The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: doganjo on May 18, 2011, 10:58:06 am
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My friends Carol and Graham called me early this morning - would I be able to look after a rejected lamb for a few days. He has a touch of pneumonia with sleeping outside away from his Mum and is on ABs.
I jumped at the chance! ::) Yes, it will mean reorganising my plans slightly for the next few days and he will have to go back to their place and house sitter on Sunday as I'll be away all day at the Scottish Kennel Club Show - but I'll cope. Can't be any more trouble than a baby puppy! Lets them get off on a much needed holiday to Wales and the Smallholders Show. ;D
All their lambing was finished, then a couple of weeks later they found this little chap lying in a field. His mother is a year old and must have been 'got at' by her sire when he decided to relocate into the ewe and lamb field! Rambo Junior is tiny, wasn't suckling properly, but has had colostrum, and some feeds from Mum when she was held, but is now on the bottle as his Mum won't stay still and ignores him.
He's now out in my conservatory, had his second feed for the day at 10 am, due another at 12.30 - so I'm taking the opportunity of going out now for some necessities while he sleeps peacefully in a dog cage.
Will keep you updated. Next problem is - will I be able to let him go home .................................
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Nice little story, enjoy the experience, and as a warning thats how we began, just looking after a little lamb for a friend, now we have 8!
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now we have 8!
:o ;D :sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
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It's OK, I know my limitations - or at least my ground - I only have a half acre paddock at the front and would need to shut him in at night or he might get pinched. So he won't really be staying, but it is tempting ::)
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But he'll love you by then, and you him, and oh, those big lamby eyes - oh.... ::) :D
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But he might be Hester re-incarnated and push me around! So I don't think so.
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Photos of the little lamb - suggestions for names welcome. Note on one photo the wet newspaper and him in his bed, he must have got out of the bed, done a wee then gone back in again - paper trained puppy in three hours HAS to be an alltime record ;) ;D
Need him to do a poop now though, or I'll start to worry ::)
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How lovely Annie, enjoy him whilst you have him on loan
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He's a cute little guy ! :sheep:
I seem to have his twin brother here ;D
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Your one's got a wee bit more white on him - but so alike otherwise. ::) Dam is a Suffolk I think - white with a black face Don't know what Sire was, possibly cross Ryeland/Suffolk and I believe he was bottle fed too. Should I worry that he hasn't poo'ed since he came here at 9 ish this morning?
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Gorgeous Annie! enjoy :) we've loved having these little lambs here, were heartbroken to have the poorly one put to sleep and I'm now enjoying the fact that they are less dependent on us and its fab to watch them running about all healthy and happy in the field but yes...those big lamby eyes when it comes to say goodbye ;)
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Yep, mine is 3/4 Suffolk 1/4 Bluefaced Leicester. As long as he has passed his meconium, he should be fine. Just like human babies, they all vary on how much they poo !! How much milk has he taken since you have been bottle feeding him ? :sheep:
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Yep, mine is 3/4 Suffolk 1/4 Bluefaced Leicester. As long as he has passed his meconium, he should be fine. Just like human babies, they all vary on how much they poo !! How much milk has he taken since you have been bottle feeding him ? :sheep:
He's about three days old now I think - and was a wee bit runny overnight Carol said. He's taking 100mls every feed, and so far he's had 4 feeds since 6 am this morning. I think he'd take more but Carol said to keep him at that. Don't want to upset his system. He's on ABs too because of being found out in the cold when the ewe dropped him, and Carol has left lamb quick start as well if he needs it. I can phone Rosemary if I need help.
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That is one seriously cute lamb.
You will learn never to ask me for name suggestions (unless you also like outrageous puns...)
So, given your lovely Brittanies, who clearly like little lambie, I did a google for Britney's friends... How's about Hilton - Britney's friend, and here he is staying with Annie at the Lambie Hotel! ::) ::)
But he might be Hester re-incarnated and push me around! So I don't think so.
He's a pet lamb. Pushing their staff around is what they DO. ;)
Have fun, Annie. Half-an-acre ... you could have a couple or three ... ;)
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STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT! I just CAN'T keep him! My kids would have me sectioned! ::) ;D
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Nobody should ever care about what their kids or OHs think when it comes to cuteness - they just get jealous so don't even speak to them about it!
What about 'Cuddles' for a name... :D
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Vey very cute, but think of 8 months time when hes v large and fat !! ;D ;D He will bond with you as you feed him so he will follow you everywhere like a puppy, I prefer to keep them with the mother and turn up just to bottle feed so they dont get too humanised and the return to the flock is easy. Good Luck
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He'll save you cutting the grass. ;D
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Very very cute. Your dogs look adorable too. Have fun. :)
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Gorgeous Annie :love: :sheep:
We had pet lambs as kids, my wee ram was called Rambo, very apt when he got to the head butting stage ;)
Keep us updated 'farmer Annie' ;) :farmer: Have you got green wellies ? :D
Karen x
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Will save on grass cutting, give you a lovely rug and make a few dinners and sausages too, what more could you ask for from such a cute pet!!
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Vey very cute, but think of 8 months time when hes v large and fat !! ;D ;D He will bond with you as you feed him so he will follow you everywhere like a puppy, I prefer to keep them with the mother and turn up just to bottle feed so they dont get too humanised and the return to the flock is easy. Good Luck
Unfortunately, that also being the preferred option for my friends, that was not possible in this case. The mother rejected him, even with the ultimate preseverance of leaving him penned in a small area with her overnight, with the result he developed slight pneumonia as she was not keeping him warm either. My friends were due to go on holiday on Monday and delayed when they found him dropped in the field over the weekend to try to establish the bond between him and his mother so they could go out with the others. It didn't work out so as a last resort they called and asked if I'd take him, believing he'd die if he was left (they are experienced sheep breeders) - knowing that I'd have time to give him the TLC he needs being retired. Teh ewe showed no signs of carryingHe is very small too, perhaps a result of the father/daughter mating? I don't know enough about sheep genetics to say for sure but Carol thought that might be the case. He has come a long way today - and when I go in the conservatory he gets out of his bed and comes to the gate of the wee run, adn when i elt him out and go and sit down he comes over and nudges me.
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He is a lovely boy I think he is working on you!! watch this space :D
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So what's the name then, Tiny Tim, Cuddles, Love You Forever and Never Eat You? :D
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If you are EVEN considering keeping him for grass cutting (and you know you want to ;D), get him ringed - a wether is fine to keep, a ram isn't pet material. Having said that, our old vet (your vet) castrated Dickie at 5 months or so for a few pounds.
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If you are EVEN considering keeping him for grass cutting (and you know you want to ;D), get him ringed - a wether is fine to keep, a ram isn't pet material. Having said that, our old vet (your vet) castrated Dickie at 5 months or so for a few pounds.
I don't think I'm really serious about keeping him. I would need a CPH for a start, and then they'd probably start checking on my ducks and chickens, and I just couldn't be bothered with that hassle.
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should you not have one at present and tags and a movement book
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shshshshhshshshshshshshshshhshshshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dont say that, keep very quiet about that !!!!!
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should you not have one at present and tags and a movement book
It was an emergency - the thing would have died if he'd been left with his Mum - are you or anyone else on here going to report me!!!! ::)
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We wont if you say your going to keep him!! ;D ;D
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double standards on this one all right for everybody else to toe the line on regulations but turn the blind eye in this instance
that just makes a mockery of the system and the reasons for that system not to mention the debate about keeping a single species
it will be your conscience after all you are breaking the law(ignorance of the law is no defence) and the breeder also
that next car that stops will it be trading standards DEFRA or the SSPCA or worse plod to enforce there findings
now before anybody starts to get het up on this it was doganjo that mentioned the CPH or lack of it :sheep:
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double standards on this one all right for everybody else to toe the line on regulations but turn the blind eye in this instance
that just makes a mockery of the system and the reasons for that system not to mention the debate about keeping a single species
it will be your conscience after all you are breaking the law(ignorance of the law is no defence) and the breeder also
that next car that stops will it be trading standards DEFRA or the SSPCA or worse plod to enforce there findings
now before anybody starts to get het up on this it was doganjo that mentioned the CPH or lack of it :sheep:
He's going back tomorrow anyway
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Good on you, Annie, for stepping into the breach. Yes, all the rules might not have been followed but if a sensible risk assessment was done, there was no risk to the lamb or other livestock as far as I can see. Hope the wee fella is doing well.
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Thanks Rosemary, I believed as did Graham and Carol that he would have died had he been left with his mother, and there was no-one else available with the time to look after him but me.
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For future record: we got our last CPH the same we day we asked for it, explaining that we had some pigs coming a bit earlier than expected and they were very helpful - I called up first thing in the morning and we had a number by 4pm. Animal health came round about a month later and were totally uninterested in chickens and ducks once I said I had less than fifty of each.
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Animal health came round about a month later and were totally uninterested in chickens and ducks once I said I had less than fifty of each.
They would be uninterested if you have less than 50 birds in total. If you have 50 birds of any type, you must register with the British Poultry Register.
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My bad, after posting that I did go to check on DEFRA's website and it is 50 birds total not per species. I then got sidetracked trying to use their online registration form which was shockingly bad so then got further sidetracked writing a complaint email to them and so forgot to come back and edit my post for truthiness, whoops!
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let he who has never sinned cast the first stone !!! ( or words to that effect !) no-one is totally good, but this was a truely good deed to save the life of a little lambie needing just a few days grace, well done :wave:
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let he who has never sinned cast the first stone !!! ( or words to that effect !) no-one is totally good, but this was a truely good deed to save the life of a little lambie needing just a few days grace, well done :wave:
Thank you. The only problem is that I am now hooked on sheep - I think I've always kind of liked them. Carol is going to check my place over to see if it's sheep proof and then we'll take it from there.
