Lamb Orphan feeder

iron man

Lads... My shepherdess will be with-drawing some services this year at lambing time which is 5 weeks away. To be fair, its time I got a feeder. Any recommendations on a good one??? From the scanning this year I reckon I could be 10-15 mark. I hear that there are dear ones that are no good and cheap ones that are good....

Any advice would be appreciated...
Thanks

sheepfarmer92

iron man wrote: »

Lads... My shepherdess will be with-drawing some services this year at lambing time which is 5 weeks away. To be fair, its time I got a feeder. Any recommendations on a good one??? From the scanning this year I reckon I could be 10-15 mark. I hear that there are dear ones that are no good and cheap ones that are good....

Any advice would be appreciated...
Thanks

We have 3 of the "sturdy" feeders find them very good we had up to 70 pets on them at one stage this spring, ours were around 300 euros each

Cran

sheepfarmer92 wrote: »

We have 3 of the "sturdy" feeders find them very good we had up to 70 pets on them at one stage this spring, ours were around 300 euros each

Agree have one here no complaints

DJ98

What about the volac ewe 2?

iron man

volac ewe 2 keeps the milk warm all the time.... i hear it will go off quick... the best ones are the cold milk types... heating the milk as needed.... any other types or suggestions?

Sheep breeder

iron man wrote: »

Lads... My shepherdess will be with-drawing some services this year at lambing time which is 5 weeks away. To be fair, its time I got a feeder. Any recommendations on a good one??? From the scanning this year I reckon I could be 10-15 mark. I hear that there are dear ones that are no good and cheap ones that are good....

Any advice would be appreciated...
Thanks

In the exact same position with triplets this year and need a feeder.

charolais0153

Sheep breeder wrote: »

In the exact same position with triplets this year and need a feeder.

Have a sturdy too. Does what it says on the tin

Ard_MC

iron man wrote: »

Lads... My shepherdess will be with-drawing some services this year at lambing time which is 5 weeks away. To be fair, its time I got a feeder. Any recommendations on a good one??? From the scanning this year I reckon I could be 10-15 mark. I hear that there are dear ones that are no good and cheap ones that are good....

Any advice would be appreciated...
Thanks

Is get a new shepherdess an option?!!!!

J.O. Farmer

Ard_MC wrote: »

Is get a new shepherdess an option?!!!!

I doubt it if she's only withdrawing some services.
Getting a new shepherdess probably wouldn't go down well with the existing one or were you suggesting getting someone different (male or female) just to assist with feeding lambs.

iron man

Sherpardess will have a New smallie to look after.... some things we take for granted in many ways...

J.O. Farmer

iron man wrote: »

Sherpardess will have a New smallie to look after.... some things we take for granted in many ways...

Congratulations, from the original post I thought it might be a case one was on the way. The lambing shed isn't the place for human expectant mothers.

Another option for your original problem is done deal at €15 a piece for excess lambs.

How many lambs does it take to pay back the costs on a feeder when you add up the €15 you'd get for lambs as pets, milk replacer, meal, mortality etc.

ganmo

iron man wrote: »

Sherpardess will have a New smallie to look after.... some things we take for granted in many ways...

congrats
as for a feeder what are you looking for? a bucket with teats on it or something that will allow more ad lib feeding?

arctictree

I'm making my own this year as I have no ESB in the shed. Big water pot over a gas ring on very low heat. Plastic bucket with the milk in it in this. Then a couple of line feeders to the teats. Hopefully this will work.

White Clover

arctictree wrote: »

I'm making my own this year as I have no ESB in the shed. Big water pot over a gas ring on very low heat. Plastic bucket with the milk in it in this. Then a couple of line feeders to the teats. Hopefully this will work.

Would this set up not be a dangerous fire hazard?

wrangler

arctictree wrote: »

I'm making my own this year as I have no ESB in the shed. Big water pot over a gas ring on very low heat. Plastic bucket with the milk in it in this. Then a couple of line feeders to the teats. Hopefully this will work.

We rear all our pets on cold milk after a week old, feeding them warm milk would rob you, they drink a lot more when it's warm and difficut to get them on to creep

DJ98

How many lambs would you need to justify buying a adlib milk feeder?

arctictree

wrangler wrote: »

We rear all our pets on cold milk after a week old, feeding them warm milk would rob you, they drink a lot more when it's warm and difficut to get them on to creep

Do you just let them feed ad-lib? I keep losing lambs when bucket feeding them as they seem to drink too much at each feeding time.

arctictree

White Clover wrote: »

Would this set up not be a dangerous fire hazard?

