# Mom sheep doesn't want twins



## CakePrincess21 (Feb 26, 2012)

Mama sheep just had her twins a hour ago. I have separated her from the herd. It seems she doesn't want to feed them at all. This is her first birth. Whenever the babies get close to her she ignores them or backs away. What should i do?


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## SheepGirl (Feb 26, 2012)

I would put them in a lambing jug to see if that helps. If not, you may have to tie the ewe or using a head gate so she will let the lambs nurse. MAKE SURE the lambs get colostrum within 2-3 hours of birth. Some people say 24 hours, but I have seen a ~3 hour old lamb lose its energy real fast because it's mother abandoned it.


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## CakePrincess21 (Feb 26, 2012)

What is a lambing jug? I already held her down so they could feed. I dont know if any milk is coming out though?


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 26, 2012)

It is a small enclosed area where she has to deal with them.   


If the babies are nursing for more than about 5 seconds at a time then there is milk coming out.  They will also yell and bap her udder if nothing is coming out.  And if you are worried you can try and milk her a bit to see what you can get and to make sure the teats are clear.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 26, 2012)

A lambing jug is a small pen, usually about 5'x5'. Our "jugs" are 8'x11' because those are the size of the pens already in our barn. Lambing jugs "force" the ewes to bond to their lambs so they won't lose them when put back with the flock.

See if you can get some milk to come out of her udder.


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## CakePrincess21 (Feb 26, 2012)

oh! yep i already separated her from the rest of the herd.

some milk comes out.


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 26, 2012)

First time mothers can be a little freaked out by "That Thing" that just came out of them. They usually just need time to adjust. The best thing you can do right now is to make sure that the lambs have a good suck, that mom isn't hurting them, and to let them be. Good Luck!


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## CakePrincess21 (Feb 26, 2012)

Will do! Thanks!


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## TheSheepGirl (Feb 27, 2012)

How are things going? 

She also may have been having Uterine Contractions. These are quite painful and occur each time the lambs nurse during the first couple of hours. These contactions aid in passing the afterbirth, but some ewes will not let lambs nurse, since it hurts them.

Normally they get over it after a couple of hours and things are back on track.


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## CakePrincess21 (Feb 28, 2012)

She lets them for 1-3 min. but then moves away. I have another ewe with the same problem. She had twins but lost one  due to the temperature or it got trampled. It was hailing heavily last night and i guess it might have gotten trampled. I was expecting her till tomorrow.


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