# New baby is cold in the barn



## HappyPalace (Apr 27, 2012)

Brand new to sheep.  
We brought home a week old bottle baby yesterday and she spent her first night in the barn.  The stall is a little big and must have been drafty because she was shaking when my daughter went to feed her this morning.  Daisy came to her and was hungry, but shaking.  She ate 5 1/2 oz.  My daughter brought her into the house & held her under a towel for a while.  She's up and running around now and standing up to the cat LOL.  She peed on the carpet too.

What can I do to keep her warmer in the barn?  Can I put her in a box?  Should I put in a heat lamp?  We put down a bale of straw in the stall and we can add more.  I don't think my husband can work on it until Sunday.  We're supposed to have mid 40s and rain tomorrow with a low close to freezing Sat. into Sunday.

Thanks for your advice!


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Apr 27, 2012)

Where are you located and what are your night time temps?

So she does not have a friend to sleep with?

I would recommend a heat lamp, if you can safely install one?  

Or if you can not install a heat lamp, do you have a dog house or can you build a temporary house that she can get inside to allow her own body heat to be conserved.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 27, 2012)

A heat lamp should be fine.  Please make sure to secure it with a wire, chain, zip tie, etc. And you'll want to hang it low enough that it is warm down at her level, but high enough that she can't touch it.   Are you planning on getting a buddy for her?


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 27, 2012)

Is she an only lamb? Another lamb would be best, but you could also put a jacket on her.  You can make a jacket by cutting the arm off an old sweatshirt/sweater and making holes for her front legs.

These are jackets that I made for a couple chilly lambs last year. It was just a rectangle of fleece sewn into a tube and holes cut for the front legs.











A heat lamp would also work, just make sure it is secured. They can be dangerous. You could also keep her in the house. We used to put a diaper on the lambs and let them run around. They liked to jump on the couch and sleep in bed with us.

Where are you located? Your weather sounds worse then ours and I'm in Vermont!


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## HappyPalace (Apr 27, 2012)

We are in Central Ohio & the wind just blows with nothing to block it.  We're expecting mid 50s today which would be okay except for the wind.  

I put a plastic recycle box in the stall & packed straw around it.  It's a snug fit for her, but my daughter said she was shivering again.  I'm thinking it might be better to put her in the dog crate in the garage with the heater on?  I think I could secure a heat lamp in the stall, but I'm so leary of doing it.

I might be able to sew  a fleece coat together for her today.  Thanks for the pictures, it looks like an easy fix 

Yes, she's an only lamb for now.


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 27, 2012)

HappyPalace said:
			
		

> We are in Central Ohio & the wind just blows with nothing to block it.  We're expecting mid 50s today which would be okay except for the wind.
> 
> I put a plastic recycle box in the stall & packed straw around it.  It's a snug fit for her, but my daughter said she was shivering again.  I'm thinking it might be better to put her in the dog crate in the garage with the heater on?  I think I could secure a heat lamp in the stall, but I'm so leary of doing it.
> 
> ...


I think a crate in the garage is a good idea, but I don't think that a heater is necessary. Fill the crate with hay or straw and maybe put a jacket on her and she should be ok.


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## HappyPalace (Apr 27, 2012)

Thank you!  We'll make the change now (poor doggy won't know what think!).  Our weather is supposed to warm up Monday & then stay more spring like.  It was probably too much change for her all at once.  We'll dig out the fleece & make her a little coat, too.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 27, 2012)

I agree, no heater.  Keep in mind it's harder on animals if they're transitioning from warm to cold and back and forth.  As long as she has a draft free place, she should be fine.  


And where are pics?  We love to see pics of new babies!


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## HappyPalace (Apr 27, 2012)

You're right - pictures!!  I haven't even had time to introduce myself on the forum yet LOL!  We already made her a little coat like purplequeenvt suggested.  I'll have to get that pic later today.  Thanks for your great advice!

This is Daisy


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Apr 27, 2012)

OOOHHH!! She is SO cute!!


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 27, 2012)

She's lovely!


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## HappyPalace (Apr 27, 2012)

Thank you.  We're totally in love.  I can't get over how tiny she is.  I need to take the scale out there & weigh her.


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## HappyPalace (Apr 27, 2012)

Don't mean to be a pest, but I have another question.   I want to be sure and do the best thing, but it's very new & I'm a little conflicted.:/

The wind has finally died down from the arctic gale we were having.  The last forecast called for 40 tonight & a high of 50 tomorrow, but rain in the afternoon.  Daisy seems to be doing okay in her little coat & is using the box we put in the stall for her.  Should I go ahead and leave her in the barn tonight and see how she does?  If I put her in the dog crate it's a lot bigger than the box she's in.


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 27, 2012)

If it isn't super windy/drafty and cold in the barn, then she should be fine with her jacket and box.

She is really cute!


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## HappyPalace (Apr 28, 2012)

Thank you so much!  She did really well last night.  No shivering at all at breakfast.  They've updated tonight's forecast to upper 30s, so I think she'll be good.  She likes the extra straw and the box in the stall.


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