The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: The meem on August 28, 2018, 02:20:19 pm
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I am half way round the world in a small town South of Dallas/ Ft. Worth area. My elderly neighbor has about 100acres next to our 1.5 acre. He raises hair sheep. I volunteer to put up his sheep at night and let them out in the morning from a fenced area preventing the coyotes from a nightly feast. One morning there was a tiny lamb whose mom wasn't caring for,as he was a twin.
I watched in the morning and at night to see if he was nursing at all and found that he was not.
I took him home, made up a homemade brew of colostrum I found on the web, Monday morning I took him to vet for inspection.
The vet said if he hadn't gotten any colostrum he wouldn't make it. Sadden I took him home and started bottle feeding him which took about 1 1/2 days for him to take to.
He is now 9 weeks, grazing, enjoying corn and mulberry leaves and of course all my flowers.
We have neighbors who have about 14 head of hair sheep who said they would take him after he is weaned.
So my question is:. Will he adapt to the flock as he has been around humans his entire short life? Feeling I will be experiencing empty nest syndrome.
Thanks for your input. Meem
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Welcome to the forum Meem
Can’t answer your question, I’m sure someone will be along soon that can
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Hi Meem and welcome. I raised 2 pet lambs from a day old this year, ended up following me around like 2 dogs. Great fun in the beginning but ended up being under my feet. Once they had finished their creep feed, slowly reducing the amount given every day I turned them into a small field with the rest of the flock, they soon sort themselves out, though they don't like being herded by the sheepdogs they get to know they are part of the flock.
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They really need their own species as company so they learn to interact properly. I would give him to your neighbour and let them keep the lamb with their flock. You should be able to wean the lamb now (if not already weaned). The lamb might get pushed around a little to start with but as soon as he earns manners I think the sheep will accept him.
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Yes he will know he’s a sheep and will integrate. He’s plenty old enough to wean now. He will make friends with other lambs in the flock and have playmates, which will be much nicer for him.
Will your neighbour be happy for you to visit him in the flock? He will never forget you and will always like to come up to you and say hello. Don’t let him mug you for food though, or rub his head against you; he will get too big and strong for these behaviours to be safe!