The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Backinwellies on January 07, 2015, 11:42:12 am
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We are keen to build a lamb warming box before this years lambing ............. has anyone got suggestions on construction/ dimensions please
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I am not sure how many lambs you will have but we are planning on just using a dog crate next to the aga with the sides covered up and a heat lamp over it.
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Haven't needed one for several years. Now use rectangles of old bodywarmers or sweatshirts, with holes cut in two corners for the front legs. Once the tiny or tired lambs or those born on a freezing night are dried off we pop them into one of these and give them some colostrum. Just keeps in a lot of the heat they're producing themselves, rather than it dissipating into the shed. Generally remove it within a day or two. In the past we've used a bedded cardboard box with infra red lamp suspended above it or put the box next to a storage radiator.
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I am not sure how many lambs you will have but we are planning on just using a dog crate next to the aga with the sides covered up and a heat lamp over it.
would that not overheat?
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As a child ours went into the warming oven of the range, I used to think that was what it was for. But, yes a tea chest or stout cardboard box with a heat lamp over. Put your hand just on top of the lamb, if you find it uncomfortably warm lift it up a bit, if lamb is cold, drop it a bit. If you're unsure, sit by the range with the lamb cuddled under your cardigan, he'll soon warm up :sheep:
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I've seen one that was two massive but slightly different sized rubbermaid boxes - I will try to find the link but it was basically box number one, then a layer of straw on the bottom, then the second box inside and more straw packed round it, then the lamb in with more straw and the lid on (with a hole for the head to pop out of if needed) and in the back of the containers, through both, a hole that the hairdrier fitted into
I liked it but I remember thinking I'd prefer to use Styrofoam between the two boxes as I have a lot of that around from the boxes my dog food comes in :)
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I can't find the one I'd seen with a lamb in it, but this is very much along the same lines and might help :)
http://www.isfoundation.com/news/creatures/diy-give-gift-warmth-feral-cats-winter (http://www.isfoundation.com/news/creatures/diy-give-gift-warmth-feral-cats-winter)
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I made one at a place I used to lamb. We used three crate type wooden boxes, first one upside down, second one right way up and put firm mesh/wire over the top and final one upside down again. Cut a lid in the top and put in a piece of Perspex for easy visibility. Filled in most of the sides apart from a ventilation strip along the top, cut a hole in very bottom crate and popped in a fan heater.
It worked brilliantly and was kept in the lambing shed where we could keep a close on the lambs so they didn't over heat.
It was quite a large one but we used materials we had to hand and there was a lot of sheep!
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I am not sure how many lambs you will have but we are planning on just using a dog crate next to the aga with the sides covered up and a heat lamp over it.
would that not overheat?
I wouldn't have thought so. The heat lamp can be raised/lowered as you would for puppies, chicks etc.
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Most large farms have a large wooden box with a hinged lid. inside is divided into compartments to keep lambs from different ewes seperate. The floor is small mesh fitted about 8" from the bottom of the box. A fan heater is directed into a large slot below this.
Warm air warms & dries very chilled lambs better than heat lamps, but these are great once they have revived. A bucket of hot water is very simple for frozen lambs before drying in the heat box. Piglet life jackets can be used https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAipJYYqDqw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAipJYYqDqw)
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I know this is an old thread, but I'm just about to make a lamb warming box and this thread came up in my searches! :)
Most large farms have a large wooden box with a hinged lid. inside is divided into compartments to keep lambs from different ewes separate.
So is that just so you know which lamb belongs to which ewe, or are there other reasons? (for example, is it important that they don't transfer scent to each other and then smell wrong to the ewe?).
The box I'm starting out with will only have room for two compartments, but if I make it one big box, I reckon there will be room inside for three or four lambs. Any thoughts folks?
Also, it's interesting you mention the bucket of hot water [member=36412]farmvet[/member] . Have you ever come across a "woolie warmer (http://www.woolliewarmer.co.uk/)"? It's basically an improved bucket design - could be useful out in the field, or if there's no electricity in the lambing shed.
(http://www.woolliewarmer.co.uk/images/about_pic.jpg)
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Hello Womble. No, i'd never seen the woolie warmer! Looks like it would be great fitted on a quad for outdoor lambing. Although if a lambs properly hypothermic & comatosed I think it would choke having its head through a hole.... yet another way for a lamb to kill itself...
Yes, the reason for separating families is to keep the scent. I've been experimenting this year very succesfully with carrot mesh bags for twinning on, so you could use something like that to put each pair of lambs in.
Surely with your wee puckle of sheep you wont need to warm many?
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OK, cool. It's going to be a two-compartment box then, but thinking about it, maybe one of the compartments could be double-sized, making the whole thing a 2+1 :thumbsup: .
The fun I had earlier trying lambs for size in various boxes! ;D
So how do you use a carrot mesh bag for twinning on? Cover them in gunk from the ewe and then tie them on the lamb presumably?
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My box measurements width 2ft length 4ft height 2ft all made from ply hinged lid on top no base/floor to ease cleaning diamond mesh laying on 1" sq batons around the internal edge at 7" above ground A small rectangle cut in the end wall at its base the same size as the fan heaters mouth The lid has 2 small sliding doors in it to regulate the warm air flow This box has 3 slot in partitions so I can put in 4 pairs of lambs if needed ( never have ) The warm air flow drys and warms a lamb far faster than a lamp :sheep: :raining:
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I have made one this year, wooden box with a mesh floor but the heater makes the box v hot, more than 40 degrees c. I can play about with the thermostat to make it cooler. What temperature should it be inside the warming box?
Thanks
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Hi 40c is perfect ( NADIS website says 45 c ) the lamb has to be 37 - 39 c to be warm just check or you can go from Hypothermia to Hyperthermia . Always keep lambs from different mothers separate in the box and if you need to warm 1 of twins or trips and want them to go back with the mother take all away not just the 1 or mother may reject it