# Orphaned lamb



## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Hello I figure I would post here since I had it in goats lol but hay sheep people!! I own goats and useally raise a lamb every year for meat but I get one already weaned and well on its way....I got a baby orphaned lamb this week. She's 1 week old. Very possibly premature....her mother died in childbirth. And I'm unsure if she had gotten colostrum...since I got her at 3 days old from a farm that was bottle feeding her formula. I have been continuing with the baby lamb formula and keep her in a dog crate at night. I take her out to the pen during the day but she is tiny and shivers and I don't think she would make it outside full time yet. It's about 30's to 40's here and snow and rain so that's why I am keeping her inside until it's nice out. I have introduced hay and she tries to suck on it. Her teeth are just starting to come up thru the gums... She drinks only 2-3oz per feeding of milk before she is full. I'm not sure what to do from here since I only raised lambs for meat....and got those after they were weaned etc. are there some vaccines I need to be giving her? Special care in case she is a preme? Because she is sooo small anything I can do to help her? If she makes it I will keep her as a pet. I also got a mineral block for sheep from tractor supply. And some lamb sweet grain from tractor supply but she won't touch it. Any advice moving forward is very helpful. Also I'm not sure the breed she is but I will not be dehorning her if she gets horns. Also I hear about tail docking...is it something I need to do to her?? 
Thanks


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

At one week old she may nibble a bit on hay and grain but won't actually eat it yet. Milk is her main source of nutrition for the few few weeks. I would go with the instructions on your formula container as far as feedings, although I'd recommend many small meals per day rather than just 3 big meals at this age. Not sure what brand of formula you have there or what it says to give. Talk to your vet or maybe the person you got her from about vaccines, and as far as tail docking, most wool breeds do get docked in the first week. I can't advise on that as I don't dock my hair sheep. Hope she thrives for you! Sounds like she came to the best place for that!
Btw, she's adorable!!


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Thank you. She is adorable! I named her Ember. She has a little runny poopy today not totally water but runnier then normal. I've been giving more meals a day every two hours because she doesent drink a ton of milk per feeding. 1-3 oz per feeding. She cries something terrible if I'm not with in sight of her haha. We got two feet of snow last night so I don't no if I can take her out to the pen today she would disappear in the snow drifts. . But I did plow the drive way and could let her run around if it's a good idea out there.... With my supervision of course. :snowcool: but otherwise I'm just continueing to give her milk love and snuggle time on the couch and her favorite on my lap ;-) :kidblue: until she gets stronger and bigger and the weather decides to play nice. 

Oh the brand of milk replacer is for lamb babys and it's made by Dumor brand. I got it at tractor supply co. Shold I be offering water as free choice as well? I don't no if she would drink out of a bucket yet..... Or if that's ok for them....

The tail docking..... The people I got her from don't dock their wool sheep. And they do fine. So I guess idk what's your opinion. I don't want to cause the little one pain. Thanks


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

Some wool breeds have tails with very little wool on them so maybe that's the breed you have. I probably wouldn't worry about it then but others may tell you different. :grin: I haven't done a lot of bottle feeding so not sure about the runny poo. Keep an eye on it because you don't want her getting dehydrated. Runny poo can happen from over-feeding (too much milk) but also from environmental bacteria, e-coli etc, which would then possibly require meds from vet. I may also just be from stress of moving to a new place and schedule. I wouldn't be taking her out in snow. Keeping her at a consistent temperature is better until she's a little older and stronger and it's milder outside. As for drinking water, it's ok to make it available for her but don't expect she'll drink much of it yet. I'm in Ontario so our lamb replacer brands are probably different from yours but I'm sure it's fine.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Ok thank you. I will keep her inside then until it clears up a bit. I'm in upper Michigan hay neighbor haha. Also wanted to ask I noticed a small lump on her side behind her elbow. Doesent seem to cause pain or issues but Just wondered what to do about it. It feels like a muscle sorta but round.


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

I wondered where you're getting that much snow! I'm in southern Ontario so you might be further north than I am! Our snow is all melted and we've been mostly above freezing the last couple weeks. 
The location of the lump you mention, makes me wonder if the breeder already vaccinated her. That is a common injection site so you may want to ask them. Sometimes a lump forms after injection but it's nothing to worry about. If that's what it is, it will eventually disappear on its own.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

The lump is not getting better and they did not give her a injection. What could it be. She still has runny poo I'm worried. :thinking:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is she having any problems walking?


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Just kind of baby leg wobbles but besides that no.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm not sure. Can you take her to a vet?


