Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: 6 month old lamb raised alone  (Read 1327 times)

user26040512

  • Joined Oct 2020
6 month old lamb raised alone
« on: October 23, 2020, 01:38:42 pm »
Hello,

My family has a large amount of sheep and I was given a lamb to raise a few months ago when she was rejected by her mother. This was my first time raising a lamb by myself. I became really attached to her as I was bottle feeding her everyday and seeing her multiple times a day, so she became a pet to me. She currently stays in a big area outside of our house with plenty of grass, and she also sometimes interacts with our neighbours sheep. She's 6 months old now and doing great, she's healthy and she responds to me really well so she's comfortable around humans. She doesn't seem to be upset or lonely. She quite comfortably eats grass most of the day and lays down for rests now and again. She never really cries out or appears distressed.

However, I only recently discovered that it may be a bad idea to raise one lamb by itself as they are flock animals. Now I'm wondering if I should put her with the rest of my family's sheep. She hasn't interacted with them at all and I'm unsure if they'll be okay with her or not. When she has interacted with my neighbours sheep, she seems comfortable and doesn't seem to be too bothered by them. My family's sheep also stay a bit away from our house and stay in a very large area of land so I won't be able to check up on her as often. However, I don't want to be selfish and keep her here by herself if it's not good for her. I hate the thought of her being uncomfortable or lonely when she's all by herself. Would it be okay to keep her by herself next to my house or is it best to put her with our other sheep? Any help would be appreciated!

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: 6 month old lamb raised alone
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2020, 03:59:44 pm »
Hi, yes your are right in your thoughts, she really does need her own kind for company. It will be hard at first as she is bonded with you and not them so may call out for you. So you'll have to be brave put her in a field with the other sheep and ignore her calls. It really is in her best interest.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: 6 month old lamb raised alone
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2020, 09:47:17 pm »
Is there any chance you could get a couple of hand-reared lambs to keep her company where she is?  Either permanently, or to make a little group who could then all go together to join the main flock.

Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: 6 month old lamb raised alone
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2020, 10:58:31 pm »
As Sally says, or perhaps you could bring another young sheep from the flock to become friends with her for a couple of weeks, doesn't have to be bottle raised, then return them together.  Putting a single sheep in with a strange flock can mean it takes ages for the newcomer to be accepted (even a whole year), so doing it that way and giving her a ready-made friend before she meets the whole flock is probably the kindest way to go.  If they just have a couple of weeks to become friends then the one taken from the flock will not have been forgotten and will still be accepted by them all.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS