The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: luckylady on May 04, 2012, 04:52:16 pm
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Can anyone give me tips for the safest and most effective methods of cleaning up my little orphan lambs bottoms and legs of dried on poo? Thank you. :)
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Warm mild-soapy water and a J-cloth. And waterproofs!
Then dry them as much as you can with a towel.
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Looks like you are going to be living up to your name, Lucky lady ;D ;D It depends on how poopy they are really. Big dags can be clipped off with normal daggers, being very careful not to pull on the dags as this tents the skin and makes cutting the lamb almost inevitable. If the dags are very close to the skin, you can slowly and carefully trim off those you can get to with scissors (we use those on a swiss army knife - tiny but not pointed, and usually in my OH's pocket anyway. I say 'we' - I hold the front end while he deals with the stinky end ;) :D)
Once you have trimmed off as much as is safe, you get a big bucket of warm soapy water plus a sponge and a comb and start washing :). If the dags are dried, you will need to use the comb either dry or plus water to get everything off.
Great fun - I don't mind because I get to talk to the lambies :sheep: :thumbsup:
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I kind of thought this was how I could tackle it though was a little worried whether soapy water would strip oils so needed advice first. Thats a job for tomorrow. Now where did I put those waterproofs? ;D ;D
My OH doesn't carry anything particularly useful in his pockets!!!!! ::) He doesn't do the grotty jobs with the animals - its down to me and my gem of a daughter. :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
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Hammer and Chisel ?? ;D
No seriously, fortunately lamb pooh can be like cow pats, firm on the outside but soggy in the middle
so it will loosen with warm water and soap. However be warned, when a lamb is wet it shakes.
In this case it means you'll get covered in liquinure , as I can vouch.
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whether soapy water would strip oils ? ;D ;D
its down to me and my gem of a daughter. :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
Use some of her nicest hair shampoo too! Have plenty of old towels ready ;D ;D
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Oh done this often - some I've done have the decency to stand back legs in the bucket of warm soapy water while I face back end cleaning - one lamb even kindly would let me dunk his whole rear end in the water - waterproof essential - smell lingers!!
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Try bunging some vaseline on bottoms and down the back of the legs when lamby is dry. Helps prevent further stickage so to speak :P