# Got a lamb (and a lot of questions!)!



## watchdogps (May 18, 2012)

I was on here last year, and planned to get a few sheep. That didn't materialize, but I got a call from the livestock auction that they had a lamb they couldnt sell, so could I come get it? (they have my info to come get downed animals for my dogs) I knew when I saw him he was not bound to be dog food. So, I am now the proud owner of Leg 'O the lamb. 
I have no idea what kind of sheep he is. He is a wool sheep, and he is white with reddish-chocolate mottled face and legs. He is currently about beagle size, and adorable. He was sickly, and I have wormed him (safeguard)and a vet tech who raises sheep looked at him and thought he had a selenium deficiency, so we gave Bo-Se and lamb drench. He's looking better, but not entirely well yet. He's still a bit stumbly. 
She thought he was only a few weeks old. I offered him goat's milk, and the first day he took about a cup. The next day a little less, and day three he didn't want any. I have had him for 8 days now, so no milk for the last five. Now I'm reading that this is too young to wean. Should I try to get him back on milk? 
I have him in a pen that I move every day (a sheep tractor, LOL!) until he and the dogs get used to each other and then he will be in the yard. 
Any thoughts on things I should do differently? Does he need minerals yet?

Oh - how do I trim hooves?


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## Four Winds Ranch (May 18, 2012)

Poor little thing!
I don't think you have to worry about trimming his hooves for quite sometime yet. I have never had to trim any of mine until I shear at about 1yr.
What will the little guy eat? Is he just eating grass? You could try to get a lamb creep feed. Most of the ones I have ever used are a small pellet, and if they don't want it right a way, I leave it in their pen and MOST of them end up eating it. 
I would probably try to get him back on milk, it definatly won't hurt him!
I think lambs are never to young for free choice sheep mineral, if they need some, they will eat it!
If he is drinking and eating, he may be alright. Keep a close eye on his body condition as the days go by. I he starts to loose body condition, you might have to figure something else out.
Good luck!


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## watchdogps (May 18, 2012)

Oh - oops! I did get some creep feed for him too. He's been eating it well. The lady helping me said start him out slow, so I gave him about 1/2 cup the first day, a cup the next and now he has it free fed. He is mowing the grass with gusto though!
I'm afraid I'm not a good judge of sheep body condition. I know dogs, not sheep. His rear legs don't look well muscled.


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## SheepGirl (May 19, 2012)

Make sure he has fresh water, a creep feed, free choice loose mineral, and really nice hay available. Lambs have been weaned successfully at 14 days old, so I wouldn't worry about him needing milk. Creep feed actually helps the rumen to develop faster. Keep the creep feed available free choice. And it sounds like he is an 'only sheep' -- so see if you can get a buddy for him. He will probably be really happy about that.

As for breed, he could be a Tunis or California Red, or maybe a cross with one of those two breeds. Is his tail docked? Is he castrated? If not, you may want to get that taken care of. Does he have any ear tags?


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## watchdogps (May 20, 2012)

I gave him a dose of ivomec yesterday and some more lamb nutri drench.

This afternoon he looked awful. I wasn't sure he would make it. He was falling over and had a heck of a time righting himself. Looked almost like he was having neurological issues. He seemed painful.  He had eaten all his creep and drank some water during the day though. I gave him another BoSe injection, some more creep feed and more nutirdrench. Two hours later he was up and followed me from the pen to the barn and seemed to be feeling much better.

I'm a bit baffled.



When he has eaten a fair bit, he seems rather fat and belchy. Is that normal?

He does look a little like those breeds, but from what I gather they are born dark and their bodies lighten later. Also, his red-brown is mottled, not solid. I guess we will see as he grows. 
He isn't docked nor castrated, and I will do that, but after he is out of the woods. I don't want to add any more stress to his sick little body. 
No ear tags.


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## watchdogps (May 22, 2012)

He is not improving. He seems to be having major muscle spasms. I managed to get two videos of him onto my FB page
http://www.facebook.com/tiffany.murphy.142


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## watchdogps (May 23, 2012)

Update!



Cautiously optimistic!



I couldnt find tube feeding supplies anywhere. so I got some calcium tablets and Vitamin E tabs, as well as calcium drench. I crushed the tablets and mixed it into his creep feed ( LOVES his creep) along with B vit drops, nutridrench and the calcium drench. He ate it all up! so far today I have seen NO spasms and he has not been laid out on his side at all. He's still been laying down, but in the normal position. Today I tried pouring goats milk on the creep feed and he ate that too! So, I CAN get milk into him, I just needed to be creative!

I'm really hoping this is the key to his recovery!


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## Remuda1 (May 23, 2012)

I'm hoping with you. Good luck, hope he turns around soon


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## bonbean01 (May 23, 2012)

X2   keep us posted...hoping for the best!  You are being a really good Mama for this little thing...like the creative ways of getting him to take all that and milk to boot!


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## Erins Little Farm (May 24, 2012)

Good Luck! Hope he gets better. He sounds really cute!


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## SarahSand1 (Oct 23, 2012)

I am the proud owner of 5 Poll Dorset lambs born 1st week in October, (Spring here).
I have never had lambs before,
How long does it take for lambs to be weened off their mothers milk?
Yes we have done all the banding and marking.

Thanks for the answer in anticipation.

 to you all 

Sarah


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## SheepGirl (Oct 23, 2012)

I wean lambs at 60 days of age.


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## BrownSheep (Oct 23, 2012)

We natural wean here, but by 3.5 months the moms are pretty much ready for them to go.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Oct 23, 2012)

I usually wean at 4 months!


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## SarahSand1 (Oct 24, 2012)

Thank you all for you replies.

 Sarah


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