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

I don't have a farm vet available for at least 200 miles. I live in the middle of no where. Her runny poo has gotten worse. So just gave her some pepto bismal and electrolights. She hates both of them. Hope this works. I read it somewhere it can help clear up diarrhea. I don't want her getting dehydrated. As for the lump, it's not any better and I don't no what to do about it. It doesn't seem to bother her or cause pain or difficultly walking. I took her outside for 10 min because it's sunny out to play. She had fun. I just hope she feels better soon.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would be giving her neomycin or scour halt for ecoli.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Ok today started on neomycin and lamb paste and electrolights and probiotics and a CDT shot. How often shold I do these things.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Ok so I've been giving the neomycin twice daily 1 ml each time. Am and pm. It's an oral type not injection. And the lamb paste three times a day. 3 clicks on the tube. Looks like 1.5 ml. And electrolights diluted in water in a syringe because she won't take it any other way and this way she still spits and throws her head around like I'm giving her the worst foul thing ever. 3 ml per feeding. Which is about every 2-3 hours. And probiotics I got the jar of it from tractor supply and they said to mix it with her milk but she won't will not nada nope drink that milk if it's in there. So again diluted in water in a syringe 3ml every feeding to every other feeding 2-3hrs are feeding times. 

As for color of stool change. Yesterday before treatment started it was a dark brown almost blackish :GAAH: yucky sticky wet watery mess. Today it is a little lighter. Not the normal yellow baby poo I'm used to seeing. But it's trying to get there. It's a brown lighter brown. With hints of yellow. So a shade better is good in my book. She made it through the night which I was worried sick about because she seemed very ill and weak last night. Shaky etc. this morning she wanted to buck and run around and had an appatite. So fingers crossed I got to it time. I am not a vet nor is a vet closely available. I'm just doing what others suggested and has worked in the past. 

Any other advice would be fantastic. I also did give her a CDT shot. And I'm wondering what is causing the diarrhea so bad? Any clues. I hear you can sometimes tell from color because at first it was baby on bottle yellow poo, then yellow sticky poo, then runny watery yellow poo, then brown black sticky poo, then watery brown black poo, now it's back to watery brown light brown hints of yellow.?? Still not solid not even sticky yet. ...... All this happened over 4 days.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

new update

she had a explosive diarrhea but it was green! not brown!

what does this green mean!!!!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Green is usually dietary. Sounds like she is turning around. Sorry I don't have more advice.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

I called my vet about her and he said not to give much hope in survival he gave me some LA200. I gave her the first shot yesterday and he said to give the last one tomorrow and if still no improvement then to put her down. She has an apptite in the morning first meal but then rest of day it's force feeding.  she seems weak and there looks to be blood specks in her poop's


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like that rough start was too much. I hope she pulls through for you.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Here is picture of green poo with dark specks in it. I don't want her to die I'm attached to her! I've been crying my eyes out waiting for some miracle or someone who knows something else to try! I don't even no how to put her down she was going to be a pet.


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## BoulderOaks (Sep 24, 2014)

She's about 2 weeks old now? That rules out coccidiosis which tends to be the most common problem with lambs with diarrhea. 

A big issue could actually be the lamb milk replacer if it isn't being mixed quite right. If I remember correctly, Dumor(which is a great brand, I used it successfully for many, many orphan lambs) should be 1 part powder to 2 parts water. So mix 1 pint of powder with 1 quart of water(I usually mixed with a whisk in a half gallon container, or just put the lid on and shook it really well)

Otherwise, E. coli or some other infection would be my next thought. Scour guard for pigs always worked well for me against E. coli.

It could also simply be a failure to thrive if she didn't get any colostrum that first day from the breeder.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

I am using the dumor brand and I was using a coffee mug to measure water. Putting half cup of milk replacer with full coffee mug of water. Is that where I'm wrong? Let me go in the kitchen and measure exactly what I've been mixing. Hang on. Ok so I've been putting 2 cups water with 1/2 cup replacer into a bottle but she won't drink all of it at once. How shold I be mixing this.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Also she turned two weeks old on Sunday so just a tiny bit over two weeks old. So your saying not coccidiosis. So if ecoli the neomycin is saposed to treat that. I've been giving her....:think:

Other thought. Is the not thriving because of the ruff start. But she seemed to be growing. Butts higher then sholders so she's getting taller. Etc.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is there soy in the milk replacer?


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

No soy here. 

Game changer......got a hold of breeder. She was givin Colostroum! From mother before she died and commercial colostroum. Can I save her.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sure can try.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

so my new approach shold be!?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I don't know. I was hoping someone with sheep experience would hop on here. Maybe PM Goathiker. She doesn't own sheep but could probably give you some ideas.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

so sorry you are having trouble with her, there is hope but be guarded....I would do a few things...

