Experienced Lamb Handrearers Some Advice Pls

[bemba]

Quote:
Thankyou so much for your help... pretty much if your gonna have one, 2 isn't much more work and much healthier for the sheeps mental state right?
So are you saying wait till this girl is what age before taking her? and bring home a bottle baby the same day? Or should I just wait and get 2 bottlebabies on the same day PS I would get 2 girls, also how often will they come on heat when mature, will they get cranky not being mated or roam to find a male?

 

[bemba]

Was just looking through the posts in backyardherds, and one story of a 3 week old lamb taking to a bottle.... I am so tempted to give this a go, I really do have quite a nack with animals ,and I will be home for the next few weeks, I have got till Sunday night to think about it at least..... Also a friend suggested to give only half strength furmula for the first couple days to avoid scour... would you also do this?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The best thing would be buy the Ewe AND the lamb.

You don't have to bottle feed to get a tame lamb.

You just need to spend a lot of time handling them.

The lamb will be much healthier drinking it's mother's milk anyway

 

[bemba]

Quote:
True but I don't have fences, and they could run off..... so just wanted one that was tame (or 2) to just hang around and be happy

I think I'm gonna go there and just see what the lamb is like first before deciding

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

True but I don't have fences, and they could run off..... so just wanted one that was tame (or 2) to just hang around and be happy

If you don't have fences, you won't have the lamb for very long.

They won't "just hang around"​

 

[boykin2010]

Quote:
If you don't have fences, you won't have the lamb for very long.

They won't "just hang around"

I dont completely disagree but i do think if handled properly they would stay close to home. I could leave the gate open to my pasture and I wouldnt worry about my sheep. The worst they would do is raid the flower beds or eat the neighbors grass. You could try to bottle feed the 3 week old. It could possibly work but be prepared that if it doesnt work you will need to return it back to the owner. Have you bottlefed anything before? The more experience you have the more likely you are to succeed. Give it a shot and if it doesnt work then bring it back. I think your best bet would be to get either a ewe and lamb and keep them in some kind of pen until they get used to you feeding them. They would stick around as long as they knew you were going to give them a steady supply of food. If not then get 2 bottle babies about the same age.
Hope everything works out!

 

[lasergrl]

I wouldnt risk it. I would leave that lamb on its mother untill it is at least 6 weeks old. I would get a bottle lamb in the mean time as its companion. You will have to construct a pen of some sort temporarily because the lambs will not know where home is for a long time. the first time you go in the house the lamb/lambs will be so upset that yu have gone they will likely wander away in search.
It will only take a few weeks to tame that mother raised one.
Im telling you from experience it is HARD to get baby lambs to take a bottle, even a young one. I used to go to auctions and buy the lambs that hit the ground while in the auction house (buyers never wanted them because they only buy for butcher). A 3 week old one is going to be problems. Then once they do finally take the milk they are dehydrated stressed and will often start scours from all of it. It really isnt worth it.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The worst they would do is raid the flower beds or eat the neighbors grass.

Many ornamental plants are poisonous to sheep

To let a 3 week old lamb (or any sheep) wander around loose is like ringing a dinner bell for every predator around, because the lamb will go looking for the flock.​

 

[Hucklekree]

Hope I'm not too late to jump in. Here's some of my thoughts from experience.

Fencing situation:

Sheep need boundaries. They are like the velociraptors from Jurassic Park they are constantly testing fences! If there is a weakness they will find it. If there is no fence they will wander. They are never quite satisfied with a specified area.

Bottle situation:

I have gotten an older lamb to take a bottle. It has to be hungry and the milk needs to be warm and coming out of the right nipple. I had to try 5 different types. You can't give up and you can't get angry or the sheep is done. It's worth a shot.


Temperment situation:

Are you sure you want a bottle fed "friendly" sheep? I've had my share and I much prefer the "friendly" I get from my non bottle fed sheep. Bottle fed sheep can and most often are down right obnoxious. Do you really want an animal upwards of 150 pounds with a sense of entitlement the size of Alaska in your yard?

Company situation:

Sheep do need to be in a pair or more for mental health.

All this being said I meant none of it as a snub or an offense this is simply coming from someone who raises sheep for enjoyment and for sustainability. I have a full time job and a toddler to take care of and time is limited on my end. That is where I'm coming from and thought you should know. Sheep are fun and enjoyable and I don't mean to turn you off of them

 

[bemba]

Thanks everyone for your replies..... Well I have decided to buy 10 rams that are bottle fed,.............. LOL KIDDING.... no I have to let this one go, too old and I want to do this right, so am going to wait for 2 ewe lambs to be born, and if they are not the colours I want I will just wait again. Kills me though the thought of having her here with me now, but its not fair on the sheep.