# Ewe with triplets



## Rob30 (Nov 2, 2004)

I have a ewe that just had triplets. Any advice on how to manage her? The labs are healthy but are always hungry. The mom seems a little nervous. Always looking for the lambs when they are not around. NOt letting us watch her at all. She won't even eat the grain if I am around, the other ewes get it all. One lamb is doing very well. One acts hungry once in a while. The ewe lamb in a pound lighter, and always seems hungry. We started supplimenting the ewe lamb a small about 300ml of milk a day. But she still acts hungry. These are our first triplets. I want the ewe to raise them herself if she can. 
Any tips are welcome


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

For what it's worth (I haven't had sheep that long), one of my ewes was a triplet whose dam raised all three lambs to weaning age without a problem. On the other hand, when DH was in Scotland, he stayed on a farm where third lambs were always taken away and bottle-fed because otherwise at least one of the triplets failed to grow well. Maybe it depends in part on the breed? (I have shetlands)
I guess if they were mine, I'd leave them together to see if the momma's milk supply would catch up with demand, but be watchful and supplement when and where needed. Good luck.


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## Blossomgapfarm (Jan 23, 2007)

Any chance you could get the ewe in a small pen with just her lambs for a couple of days? It might give her a chance to get comfortable with so many babies and it would be easier to make sure she was eating her share. Whether she can feed them all probably does depend on the breed, whether this is her first lambing and her own personal milk supply. Keep us updated!
Dawn


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

I feed my ewes at least 1 pound of grain per lamb they are nursing per day. I keep an eye on the lambs to make sure they are doing well. As long as they are, they get to stay with the ewe with no milk supplements. If they are constantly bawling I assume that they aren't getting enough and I will either supplement them, but still keep them with the ewe, or let that lamb have a little one on one with the ewe a few times a day by detaining the others for a while. If they begin to lag behind, hunch their back, or generally just look like they aren't happy campers, I'll take them in as bottle babies. This year I didn't have to bottle feed any of the triplets. It hasn't always been so, though. 

If I have any doubt about colostrum intake on multiples, I will tube some to them just to make sure they get a good a start.


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

If I were to bottle feed using a replacer, I'd feed the strongest ram lamb a bottle (16-20 oz) twice a day which would allow the weaker ewe lamb an opportunity to nurse and get the good milk. If I were feeding goat's milk I'd bottle feed the ewe lamb so that she's more socialized.


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

It just depends on all the above, lol. As long as the ewe can look after them and you can look after and make sure she's eating well and able to take care of them all, all three will be fine. It's just when they're out in the pasture and you can't look after them that you'd have to worry. 

We had one set of triplets and all three did fine on the mother with no supplement. 

We had another set of triplets and one of the triplets was really small and weak and so we bottle fed him but kept him with his mother and he did great. 

In my opinion, the more the mother can do for them, the better off they'll all be.


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

I was going to mention that and forgot...if'n the Mom can feed all three then by all means let her. Supplement her grain where she gets a ration every day and can't be bullied by others, if that means penning her & her lambs for a week, go for it. See if she can't take care of them. 

My post above is what I'd do if I were going to be bottle feeding one of the lambs to assist a ewe that couldn't feed three.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Get them seperated and build up the feed (grain) slowly, add some bakign soda to the grain too. What age and breed is the ewe? Is she in very good condition or leaning towards thin? Compared to other sheep would you say the mum has more less or the same milk. Just to guage the prospects for mum raising all three, which don't sound promisingso far but can change with feeding etc. if she's in reasonable condition.


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

Good point, Ross. Ewes normally lose condition while they are lactating, so if she is not in tip-top condition, those lambs will really pull her down in condition, and she won't milk well. If you want her to raise all 3 lambs, she'll need to be fed well. Separating her from the ewes that shove her aside is good advice. I'm not sure what hemisphere you are in, but also, she'll be more susceptible to worms during the strain of feeding trips, so watch her for that, too.

Lisa at Somerhill
www.somerhillfarm.com


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

Good call, Ross. I forget that some folks might not know to gradually increase feed intake. 

I find that it is hard to keep weight on the ewes that are nursing triplets, even with feeding them well. If they start looking a bit thin, but their milk production is good, I'm happy. They start to gain back their weight once the lambs are taken off of them.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Rob is not far from me, we have very similar weather conditions. He gets colder first but has better scenery. I have less mosquitos, but far more politicians. Lucky dog.


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

Ross said:


> I have less mosquitos, but far more politicians. Lucky dog.


Is there a difference???  
Lisa


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## Rob30 (Nov 2, 2004)

I seperated her and she seems much more relaxed. She ate her grain. The first time I have seen her eat in two days. The lambs still seem hungry. The biggest is OK. The next is not bad, but is hunched up at times. The smallest is always hunched up. She crys alot. I suppliment about a bottle per day. I have seen them drink and the smallest almost always gets beat out. 
The ewe is 3/4 Romanov 1/4 suffolk. She seems to have enough milk. After everyone drank I caught her and she still had lots of milk.


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Rob,

The suggestions here are great, but I tend to intervene sooner than later.

I have an average of 10 sets of triplets and 1 set of quads a year.
I offer bottles to any lamb who might be hungry-definitely any that are the odd lamb out or are hunched up. They don't take it later - if they do not need it. Initially, I would rather get them familiar with the bottle than struggle with it later.
The ewes have enough milk to feed them, but I prefer not to see them fight over the teats - not only for the sake of the udder, but also the ewe deciding not to feed them due to their pushing and grabbing when they compete for their turn as bigger lambs.
If she were mine, I would be supplementing the little one on regular bottles throughout the day. It is better to get a good start than lag or lose her later.
Just my two cents......

Deb


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

How old are these lambs and have you seen these lambs poop? Did they pass a black tar like stool? What color is their poop now? The reason I ask is because of the hunching up. They could be hungry but they could also be constipated. I find it happens when a weaker lamb doesn't get a really good dose of colostrum and the passing of the miconium is delayed. If so, an enema might be indicaited. (12 cc, or so, of warm water that has some mild soap dissolved in it is gently plunged into their anus. I use a regular syringe and just insert the tip far enough into the anus so that the water goes in and doesn't squirt out.)


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Also forgot to add...
It would be good to keep her in a pen with the lambs for several days.
This way you can watch the lambs as well as get the ewe her share of grain.
And did they all get their share of colostrum ?


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