Two more

I happened to be outside just after 1pm when one of the expectant eyes lay down int he field and her chin came up and she started straining. We suspected something was imminent because there was some 'bagging up ' - the udders swell and fill with milk. It can happen a few days or even weeks before lambing.

The rest of the days' events are eloquently described here.

A poorly ewe.

And Zena hasn't been herself for the last few days . Off food, listless, lying down a lot.
The consensus (Robbie down the hill, and the vet) seems to be that she has toxaemia.

And as ever , google is your friend for finding out about stuff. Toxaemia in sheep is different to toxaemia (pre-eclampsia) in people . In sheep its due to lack of calories in to keep up with the needs of rapidly growing lambs lambs in utero, which grow the most in the last 6 weeks.  It is worse in ewes carrying twins, adn the consensus is that she has at least 2 in there. The mother cannot keep up with the energy requirements of the  growing lambs, so she develops a low blood sugar and starts breaking down body stores of energy , which produces ketones.  Her current Body Condition Score ( a method of assessing nutritional status) is 2, according to Robbie.

The specific treatment is delivery of the lambs , and the vet can induce labour if necessary . In sheep its steroids , whilst in people its oxytocin that is used.

In the meantime its a matter of trying to keep up the energy intake.
So the suggestions are
-grain instead of sheep feed ( Zena has been  spontaneously eating  the poultry grain )
-feed with carbohydrates . (Suggestions include Ready-brek mixed with molasses)
But it is necessary to stimulate the rumen , as sheep  need to ruminate their food to digest protein and carbohydrate. And yoghurt mixed with carbohydrate has been suggested for this.

According to our sums  the earliest we could be lambing is in 5 days time.

And once delivered , this problem should go.

And we thought your onw  children were anxiety-generating !