Help with weaning

[Mrs1885]

So little Bo loves his bottle and won't eat hay or feed. He's about 4 weeks now I think. Shouldn't he be interested in food? I really don't want to be bottle feeding the brat when he's160 pounds.

 

[Latestarter]

Not sure how to do this with a couch lamb ... you need to have hay and pellets available to him so he can learn what they are all about... You get down on your hands and knees along side him, and show him how it's done

 

[Mrs1885]

Not sure how to do this with a couch lamb ... you need to have hay and pellets available to him so he can learn what they are all about... You get down on your hands and knees along side him, and show him how it's done

Hahaha! Not sure I want to have hay for lunch. He has hay, pellets and water in our bedroom and the kitchen so he has access 24/7. He will pick it up and play with it but spits it out.

 

[Mike CHS]

I missed this thread. Is the lamb away from any other sheep?

Hopefully someone will come along that knows the answer but we have left lambs with their dam whether she was feeding or not only because they weren't getting enough from the mother. LS may not be that far off base since everything they do is learned behavior from seeing something done except suckling.

 

[Mrs1885]

I missed this thread. Is the lamb away from any other sheep?

Hopefully someone will come along that knows the answer but we have left lambs with their dam whether she was feeding or not only because they weren't getting enough from the mother. LS may not be that far off base since everything they do is learned behavior from seeing something done except suckling.

Yes. His mother rejected him so he was given to us. Farmer just didn't have time to bottle feed. He said he usually culls any that are sick, rejected or orphaned so we told him we would take them instead. This is the second from him. First came in sick (barber pole) but he's been healthy and back outside for about a month now.

Well maybe I will put him in a pen with the other lambs and see if he picks up on them eating hay. He did finally eat some sheep feed last night. Looked at me like I was nuts when I put hay down for him.

Inside babies definitely have it easier in some ways. He didn't have to worry about the cold we just had, he sleeps on real beds with dogs around him for warmth, always has his people to cuddle with. But in other ways I think it makes their adjustment harder. Bonding with us and not having any worries then being tossed outside can't be an easy adjustment to make. Must be rough having to learn how to be a sheep after being a dog.

 

[Mrs1885]

Ok so one of the 6 month old goat kids is inside and Bo has picked up on eating hay from him. Bo is almost 6 months old and still barely eats much hay. He will eat pellets all day long but barely nibbles hay. At what point should I start to worry? I was hoping to put him out back in the next couple weeks.