I would stop milk 12-24 hours so her tummy can rest and dry her bum...replace with electrolytes with a pinch of baking soda... 
keep her near a heat source as she is struggling to maintain body heat..
I would keep with the replacer but measure correctly, if too rich you can cause poop problems.....feed her only until tummy feel firm, not poochy or sunken in...
ALWAYS make sure her temp is at least 100 before feeding milk...


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

I'm sorry to hear she's still struggling. I really have no more advice either. I'm not familiar with 'Dumor' but if the mixing ratio is 1 part powder to 2 parts water, I think you're mixing too weak. It should be 1/2 cup powder to 1 cup water right? (not 2 like you stated). Hope you can get her turned around soon!


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Well today there is no improvement she is having the green diarrhea and she's acting hungery I've been giving electrolights. And trying to hold back milk. She crys so much for milk.....I gave her a little bit at 8am and again at noon. Just to stop her crying. Still no improvement. I'm really torn here because she acts hungery and alert, but has the worst diarrhea ever. I'm not sure what call to make. I gave her the last shot of La 200 the vet had said to give today. He advised if no improvement by Tomorrow put her down. Idk what to do.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Is this normal?

She poos 5-10 mins after eating. Like it runs right thru her.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

PM Happybleats. She would be the best one to help you since she also owns sheep.


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

I don't want to speak to soon but I thought it was over for this little one....was going to put her down. Until I got a shot in the dark idea from a lady who works with caprines..... Live active culture yogurt! 1-2 tablespoons per feeding. And make sure milk is mixed right. And fed 4 hrs apart. The first day I started it nothing seemed to improve. But this morning I came down to check on her and feed her breakfast and instead of finding a big pile of watery diarrhea I found no poop at all. I was amazed. So I fed the yogurt and milk. Then waited expecting the explosive diarrhea 5-15 min after eating. Nothing still. Waiting waiting waiting. Ok two hrs later a yellow diarrhea came out. So color went from green and bloody to yellow with no blood in a day with live culture yogurt. Omg. Wow. :stars: still watery and diarrhea but not green and bloody. Ok. Next meal in 30 mins will see how that goes and update further. Also the lady said to find her a real milk mother like a ewe or goat even. Well my search began and I found a ewe with a baby boy that someone is willing to sell. A bit on the steap side for price. But at this point I'm willing to give it all I've got to save my baby. I needed a miracle and that's what I got. Just letting everyone know in case you run into this. Live culture yogurt.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Thats wonderful news!! so happy for you....You are doing a great job!!!!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Any update?


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

It's been a few days since I updated but my little lamb is now 5 weeks old. She has been drinking almost the whole milk bottle at feedings. I'm going 4 hrs between feedings so 8am 12 noon, 4 pm and 8 pm and she still wants her late bottle at midnight. Otherwise she won't sleep :idea:??? Can't keep staying up until midnight ugh. Otherwise. Her poop has turned to a more brown color more of a normal brown like adult sheep Brown, some days it's very watery but 80% of the time it is solid. It sometimes resembles nugget turds but useally it's just one big turd. I'm still giving the live culture yogurt with each meal. And she seems to be getting filled out muscle in her rump and arm areas but not any taller. She definitely has put on some weight. Not so skin and bone. Just not getting taller. Any :idea::idea:???? Also have been offering grain, which she nibbles at. Not much nutrient she gets from there. She useally just spills it before eating it. :brickwall::brickwall: vacuums much. Also hay! She has finally started to enjoy hay. Not much of it but she will munch on it and eat some

Now comparing her to a baby lamb I have outside on his mom who is just a week older.....she is tiny compared to him. I'm talking three times the size. Also the lamb outside is eating grain rapidly, hay rapidly and drinks water out of a bucket. He's only a week older! And his mom seems to be weaning him? She walked away when he try's to nurse.... :idea::idea:??? 

So now that we seem to have gotten past the dire health issues now I need some advice please. How to fatten her up help her grow because she is a peanut. My 3 month old puppy is bigger then her haha. I think she is stunted because of lack of nutrient at such early age. :idea:
But there's gotta be something I can do to get her on a growth spurt. Also idk if it has to do with breed as well. The lamb outside is a hair sheep kathadran. And my tiny lamb is a wool breed. Not sure what but she's all black and no sign of horns....yet. 

So help me out guys!!!! 

Also one more thing to ask...she seems soooooo attached to me like omg the worlds going to end when moms not around me 24/7:brickwall: I thought it was cute at first but 5 weeks later.... I can't leave the house or she screams at the top of her lungs until I return, at night, i put her in the dog crate and again screams for hours until I fall asleep and drown out the noise. My family is starting to get very um well upset with me. :idea::idea::idea::idea: help. Please. 

I would like to wean her at 8 weeks old and get her outside in the pen.....she would have the other young lamb to play with along with the mom. The mom doesent like her. She pushes her into the fence..... Yikes. :brickwall: help again advice much.


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

*Bottle Baby lamb*

I raise some dairy sheep as well as a few dairy goats. Sorry I only got back to the list today. Are you and the lamb OK? There is a learning curve to raising baby lambs -- If your problem bottle baby is still alive, you are doing very well.

I recently raised a baby lamb whose mother was stressed and not willing to raise him. I had him in preemie diapers in a box in the house (one around his butt, the other around his belly as a "belly band" to catch urine). I let him walk around with my dogs in the house around feeding times -- it was easier on me because we were having some severe windstorms at the time. After two weeks I put him in a pen in the barn with his mother (who didn't recognize him as her own, but was kind enough as an old grandma sheep can be to orphans and lambs in general) and also another ewe with lambs of a similar age. He got to watch them eat, drink and play and became part of a play-group. In the house he was fond of my St. Bernard's tail -- and outdoors the Livestock Guardian dog watched over him. Now his favorite place to sleep is snuggled up next to that dog. Although he is friendly with a number of goats and sheep and lambs, I may end up with a sheep that runs with the dogs! He still stalks me and runs up to the door of my house and begs for a bottle. at 45 days he eats a variety of grains, alfalfa pellets, grass, forage, hay, water. He doesn't NEED a bottle, he WANTS it - -and the comfort of my hand on his head as he suckles. Sometimes I lock him in a pen in the barn with his daddy (a gentle ram) and other lambs, or with lambs that are in the pen overnight so that I can milk their moms in the morning. Orphan lambs are always a bit of a pain. Cute, but noisy.

NOTE: I do not recommend that you use him as a stud -- neuter him if you want to keep him as a pet, or send him to the butcher. Hand-raised bottle-babies grow up into very dangerous rams. They are too familiar with humans and see us as their "slaves" and will get too close with us. When they get hormonal, they are too close, and it is hard to get away from them when they are "in rut." Tame rams are frequently DANGEROUS. Even ordinary rams need to be watched carefully -- don't turn your back on them.

If you want to fatten up your orphan baby, offer a grain mix - -pelleted lamb grower should be fine -- and perhaps some alfalfa pellets (small kind, NOT cubes) and unlimited hay and water, and let him eat free-choice. If he's still on the bottle, offer it as a comfort-item, but gradually start watering it down until it becomes boring to him. Offer the watered down milk cold to him, too -- even more boring. . Orphan babies are so NEEDY. House the baby outside so you and your family can get some sleep. 

An Animal Husbandry professor once told me that orphan or rejected lambs have anxiety problems because they aren't getting the 24 hour a day attention, nuzzling and lessons from a mother -- so they are always a little bit lost and sad. Normally when a baby lamb cries, its mother nuzzles or calls out to it immediately (except when she just wants a break!). When a lamb is nervous about seeing something new or anything at all, it runs back to mom to suckle for a moment for comfort. Orphans can't do that, we don't understand what they want and they don't have a mom to teach them things, so life is a bit more difficult and lonely. It is a sad fact of life that these lambs are missing something and will always have a sad quality about them, even when life is otherwise good for them. It is a sad fact of life.

I was reading your notes about the lamb's poop: 
Yes, baby poop can be strange looking! All newborn mammals have something called "Meconeum." 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meconium 
The meconeum or first poop from the gut of a newborn lamb can be yellow or orange -- when a birth was stressful, they poop on themselves while being born and are stained yellow/orange. That very first poop tends to be liquid. Once born, they sometimes get a bit constipated and have thick, tarry stuff -- more meconium, but concentrated. Colostrum has a laxative effect and helps them pass the first meconium quickly -- just a blob of tarry black or brown goop. Healthy lambs usually pass it within 24 hours of being born (even bottle babies). Not a big deal -- but if a blob of tarry stuff doesn't come through, the lamb may have a birth defect where its gut is not connected with the anus (and thus best put down if not pooping in the first day or two).

Diarrhea is NOT a crisis -- a lot of commercial barns or ranches will treat it as if it is an emergency because with hundreds or thousands of lambs, if one lamb has an infection, more could have it, and it can be deadly. BUT when you have a small flock or individual lamb, you can watch. The bad bugs will cause bad-smelling diarrhea -- trust your nose.

