# At 19 days old, not even 3 weeks, should mom have weaned the baby???



## BlueMoonFarms (Apr 21, 2013)

Someone please tell me if this is normal. My little Shetland lamb appears to already have been weaned at 19 days old. She was born on April 3rd, so she is just two and a half weeks. She is eating grain and hay already and off of mom. She is talking a lot to, and I can feel her ribs a little bit. The area around her backbone is not sunken.
Should I take her and put her in with the baby goat to keep an eye on her? Or is she fine and this is normal...
I dont wnat to overlook anything and accedentily kill someone. Mom is getting grain and all the hay she can eat, and is actually quite fat...We need to cut her back, so this is definitely not a food problem. 
This is normal right?


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## SheepGirl (Apr 21, 2013)

At almost 3 weeks old, you will start to see lambs lose some interest in moms milk and begin eating more hay and grain. Are you sure shes not nursing at all?


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## BlueMoonFarms (Apr 21, 2013)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> At almost 3 weeks old, you will start to see lambs lose some interest in moms milk and begin eating more hay and grain. Are you sure shes not nursing at all?


Mom is about dried up, and when Mira goes over to nurse mom walks away. I was outside for over three hours and I never saw Mira nurse at all, that does not mean that shes not nursing all day since I cant see her 24/7, but she is definitely not nursing that I can see. Thats why im a bit concerned, she seems to young to be off mom.


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## Bridgemoof (Apr 21, 2013)

Also check the mom to make sure she is still producing milk?


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## BlueMoonFarms (Apr 21, 2013)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> Also check the mom to make sure she is still producing milk?


A little bit, not a huge stream like the goats im milking, but there is still some milk.


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## Bridgemoof (Apr 21, 2013)

Sorry I was posting at the same time as you. Seems odd that she would be weaned at that young.  Did you say the lamb was crying a lot? Maybe the mom is suffering from mastitis or something like that.


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## SheepGirl (Apr 21, 2013)

Keep an eye on her. I have gone days without seeing my lambs nurse, but then a couple days later I see the lamb attacking the ewes udder lol


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## BlueMoonFarms (Apr 21, 2013)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> Sorry I was posting at the same time as you. Seems odd that she would be weaned at that young.  Did you say the lamb was crying a lot? Maybe the mom is suffering from mastitis or something like that.


I just went down to satisfy my own curiosity, and no mastitis. She has some milk if I persisted, and it shot out like a stream so baby "should" be nursing even though I cant see her doing so, right?
She is loud when im down there. Shes not crying 24/7 or screaming, but she is talking.


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