[Jacob-list] Help with new baby lamb

[TODD HEINS]

I had a baby Jacob lamb born Tuesday morning.  This is my first and of course it isn't a simple one to start out with.  Anyways, he can't stand up on his front legs on his own.  For some reason they will not bend much past 90 degrees.  He is sucking from his mother with help.  Since he can't get up on his front legs, I have been holding him up so he can eat.  One problem I have is I don't know if he is getting enough.  I assume he is because he is pooping and peeing just fine (on me of course when I pick him up).  I have been stopping his eating when the mother seems to have had enough of him sucking.  She usually pushes him away with her hind leg and walks away and doesn't want me to hold him near her udder anymore.  I have been letting him suck on both sides.  The first day I went out about every 3-4 hours to help him feed.  Yesterday and today was closer to every 4-6 hours.
 
Has anyone had any lambs that seemed crippled and eventually straigthened out?  He is able to move his lower legs back and forth and also move his hoof so his legs seem to be working fine.  The problem is his knees do not bend all the way straight.  I have been massaging them when I pcik him up and he doesn't seem to wince as if it were painful.  He is full of energy and hops around the pen without any problems on his fron knees.  The mother has not abandoned him and stays close by as she should.  She is also very calm and patient with me when I am in the pen.  Should I keep feeding off the mother or put him on a bottle?
 
I also have a question about the mother.  It does not appear that she has given birth except the blood that was running down her leg.  She still has a bulge.  The guy that breed them thought she should lamb in maybe September.  Could she have aborted this one prematurely and still be carrying another?  The reason I ask is she never really developed a bag until after the baby was born.  I have read that there bag starts to fill up with milk a few days before they give birth.
 
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated. 		 	   		  
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