 8 hours of life, it still cannot stand on its own.  But at least it's not shivering anymore.  

. What I don't understand is, whenever I read general information about lambs and sheep, I'm always reading that sheep are very doting, loving mothers who really love and protect their lambs. Then I keep reading sources about ewes rejecting their lambs and not wanting anything to do with them, and sometimes even try to kill them. Which is it? Are most ewes loving protective mothers, or are their alienating savages towards their offspring?

Most ewes are loving mothers.  But sometimes there is something about the lamb that they don't like.  Most of the time when this happens, there's a defect in the lamb and the ewes attempt a mercy killing.

This lamb, Gretta, turned out to be a slow grower and is the first to show any illness in the flock.  She makes a great Canary because she will show symptoms weeks before anyone else gets ill.  

But the lamb wouldn't have survived in a wild setting.  I most definitely won't be breeding from her as there's genetics there that aren't strong.