SageHill Ranch Journal

[Baymule]

I had a ewe that refused to feed her ram lamb. I bent a hog panel in a corner to make a small pen and stretched a small tarp over it for shade. I put a dog collar on the witch and tied her in the corner every morning. I checked on her often making sure she had hay and water, fed her in the morning before tying her up and in the late evening after untying her. I snubbed her up close, but loose enough to reach water. I helped the ram lamb to learn how to steal milk when his sister nursed. After 3 weeks I left her untied to see if he would be ok. Another week and I let them out of the pen.

To keep from having to catch and tie her, just make a very small pen, tie her up close so the lambs can nurse. Let her loose at night, but keep the witch in the pen.

 

[Ridgetop]

I agree with @farmerjan - keep the ewe lamb and see if she grows to full size. Sell the ewe if she isn't a good mom. Not worth the extra effort since you have several pretty and colorful ewe lambs to replace her. A bad mom won't put the growth into the lambs if she won't feed them. The ram lamb is large because he was huge from birth not necessarily because he is growing well from her mothering. Unless she is a favorite pet she is too much work. If they don't lamb with multiples, raise their lambs well to weaning, or if they have a bad attitude, they go to the auction. Life is too short.

 

[SageHill]

I agree with @farmerjan - keep the ewe lamb and see if she grows to full size. Sell the ewe if she isn't a good mom. Not worth the extra effort since you have several pretty and colorful ewe lambs to replace her. A bad mom won't put the growth into the lambs if she won't feed them. The ram lamb is large because he was huge from birth not necessarily because he is growing well from her mothering. Unless she is a favorite pet she is too much work. If they don't lamb with multiples, raise their lambs well to weaning, or if they have a bad attitude, they go to the auction. Life is too short.

Yup. That's the plan now. None of the sheep hit pet status here. Though so do manage names !
I boiled it down to any animal that is dangerous doesn't stay - and a ewe that doesn't mother is actually dangerous to her offspring. Pretty clear cut when I look at it that way. The big ram lamb she had - he maybe a keeper, we're calling him Moose . His proportions and overall beefiness are nice. Then add in that he is black. Yeah, you know me and color. As @farmerjan suggested I'm keeping the ewe lamb. I think she'll grow, she is so far .

 

[Mini Horses]

Moose!! Very fitting name

Sometimes they their name because they fit their name, like here....
Brat and P.I.T.A. Yep, both earned as babes.

 

[farmerjan]

DS had a heifer/cow named Pet so when I had one that wanted to always be "right there" in the way, I named her Brat so they wouldn't get confused... Pet is now gone, but Brat is still Brat.... although she does have a number also...

 

[Baymule]

No mean animals on my farm! As much as it saddens me, Little Ringo has to go. While not mean, he challenges me and would hit me in a second if I did not defend myself. He sure didn't get his Daddy's gentle personality. Too bad, but I have plenty of old Ringo's daughters and granddaughters. Only got 1 registered daughter out of him before he died and now she has a daughter, the one that led the jail breakout recently so she could commit incest with her dream man.

 

[fuzzi]

No mean animals on my farm! As much as it saddens me, Little Ringo has to go. While not mean, he challenges me and would hit me in a second if I did not defend myself. He sure didn't get his Daddy's gentle personality. Too bad, but I have plenty of old Ringo's daughters and granddaughters. Only got 1 registered daughter out of him before he died and now she has a daughter, the one that led the jail breakout recently so she could commit incest with her dream man.

"He's so dreamy..."