Well, I am about at my wits end. I was looking for a cotswold breeder and having little luck. One that I found said they only sell bottle babies as they are increasing their own flock...
A week later they call with a 3 week old ewe lamb that is orphaned because its mother tipped onto her back and died. I drive the 2 hours to pick it up, after she assured me that it would take a bottle.
When I get her home, she is a nice size lamb, but will NOT drink from a bottle. She doesnt seem to know how. I spend 20 min. each feeding squeezing 4-5oz into her mouth to swallow. It has been a week, she is only getting about 12oz per day so I am mixing the formula 1 1/2x regular mix. She doesnt seem overly hungry. She is also not very aggressive/lively. I know she eats some grass, but my observations have been that she just nibbles. She was not exposed to grain and doesnt seem to know what it is. I see her checking out the ewes, but dont think she is aggressive enough to be robbing milk. She doesnt seem to be thin though. She is 30# at 28 days. She goes out with the other sheep, but sometimes just stays in the shed.
Yesterday I gave her 2cc vit B, 1/2cc a&D, 200iu vit E, 5cc preconditioning gel with lactobacillus and vits. Today, she is not improved and infact has runny poop. One minute she looks like a normal lamb, chewing her cud-the next she seems dopey. I planned to give her another vit B, E, and gel today. Any other suggestions?
A week later they call with a 3 week old ewe lamb that is orphaned because its mother tipped onto her back and died. I drive the 2 hours to pick it up, after she assured me that it would take a bottle.
When I get her home, she is a nice size lamb, but will NOT drink from a bottle. She doesnt seem to know how. I spend 20 min. each feeding squeezing 4-5oz into her mouth to swallow. It has been a week, she is only getting about 12oz per day so I am mixing the formula 1 1/2x regular mix. She doesnt seem overly hungry. She is also not very aggressive/lively. I know she eats some grass, but my observations have been that she just nibbles. She was not exposed to grain and doesnt seem to know what it is. I see her checking out the ewes, but dont think she is aggressive enough to be robbing milk. She doesnt seem to be thin though. She is 30# at 28 days. She goes out with the other sheep, but sometimes just stays in the shed.
Yesterday I gave her 2cc vit B, 1/2cc a&D, 200iu vit E, 5cc preconditioning gel with lactobacillus and vits. Today, she is not improved and infact has runny poop. One minute she looks like a normal lamb, chewing her cud-the next she seems dopey. I planned to give her another vit B, E, and gel today. Any other suggestions?
