[Jacob-list] I'm just about ready to give up!

[JACI SIEHL]

My oldest ewe (Joy) had twin rams yesterday evening.  She was 140 days - I know this is accurate because she got marked the first day I put her with the ram.  Both lambs are about 4 lbs.  One can't stand.  He seems alert and holds his head up good, but his left side just isn't cooperating.  The left hind leg is pulled up and even though he has full range of movement he never straightens it out.  If I lay him on his right side he tries to get up and flops over onto his left.  He got 24 cc colostrum at about 4 hr and another 6 cc at 6 hrs of age (fresh from mom). Mom has milk but very difficult to milk so he is on replacer now every 2 - 3 hours. I didn't want to stress mom any more than necessary. 
   
  The other lamb appears to be scrunched up - walks with his hind legs under his body more than normal.  He is very active but hasn't gotten the hang of where the teats are but he is warm and he is not skinny so I assume he is getting some milk when I'm not looking.
   
  Both were given 1 cc Bo-Se within 3 hours of birth.  Mom is very attentive to both.
   
  Is the problem with the legs a part of being premmie?  Is 140 days really considered premature?  Is this another sign of white muscle disease?  What is the normal color and consistency of ewe's milk?  
   
  We didn't milk the first ewe (Lillie) until the 2nd or 3rd day and the milk was a dark white but more of a consistency of milk.  Joy's milk is a yellow custard colored and very thick.  Also she isn't bagged up as much as she has in the past.  Is this because she was a week early? 
   
  I'm frustrated because my first lambs of the season had selenium deficiency and one didn't make it.  The one that made it (Helen) is a bummer and injured her right hind leg at the pastern at one week old and has not used that leg for 6 weeks.  She sprain the leg while playing with the yearlings and a week later a ewe had her down and butting her on that side.  The vet saw her twice and thought it was soft tissue damage and said time will take care of it and gave her antibiotics.  But the swelling is still bad and now we have it splinted but she still won't put any weight on that leg.  The vet sees her again in 2 weeks to see what the options are.  I'm afraid that we will have to put her down because I don't see surgery and prosthesis as an option.
   
  Anyone interested in some 3-legged lambs?
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