Diarrhea can also come from too much liquid (I think your formula was too watery, so was going through too fast), or too rich a diet! Some of my dairy sheep have very high-protein, high-fat colostrum and milk, and lots of it -- so I don't worry much if the babies have a little loose stool when small. Or if it seems a bit "mucousy" for a while. I do watch and do the "sniff test." It helps to have a gentle dog to help clean up under his tail when poop looks like that. The extra stimulation is also similar to what mom would have done, and all attention is good. 

When you treat with electrolytes, it shouldn't be mixed with the milk -- it should be properly mixed EXACTLY to the proportions on the package. If the mixture is too rich or thick, it will draw liquids out of the tissues and make the baby sicker. I learned this from experienced people talking about treating their sick lambs.

IF the baby has an infection or just seems to have an upset stomach that won't quit: to give the stomach a break -- someone else correctly described this -- you give ONLY the electrolyte solution, made up in the proportions according to directions -- for one day. Or use ready-made solution or even just a human sports drink. Anything stronger or weaker can cause more problems. Do this for one day and the infection or upset will often clear up without having to medicate.

What I dislike about automatically giving antibiotics is that it can kill off good bacteria which the baby got from its mother's body, and that can sometimes make them more vulnerable to other bugs when the antibiotic treatment is finished.

I think the yogurt treatment is wonderful!

The one food that baby lambs seem to love is soybean meal -- soybeans that were roasted and ground up. Next best is a lamb-grower pellet. Cracked corn is not high enough in protein and could cause bloat, but is a treat they like. They usually watch their mom eat and drink, and start playing with the stuff, and within a few weeks they are eating some grain or pellet, some hay, and drinking water. BUT it helps if they can play with it from birth. Cornell University (NY) did a study where they were able to wean lambs to solid food in 17 days, but they did not recommend it.

The directions on my bag of lamb milk replacer (from PipestoneVets, created by Dr. Kennedy for his own lambs) say to wean at about 30 days. I find myself giving him a bottle now and then at 45 days because he is so NEEDY and hangs around the door, stalking me! But he also gets excited about alfalfa pellets and dairy goat chow, any pelleted sheep feed or stock feed, and cracked corn. I don't have a feed mill located near enough to me to get soybean meal at the moment -- but if toasted or roasted soybean meal is available to you -- I'd recommend it.

Seriously, you and your family will sleep better and be less cranky if you put the lamb in a pen in the barn -- or outside with a dog house for shelter -- and give him unlimited hay, feed and water. Also easier to transition from the barn to the butcher, than from the house to the butcher. AGAIN -- if you want him as a pet, you really really really should neuter him -- the sooner the better. Hope something in there is helpful to you. 
:kidblack:


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

*Bottle baby lamb*

I just realized that your bottle baby lamb is a little girl. Should be a fine pet, or even a breeding ewe if you want. For some reason I kept thinking it was a ram-lamb. I know of several people (including an agricultural extension agent) who were badly hurt by bottle-baby rams, and feel that I have to keep warning people!

Even a little girl sheep needs to learn good manners, and perhaps to walk on a leash (if you end up keeping her). When she gets to be 3 months old, she should be separated from the ram-lamb (unless you neuter him). Pregnancy in very young sheep can be bad. IF you keep her and breed her, wait until she has reached 60% or more of the weight of her mother's breed/type before breeding her. Because she had a rough start, you might not want to let her breed until she is at least 18 months old -- just to allow her to develop properly.

While your lamb is small, teach it not to jump on you, don't hold it on your lap after a certain point (as in, from today on) and remember that it could weight 100-250 lbs as a mature adult, depending on breeding. Sheep can be trained like dogs and can be quite intelligent, if a little flaky. 

I apologize if I sound preachy -- I learned a lot from other people who were raising sheep before me -- I feel it is important to pass on this information. Take time to enjoy her, too. Best wishes in raising your lamb! : ) :kidblack:


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## Hartwigfarms (Nov 22, 2015)

Thank you for the great advice!! Sadly she passed away last week.  but I'll definitly use what I learned next go round. I miss her like crazy she was my baby. Thanks again.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm so sorry you lost her.


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

*Orphan Lamb -- so sorry.*

I am sorry to hear of your loss. Yes, it hurts to lose one. If it is any consolation -- sometimes a lamb is born "not quite right" and that is why mom can't or won't raise it. Also why sometimes they are difficult to bottle-raise. It is always a challenge.

Hope all is well with your other critters. Again, I am sorry it didn't work out.


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