The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Missy on March 28, 2018, 12:36:26 pm
-
Another question sorry, but what do people favour when bottle feeding lambs. I have 7 lambs who I am feeding and am getting in a right pickle as only manage 2 bottles at a time.
Do you like the milk shepherdess, the rack with 6 bottles system or the bucket with the teats.
The lambs are quite small so the bucket put me off as the teats seemed so big?
-
If only 3-4 lambs then I use a bucket if I had more then I would use the shepherdess , the bucket for me is easier to keep clean but the shepherdess holds more milk . Same teats on both and you can buy different types soft /hard
-
I like the rack for up to 12 lambs. 4 bottles in the rack and one in each hand, I can feed six at a time. Second pen of another six. I prefer the rack to buckets because I can be sure each is getting enough and no more. I've never used a shepherdess system, so can't comment on that.
I have done seven well-trained lambs at once using a rack - 4 bottles in the rack, one in each hand, and one between my thighs. You do need the lambs well-trained though! :D
-
Its a struggle that I cant bear ;)
just keep feeding them till they go to a field and you cant hear them scream.
-
Ive drilled holes in a bit of wood so I can feed eight in each hand - one between my leggs and Ive got one hand free for another and the other the slap them into position ;)
-
use coke bottles with the red and yellow nipplwes
-
Shepherdess for any more than 2. I’ve got a couple of pet lambs this year on the bottle as my old shepherdess was past it’s best and had to be binned... missing it now though! A new shepherdess is on my list ready for next lambing even if I only have 1 or 2 on it.
-
I have raised 4 this time on a bucket. All now weaned and growing on well. It is also the first year that my bottle lambs have not had any upset tummies of any sort :) It is a system I am going to use every time now. Unless I get way too many lambs and then I may invest in a shepherdess.
-
Guys, this isn't a competition! Just because I've been to Tenerife, doesn't mean you have to post that you've been to Elevenerife! :roflanim:
-
Some ideas I hadn't thought of though. :idea:
-
I've got a bucket with 6 teats for my two pet lambs and they're both thriving - the 6 week old weighed in at 19kg last weekend and the 3 week old at 13kg. Really pleased - and don't worry about the teat size, the 3 week old went straight from her mother to the bucket at 2 days old and coped fine :thumbsup: