Late Monday afternoon I got a call from the neighbour. They'd pulled triplet lambs out of a ewe that hadn't survived. Would I take the wee ewe lamb and two huge ram lambs on to bottle feed as pets? You will know my response: OF COURSE. I rode over to their rescue with a big box, blanket and bottles of colostrum.
They were muddy, wet, cold and in shock. They'd been sitting on the floor of the quad bike for over an hour. I got them back to Struan Farm and John and I cracked into action. While getting some colostrum into them is important, it's far more critical to get them dry and warm. We brought them inside by the roaring fire on blankets and towels. By the end of the evening the ewe lamb had drunk a bottle and was looking like she would survive, while the two ram lambs looks a bit more questionable. One more than the other.
When we went to bed we put the ewe and one ram outside in the garage with a blanket, and kept the one that looked like he was dying inside in a big box with a blanket by the fire so that he would stay warm.
Guess what? Good news. The next morning I was awakened by baa-ing. It was coming both from the box and the garage. Everyone had survived, phew! They guzzled down bottles and things were looking good. After a second morning bottle everyone was shipped out to the Pet Pen in the backyard to settle in.
Meet "Bubbles," "Elvis" and "Ajax." Bubbles, the ewe lamb, has commandeered the Pet Palace. I'm getting Mike to put up a tarp over one side of the Pet Pen today to provide a bit more shelter, although there are the seat and the trees.
More stories and photos to follow no doubt, along with many bottles!
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