# Poopy butts on bottle babys



## EmToAb48 (Jun 7, 2013)

I have acquired 6 bottle baby lambs when I picked them up they were using the creep feeders. I had to order two once I got home after driving to every local store that may carry that ended up in them not having them...Anyways, so I was bottle feeding all of them till I got the creep feeders. They are now almost 2 weeks old  I was giving them 6oz every 6 hours at a week and few days old.  I started to notice more poop on their tails and legs... so I slowed it down to 4 oz every 4 hours this seemed to help. I got the creep feeder and have been adding to it daily to keep it cold. however now I am noticing MORE POOP then before... 

I am so scared they are going to get sick. Do you think I should water down my replacer.  The mix is 4oz of powder to one pint of water... The replacer is in a blue and white bag brand named Advance.


Any advice?

These are my first sheep and it would break my heart to make them sick. Is the poop on the legs and butt normal for them? The tails are banded so the will eventually fall off.


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## bcnewe2 (Jun 7, 2013)

It's probably to much milk replacer.  Cut it down in quantity or make it colder. But I don't recommend making it weaker. just less feeding at one time, Freeze some that's already constituted, and put in in the buckets so it melts slowly and they cant' chug it down all at one time. It will also keep it from spoiling and colder.
You could fill it only so full then come back outside and refill in the evening. to help limit their amount. 

Is this the same mill replacer that they were on?  If not, that might be part of your issue but you'll just have to deal with it and it'll get better. You can't switch back now or you'd be causing more issues.

Make sure you put out a creep feeder (not the lamb bar milk buckets I think you're talking about using)  but one that gives access to grain and make sure you are already offering either pasture or hay. Hay would probably help with the poopy butts quicker and with less issue but green grass will help them in the end too. might turn their poopy butts a bit green but that's not to bad.  I'd add free choice hay ASAP.  They need to quickly develop the tolerance for other food stuffs.

Poopy butts are not normal but a part of bottle baby management.  Not to big a deal unless it gets out of control.


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## EmToAb48 (Jun 7, 2013)

bcnewe2 said:
			
		

> It's probably to much milk replacer.  Cut it down in quantity or make it colder. But I don't recommend making it weaker. just less feeding at one time, Freeze some that's already constituted, and put in in the buckets so it melts slowly and they cant' chug it down all at one time. It will also keep it from spoiling and colder.
> You could fill it only so full then come back outside and refill in the evening. to help limit their amount.
> 
> Is this the same mill replacer that they were on?  If not, that might be part of your issue but you'll just have to deal with it and it'll get better. You can't switch back now or you'd be causing more issues.
> ...


Thank you so much for the response! I don't think its the same stuff they were on previously on.. The guy called the  milk bar a creep feeder (he has over 300 sheep).. But yes its the pail with nipples on it I just got another one today. They don't drink it all at once at all actually they munch on it through out the day.. But I will try giving them less and see how that goes. But with the pail you have to have a certain level or the milk can't be sucked out.. Anyways I will just keep in eye on them  make sure they aren't out of control the poop isn't really runny but its soft. 

They have started munching on creep feed (cracked corn, timothy hay and grass just of course not like they drink their milk lol)


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## bcnewe2 (Jun 7, 2013)

runny poop is normal for bottle fed lambs

you can try freezing it so it melts slowly. but since I've never tried it I don't know if it would work. Only heard of it being done that way.


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