Should I pull her to bottle feed (making her more friendly)

[promiseacres]

My hair sheep are pretty flightly/untouchable still so was thinking of pulling the ewe lamb that was born yesterday and bottle feeding her after a few days on Mom so that
1. She'd be used to us and help calm the others when we need to move them 2. she'd more of a "pet" for my kids

One ewe is very used to me and in the last couple of weeks I can pet her and she'll eat from my hand but she's still pretty flighty around anyone else. My sheep are not "pets" but with my kids it'd be nice if they had one they could pet, ect. The ram I'm very ok with hands off unless it's necessary. The other 2 ewes are doing better but def. not willing to be touched yet. They will jump thru fences if pushed. (I've never caught one, but even moving them to a new pen gets stressful)
The lamb's mother in question is a very good mother and I know it'd distress her to not have her baby....but I don't know that short of 100% pulling the baby that it'd work b/c she (the mama) is not friendly with me at all. I've only touched my ram lamb 1x since he's been born a month ago but again he's a boy so...and it's his mama that is letting me touch her. Plus I know mastitis could be an issue....

What do you all think? would having a lamb that at least trusts people help calm the others? Is there any way to "imprint" her without taking her away from Mom?

Thanks

 

[purplequeenvt]

If she were a twin I wouldn't hesitate, but since there is only the one baby, I'm not sure that it is a good idea. It would be very traumatic for mother and baby. Can you find a bottle lamb from someone else?

 

[goodolboy]

We use nella waffers as treats. If you can get one to start to take them, the others will start to come up to see what they're missing. It takes a while to tame them down sometimes. Some may never. Our are all scared of anyone they don't know, all 250. I would not pull any lamb that is with it's mother. Get the mother to come up the lamb will learn from mommy.

A bottle lamb from someone else is a goood idea.

 

[Shelly May]

No do not pull her, Yes go buy a bottle baby, Yes go by a tame adult ewe, Your breed is know for one of the flighter breeds, go buy a tame Katahdin, this is what they are famous for (DOCILE) !!!!!!! Boy Sorry your question just hit me so wrong.................................

 

[promiseacres]

purplequeen that is exactly what I was thinking....

I've been keeping my eyes open for a bottle lamb.... I wish a goat would work as I know I can find one of those...bottle lambs don't seem to be as easy to find around me. Or maybe my ewe next month will have twins.... guess we'll see

 

[Southdown]

I agree with goodolboy. Don't bottle feed. It's really not healthy for the lamb. They seem to get scours. You can teach them to eat treats from your hand and soon the rest will follow.

 

[Queen Mum]

Purplequeen is an expert on taming sheep as far as I can tell. She seems to have nothing but lap sheep on her farm... I would do as she suggests. And give those babies some treats...

 

[TexasShepherdess]

agree with others..dont pull the baby..

Ive found the best way to gentle sheep is "confinement"..like keeping them in a smaller pen for abit, going in twice a day with some grain,ect.

 

[SheepGirl]

I got my lambs tame REAL quick (took 3-4 days) as babies (2-3 wk olds) by hand feeding them their creep feed. Of course I had to catch them each time I wanted them to eat the first couple of days, but after that they ran to me when they saw me. Now they follow me all over the place thinking I have food for them. Whenever they see me, they baa at me. The one jumps on me but I always smack her on the nose when she does it. She's slowly learning that that is not allowed, but it's taking her awhile lol. They don't really like to be touched/pet at all, but I'm sure if I had gotten them used to it when I first started feeding them, they wouldn't mind. My mature ewes love to be scratched on their jaw line and their cheek where their molar teeth are. But that's the only place they like to be touched!! Sometimes they will let me pet the tip of their nose.

By hand feeding grain daily, you are still feeding the lamb--just not milk. It is just as effective IMO. We've had two or three bottle babies, that, once they're weaned and are no longer getting milk, no longer want to have anything to do with you and revert back to a 'wild' state. However, when they start getting grain or hay again, then that is when they become friendly and in your face annoying lol.

 

[BrownSheep]

I've raised several bottle babies. Some end up as lap sheep and some won't mess with you unless they are verrrrry hungry. My old 4-h ewes are consistently friendly. I would suggest keeping mom and baby in a place where you can work with baby everyday. Halter break her, feed her treats, Just touch her all over. Our greatest success involved witted on the ground brush lambs with curry combs.