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arr thats how it all starts !! you were warned ;D sheep have a way of getting to you especially the bottle fed lambs, good luck and fingers crossed your place checks out :farmer:
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Great news Annie! Baaaahhh! :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
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So much for saying no! ;D Are you going to get the little ram lamb you were looking after? Good luck hope you will soon have some lambs of your own. Dont forget to post some pics.
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Just been reading the posts on here - sounds just like us when we started - one little ewe lamb, bottle feed and lonely, that was seven years ago.....we now have 68 sheep!!! And love every single one of them, even though we do have to sell some each year or we'd be bankrupt. Good luck with the lamb. I bet you'll have more than one this time next year ;D ;D ;D
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I heard this morning that Junior died in the night. He had been on various meds and ABs after he went back and just never picked up. Perhaps I should have kept him a bit longer but to be honest the talk of movement licences and CPHs really scared me into doing that as he really was no trouble here, and was protected from the germs that are on farms. He might have been able to resist them had he been a bit older and stronger. So perhaps we all need to think long and hard before crtiticising soemone who was only trying to help a friend without knowing the rules. I wish I had ignored them and I will in the future. They know who they are.
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Sorry to hear that doganjo. It's always hard to lose an animal. Without intervention nature would have taken him earlier and you did your best.
With regard to 'the rules' it's a PC world gone mad but we all have to abide by them, whether we agree with them or not. Not being harsh, but if there ever was a next time don't post all about it on a public forum that the whole world can read.
Can't do right for doing wrong.
Hindsight - don't we just wish we had it up front?
Best wishes.
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Poor Lamb, in nature it would have died sooner but I do agree with the precious post though.
I think we become open on forums and forget just how open we are, some are keen on pointing out laws and rules, I know as its happend to me on here so, a lesson to be learnt, we are friendly but maybe should not be so open!!
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Oh no!! Really sorry to hear about poor little Junior. We too lost a bottle fed ram lamb on Monday. We bought him and two other bottle fed ram lambs from a well known flock in Lancashire and he was going to be our stock ram - the kids loved him too, he had such a gentle nature, really friendly and never booted the bottle out of any of the other's mouths like they usually do. I hate losing one of the sheep the family have become attached to, its awful. I do agree with what Ohlala and Sandy have said in the previous two posts too - sometimes its best not to involve too many people or we are bombarded with too much advice...and that can be soooo scary. All the best! Caroline x :wave:
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So sorry to hear about Junior :-[
I hope this is not the wrong place, but in this thread an exception is mentioned to movement regs for orphan lambs on welfare grounds http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=14719.msg142985#msg142985 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=14719.msg142985#msg142985)
Can anyone else confirm this? It would be very useful to know either way :)
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What a shame, poor little lamb, but at least you tired
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Really sorry to hear all that. My very first orphan died within 24 hours of having it despite hand bottling etc! I'm on a v steep learning curve!
You did really well trying
Mx
http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com (http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com)
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Very sorry to hear about Junior, Annie. Don't blame yourself one jot. Sadly the odds were always agin this little one and you did your best and gave him a little longer. :bouquet:
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In reading all of this thread i'm really sorry for lots of reasons
It's never nice to lose an animal goodness knows we've had a really rough and very expensive year
These forums.......this one in particular has always seemed to have a friendly open and easily approachable membership where information knowledge can be exchanged and advice taken and/or ignored inconsequentially
Many of this years trials we have shied away from posting as there are ALWAYS those who rampage in with the hardline moral highground at a time when you need it the very least when you're busy blaming yourself endlessly for something you more than likely could not have prevented
Annie i'm sorry you were if i dare say frightened into letting this lamb return earlier than you might have feeling you were doing some good because of the hardline rules and regs posts. It would be my guess that you would have lost the fight for this little lamb anyway :(
I would/am of the same opinion as ohlala sandy and morri2 but i would hope that your faith in what i perceive for you to be a lively friendly forum and meeting place isn't too battered :sheep:
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To an extent, yes, I was scared into putting him back although in some ways it was right to try to get him back with his mother and the rest of the flock. (As it turns out both she and they ignored him, so he was actually no better off and as things went, worse off) If I'd kept him I was under the impression from posts on here that I had to get a CPH and movement licence, tag him etc etc and for my property to be checked over. I couldn't have that as at the present moment my chicken run and shed are a mess of mud with all the rain and am waiting for my son to have time to help me clean it all out and lay gravel. If he had stayed a bit longer he would have been stronger and been better able to resist the coccidiosis that killed him. He could have learnt about outside things too as my back garden is safe for animals(and small children) and he was in the conservatory which leads out to grass.
Rules are rules, I understand that, and basically I more or less live by them, but I wonder what the harm is in allowing a little leeway. I am a little disappointed, and I would do the same thing again - what I wouldn't do is be so naive as to put it on here.
I think I will probably lock this topic now if I can. Thank you very, very much to those of you who supported me.