[Jacob-list] hybrid lamb

[ACAMDA at aol.com]

We're having an unusual lambing this year - very sporatic, and all  singles!  
I keep thinking that one of these years I'll have a nice, calm  lambing 
season - but I'm not holding my breath.
 
We have a first time mother who does not want her lamb.  The lamb  (Delia 
Louise according to my daughter)  was born last Thursday.  We  are bottle feeding 
the little ewe (a single), while keeping her in a pen with  her Mom.  We kept 
them in a "jug" type shelter for a day, but the Mom kept  butting the lamb 
and wouldn't let her nurse.  In fact, we never saw her  nurse.  My daughter 
found the lamb in a corner of the pasture, and Mom  grazing WAY down the hill. So 
now they're in a larger pen but still separated  from the flock.  The lamb 
stays close to the Mom, following her around, and  we feed the lamb four times a 
day.  We have bottle fed before,  but with a ewe that had died, so there was 
no contact with the Mom.  So  this one is a hybrid lamb - bottles and Mom both.
 
At what point would it be okay to let Mom and lamb out with the rest of the  
flock?  I'm afraid that once they're in the flock it will be very hard to  
catch the little one to bottle feed her, so I need her to be mostly on grass  
before I try it.  I've read that you can wean lambs after 25 days or so,  but I'd 
like to get your experience.  We usually leave Mom and lamb  together until 
Mom gets really tired of nursing and does the weaning  herself.  
 
Should I try to supplement with a creep feed, or something else to  encourage 
the little one to eat solids?  They have lots of fresh hay  available, plus a 
few green blades of grass are courageously sprouting up.  
 
A Tractor Supply just opened down the road from us, and I could use an  
excuse to go explore!
 
Thanks!
 
Kathey
 
 
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