The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Amcla1234 on May 09, 2022, 04:29:14 pm
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Hi guys so my little guy is 4 weeks old now he’s a strong Hebridean ram who is now on 3 bottle feeds a day, he is turned out in the day with our few other ewes and lambs one being his mum who amazingly has him back in the daytime but unfortunately just never ran any milk my question is if he is fed last thing at night and first thing in the morning would he be ok to leave out over night or am I safer still bringing him home ???
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A strong 4 wk lamb who has become part of the flock and has his mother for comfort & protection should be fine but only you can decide what risk you are willing to take ?
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If mum is still bonded then leave him out.. Just go out into field to feed bottles. I would make last one earlier in day so as not to disturb mum and baby near settling time
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If you turn him out (maybe day time only at first?) you will be able to see if he is eating grass
If so, then drop to 2 feeds a day.
We have had similar who have been accepted by their mums but ran up to us when we arrived in the field with a bottle ,drank it and then went back to mum
Bear in mind, if you are thinking of keeping him, that a bottle fed ram is likely to grow into a fairly powerful and dangerous animal
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Thanks guys he’s been out in the day with mum for a few weeks, decided a few days ago to leave him out over night and he’s having two bottles a day comes over morning and afternoon for bottle then goes straight back to mum and other lambs :)