We are now feeding this 7 wk old lame corn and oats... It doesn't seem to be eating that much... How much does it it? I'm also having it drink water... She drinks about 1\4 of bucket a day.. I just hope she's getting enough.. I was told to feed her this where we got her.. Thanks James

-- JAMES (onemaur@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002

Answers

James, I am not a sheep expert, but have raised a few meat lambs. I feed them commercial lamb pellets or lamb creep feed. You can get these at most feed stores. I also give them free choice hay, especially if there is no grass pasture available. The water is important too.

-- Karen Mauk (kansashobbit@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.

My 7 week old lambs would still be on a bottle or getting lamb milk replacer out of a pail.I feed replacer till 12 weeks,introducing pellets or oats early ,but I don't depend on it .Good luck,welcome spring the lambs are comin!!!

-- teri (dnsmacbeth@aol.com), February 17, 2002.

James, Has your lamb been vaccinated for overeating diseases with something like covexin? If not do so immediately. Lambs love a good quality alfalfa most of all. Pellets are pretty unappealing to lambs, especially if they are not feeling well. Go with a good lamb feed mix from your local mill. Also, your lamb is probably lonely. Sheep are herd animals, and do not thrive alone. I wish your farmer had encouraged you to get two. Good luck.

-- Lisa (vadas@nfdc.net), February 17, 2002.

Have raised a couple of orphan lambs on goats milk and lamb pellets or just the 16% goat feed with hay. I think it should be on a lamb replacer with bottle for a while too. Or get it to drink the replacer out of a pan. Good Luck !!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), February 17, 2002.

7 weeks old is way to young to be weaned. The problem arises that if this was a goatling and 7 weeks old, coupled with a refusal of taking a bottle, we would use a milk fed pellet like calfmanna. I would assume this would be too high in copper for a lamb, though Headstart which is a knock off of calf manna is in our custom mix, which is also very successfully used on a sheep herd in our area. The alfalfa hay is a wonderful idea, with alfalfa being very high in calcium, something this infant needs to grow! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 17, 2002.

We routinly wean at 30 days so it's not too young to be off it's bottle. That said it does take a lot of preparation to get a lamb off milk so young. Your sure it was weaned when you got it? If your going to change it's feed add to the oats and corn (which is not a good grain ration for lambs by it's self. It's too low in protein) Personally I'd mix in some soymeal. Sure alfafa hay or good clover hay would do if you can't get alfalfa. Just not grass hay. If it wasn't fully weaned get it back onto replacer. Make sure you mix it correctly, using directions for lambs not kids. Get it vacinated with an 8 way vaccine for clostridial diseases. Good luck, hope it works out better than you calf.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), February 18, 2002.