[freethyme]

Can anyone help.
 I have just got a second hand shepardess bucket feeder, which I we'll start to use in a few days. It did not come with instruction. On the heat element it has a line near the top which says min water level? Does the element fix vertically with the black clip or does it lay in the milk!
Any help please.
Nigel

[mowhaugh]

Do you have the large insulated bucket, and the smaller bucket with a metal handle that sits inside?

If you have some, thread the heating element through a piece of plastic pipe first, then thread this along to the plug end (to stop the lams chewing the power cable).  If not, just be aware this can happen.

Put the heating element on the very bottom of the large insulated bucket, held down by the black clips which will be stuck to the bottom.  Keep the cable up the side of the bucket, with the plug out over the top.  Some have a groove to slot it through, some don't.

Fill the smaller bucket, which will contain the milk eventually, to the top with warm water.  Tip this into the large bucket ontop of the heating element, which will probably be completely submerged.  If you have some, add a couple of drops of Hibiscrub or similar to the water. 

Give it a wee while to get to the temp you want.

Make up the quanitity of milk you want in the smaller bucket, then pop this inside the larget bucket - it just sort of floats on top of the water.  Make sure the rim of the bucket goes under the wee metal pipes.

Attach the plastic tubes to the metal ones and sit them into the milk.

Put the teats on the outside.

Not sure if that is what the manual says, but works for me.

[mowhaugh]

Oh, and if you are taking the bucket out with the lambs about, teats off first, then pipes, then bucket out, so they don't get a mouthful of the water.

It is really hard to explain something you do without thinking, I hope it made sense, good luck!

[freethyme]

Thank you for your help.
So element in the bottom of large bucket horizontal, then water using the small bucket to measure, then milk in small bucket and floats on water.
That's now makes sence.
There is a temperature scale on the element, do you know what temp the milk should be of new lambs, and I assume you reduce them temperature if you plan to feed cold milk after a few weeks.

[mowhaugh]

I THINK we set it at about 33 degrees for wee lambs, then reduce the temperature.  It also depends a bit how much milk you are using - if it is warmer it will go off quicker, we usually fill the bucket about 2-3 times a day, so if you have less lambs and are say only doing it once a day, you might need it a bit cooler.

And don't buy the Carrs Agriculture own brand milk, although we get most of our supplies from them, the milk is rubbish, it doesn't mix properly, sets quickly and blocks the pipes.

[crazy_bull]

Little tip, put some bleach or disinfectant in the heater water, it will stop it going green and manky, which it does after a week or so.


C B

[freethyme]

Thanks for all the help, feeder now up and running just fine.
Again thanks
Nigel