[ellisr]

Yeah my 2 little hand reared lambs are ryeland and cracking little specimens I think that is why I was offered a good sum as the other person was a ryeland breeder. Shame that when they get bigger they aren't worth much more but have cost a lot feeding them 1 will join the flock and the other little ram lamb will probably end up in the freezer as I don't have a need for any more ram lambs

[Blinkers]

Yeah my 2 little hand reared lambs are ryeland and cracking little specimens I think that is why I was offered a good sum as the other person was a ryeland breeder. Shame that when they get bigger they aren't worth much more but have cost a lot feeding them 1 will join the flock and the other little ram lamb will probably end up in the freezer as I don't have a need for any more ram lambs

  Love Ryelands. 

[Anke]

I wholeheartedly agree with Flecewife. If someone is seriously interested in having sheep, buying in orphan lambs is surely the worst way to start! I am always upset if I read the comments/advice people ask for bought-in orphan lambs, even worse if they were bought at a market!

As for charging 50 quid for one, and people actually paying this amount, before any thought has been given to the cost of rearing these lambs, it's maybe just as bad as a puppy for Xmas....

Sorry, had to get that off my chest!

I am not against people selling their spare lambs (if these had a good dose of colostrum etc) at a price that reflects their possible profit after lamlac-ing them, and I have sold mine last year to someone with more goatsmilk to spare than I had at the time. (Sod's law: This year I have gallons of gotasmilk in the freezer, but so far no triplets at all... but a few more ewes to go)

Maybe one of the writers for the likes of Country Smallholding or Smallholder should pick up on this (in time for next lambing season I guess) and discuss this issue!

[SallyintNorth]

Now I've picked my jaw up off the ground...

I am horrified.  This year I charged a tenner for orphan lambs because I wanted to be sure that no-one was buying them in order to make a quick buck by selling them on to or through dealers - and now I am again wondering whether any of the orphans I sold will be changing hands again ...

I don't sell lambs at all to people I don't know or who don't come recommended, and only sell them for bottle-rearing once I have got them established on the bottle.  If I think they have dubious colostrum status I either don't sell them at all or only sell them to another farmer (or someone who will know what to look for, how to treat it, and who will give the necessary vaccinations when appropriate.)

[ballingall]

I have to say I find it hard to believe that people are paying that amount for them. But maybe this explains why I got my orphan lambs last year from someone on here who lived a distance away rather than from anywhere local!

Surely the cost of the lamb, then the cost of rearing it on lamblac must make those animals prohibitively expensive.



Bteh

[craiglockwood]

I may get shot down in flames here but.....

I bought my first lambs this Spring, 2 orphans at £25 each.  I want to start a small flock and thought that starting with orphans which need bottle feeding would be a good way to getting used to handling them.

I am not new to livestock as I keep pigs, chickens, duck, horses etc - but I have found this whole experience very fulfilling and the lambs are healthy and happy.

[plumseverywhere]

I think to a complete livestock novice bottle lambs would be terrifying should things start to go wrong! I know that from keeping goats I have felt more comfortable with the lambs being here but the lambs we have a co-owned in a sheep club and the co owners have kept sheep for a while so I am totally supported and learning a great deal.
we've had a wobbly lamb but thanks to TAS and some antibiotics he is on the mend.
the lambs are going to be munching their way to our orchard so are here to help us reach our plums come July!

[SallyintNorth]

worzel gummidge - not shooting you down but not all orphan lambs have had no colostrum.  If you aren't told then of course assume that they could have had none and treat accordingly, but this farmer for one makes as sure as possible that all lambs get an adequate start whether orphaned, triplet or whatever.

[Blinkers]

Yeay......just looked at the website again and low and behold......another advert has appeared.....this time for the Ewe and her TWIN LAMBS!!!!  I still don't understand what's going on as she's even offered to shear the ewe (herself) before it goes to a new home....so this is obviously an experienced sheepkeeper      The ewe looks like a Suffolk cross and the lambs are black.....so not sure what the sire was but the asking price..............wait for it.................is £200.     I wonder what tomorrow's advert will bring  

[SallyintNorth]

I think I've lost track of what website and the story, but actually £200 is not out of order (this year) for a young ewe with two lambs.  Up here couples and double couples are sold at a 'per life' price - £70 would be cheap for a decent suffolk type with two good lambs. 

However, £50 for orphan lambs is totally out of order. 

[Rosemary]

What's a "double couple"? Sounds a bit kinky 

[woollyval]

Double couple is a ewe and twins......I know it sounds weird if you think about it!

[suziequeue]

Yes - double couple - sounds like a foursome
 

[Anke]

I find that ewes and wethers that have been bottle reared, or had an episode that required close contcat with me for a while, are much more forward in coming for food, but are also much more stroppety when it comes to doing their feet/bum or even shearing!

Best way to start with sheep - get some store lambs in either late winter or even autumn, then learn the routine jobs like foot trimming etc , and if you don't like the sheep after all, they can be sold as breeding ewes/freezer for the wethers the following autumn. Or you breed them yourself.

[plumseverywhere]

"Stropetty" - what a brilliant word!! thank you Anke, that has just become part of the plums vocab, love it!!