[Rokx]

Our lamb is around 3 months old: his mum rejected him so he's been bottle fed.  We were given him when he was 2 weeks old ish.

His back legs have always looked quite cow hocked and I thought they may straighten out as he got older, but they havent and I've noticed now that his hooves are curling around, especially on the back feet where the outside part is curling inwards and the inside part tends to be bent at an angle.

We've not had any experience of sheep before so not sure if I am worrying needlessly or if this is a problem and if so if it's due to his conformation or something else 

I've taken some pics so if any sheep people could take a quick look and let me know what they think, I'd be very grateful! 

[Mel Rice]

The freezer may be calling!

[kanisha]

  those are odd feet 

[Fleecewife]

I was going to say - those feet are weird - then I saw that kanisha has said something similar 

Sometimes ewes will reject a lamb which has something wrong with it, and that may well be the case with your lamb.  Normally the two toes should sit neatly side by side, but something is pushing your lambs toes apart.  I don't think it's something which can be sorted with a trim, but I do think it's worth getting someone with experience (ideally the person you got the lamb from) to have a good look at it's feet - it may be a malformation they are used to in their flock.  It could be that trimming will help you to keep its feet in a useable state until slaughter time comes around.  Or were you intending to keep the lamb as a pet?  Probably not a good idea 
Were his feet like this when you got him ie with the toes pushed apart?
Is this the only lamb you have?  Sheep are flock animals so you do need more than one for its welfare 

[Rokx]

Thanks Fleecewife, that's a really helpful reply!

I probably should have said in my first post that he's a pet and not intended for meat.  He came from my brother-in-law; they don't live locally so I haven't been able to get his opinion yet, so thought I'd have a look at what I could find online!

His toes have always been a little bit separated but have got worse as he's grown.  The back ones didn't curl around like they do now.  This is how they were when he was smaller, not a great pic but the only one I can find showing his feet:


They don't seem to cause him any problems yet; he isn't lame and is happy to run around etc.  Unfortunately all the farmers around here are arable, so there's noone else to look other than the vet, but if it's a malformation I'm not sure if they will be able to do anything other than say to have him killed if it begins to interfere 

He's our only sheep; he lives with our horses for company and seems happy with this for now.  We've considered getting another but it depends on his feet and how long he will be around!

[lachlanandmarcus]

mmmm they will amost certainly be a problem when he gets bigger and heavier I would think,

If you are happy to PTS if/when then keep him as he is a pet, tho I do think he should have company of his own kind, it's an RSPCA welfare requirement.

If you would consider eating when his time comes then he would need to go while he can still bear weight and walk ok as otherwise they wont take him.

[Rokx]

Thanks, I guess I will keep an eye on them as he grows and get the vet out if/when they're needed. 
Thanks for your help and suggestions