[EP90]

For a good few years I’ve bottled reared 4 or 5 cades from a local farmer.  I’m thinking that cold adlib would be an easier option and less time constraints.  Google wasn’t too helpful so basic advice from anyone with experience would be appreciated.  Such as, when to start (age), how to get them on the teats, warm milk to get them sucking plus patience ?, any danger of gorging?  Keep milk in the bucket at all times or control the quantity?

[twizzel]

Just moved my pet lambs (9 of them, 2-3 weeks old) onto cold milk this week, ad lib. They are drinking 16 litres a day, trying not to let it run out to avoid gorging when new milk put in. My lambs have gone onto their feeder (like the volac ewe2 with 4 minisuckler teats) from 6 hours of age (a set of twins that lost their mum after she lambed) up to 5 days (triplet that I lifted from a ewe). The younger the better but keep the milk warm until you know they are all drinking properly. I just let them get fairly hungry and plug them onto the feeder every few hours and squirt the teat in their mouth, they get the hang of it quickly. My 9 lambs are taking up minimal time now, just clean the bucket and milk lines daily and fill up twice a day 

[EP90]

Thats great, thank you.
 I have been given a bucket with 4 teats protruding from it, I was thinking of bottle feeding a few days to ensure they are feeding comfortably, then introduce them to warm milk in the bucket and finally cold.

[Buttermilk]

Mine last year went onto ad lib cold milk at a week old.  They drank more than if given in a bottle but did really well.  During the really cold spell I did top up the ice with luke warm milk on my middle of the night check of those still to lamb.  They were happy drinking ice cream though.  For the last week I did limit them by only refilling the bucket twice daily so they had a couple of hours with nothing in.

I was all set to do the same again but did not have any bottle lambs this time.

[EP90]

Thanks all for the advice. lambing to start in a few days time so I guess in a week I'll be looking after a few cades.