Well obviously I'm not going to leave anything flammable near the ring.

wrangler

arctictree wrote: »

Do you just let them feed ad-lib? I keep losing lambs when bucket feeding them as they seem to drink too much at each feeding time.

yea adlib, it takes a bit of work at the start, you have to feed them individually on warm milk for five or six feeds at the start to make sure they drink enough.
We have a bucket with one teat forr training and a bucket with three teats for following that will be alright for 8 lambs.
Have to say here that our scan is around 1.8 so plenty of opportunity for adopting, when we had 550 ewes we'd often do 50+adoptions so there are other options but if you're scanning 2 or over it's important to have facilities to rear pets

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/323260909169
these are the buckets we use......there's soft teats for baby lambs and hard teats for bigger lambs

390kid

iron man wrote: »

Lads... My shepherdess will be with-drawing some services this year at lambing time which is 5 weeks away. To be fair, its time I got a feeder. Any recommendations on a good one??? From the scanning this year I reckon I could be 10-15 mark. I hear that there are dear ones that are no good and cheap ones that are good....

Any advice would be appreciated...
Thanks

Got one of the plastic ewe ones in Monaghan last year good job but the heater kept burning out and the milk replacer used to burn and cake around it. Lambs done well off it to be fair

iron man

ad lib.... during the day.... great videos on line of gear but very expensive...

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

yea adlib, it takes a bit of work at the start, you have to feed them individually on warm milk for five or six feeds at the start to make sure they drink enough.
We have a bucket with one teat forr training and a bucket with three teats for following that will be alright for 8 lambs.
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/323260909169
these are the buckets we use......there's soft teats for baby lambs and hard teats for bigger lambs

How do you secure the bucket to prevent the lambs from knocking it over or spilling the milk out of it ?

funkey_monkey

Sami23 wrote: »

How do you secure the bucket to prevent the lambs from knocking it over or spilling the milk out of it ?

The step in the bracket prevents it from sliding up and coming off. We used these for drop calves with no problems.

https://www.fanevalleystores.com/categories/sheep/lambing-products/feeders-teats/products/75879/Plastic-Bracket-for-Lamb-Feeder-Bucket/?viewAll=yes


EDIT: This is the metal version: https://www.fanevalleystores.com/categories/cattle/calf-products/feeders-teats/products/67526/Metal-Bracket-for-Gewa-Calf-Bucket/?viewAll=yes

Sami23

funkey_monkey wrote: »

The step in the bracket prevents it from sliding up and coming off. We used these for drop calves with no problems.

https://www.fanevalleystores.com/categories/sheep/lambing-products/feeders-teats/products/75879/Plastic-Bracket-for-Lamb-Feeder-Bucket/?viewAll=yes


EDIT: This is the metal version: https://www.fanevalleystores.com/categories/cattle/calf-products/feeders-teats/products/67526/Metal-Bracket-for-Gewa-Calf-Bucket/?viewAll=yes

But what's to stop them just 'pucking' it up off that n spilling the milk

Oldira

wrangler wrote: »

yea adlib, it takes a bit of work at the start, you have to feed them individually on warm milk for five or six feeds at the start to make sure they drink enough.
We have a bucket with one teat forr training and a bucket with three teats for following that will be alright for 8 lambs.
Have to say here that our scan is around 1.8 so plenty of opportunity for adopting, when we had 550 ewes we'd often do 50+adoptions so there are other options but if you're scanning 2 or over it's important to have facilities to rear pets

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/323260909169
these are the buckets we use......there's soft teats for baby lambs and hard teats for bigger lambs

How often would you have to fill the bucket? Lambing only started this weend and already I have ttow lambs rejected a single and a twin. Triplets havent even stareted yet

wrangler

Oldira wrote: »

How often would you have to fill the bucket? Lambing only started this weend and already I have ttow lambs rejected a single and a twin. Triplets havent even stareted yet

Bucket only holds six or seven ltrs so you'd be going two or three times a day to eight lambs.
I drilled a hole in a twenty litre drum for a teat and made a better bracket for the wall so don't have to go as often.
We found this sort more straight forward than sucking it up through a pipe and they seldom knock it down if they have to reach for it, the ideal hanger is on an adjustable slide and keep it nudged up as they grow and the bedding goes up as well.
Takes a bit of organising but anything is better than bottle feeding

grayh0und

Any tips on successful adoptions?

wrangler wrote: »

yea adlib, it takes a bit of work at the start, you have to feed them individually on warm milk for five or six feeds at the start to make sure they drink enough.
We have a bucket with one teat forr training and a bucket with three teats for following that will be alright for 8 lambs.
Have to say here that our scan is around 1.8 so plenty of opportunity for adopting, when we had 550 ewes we'd often do 50+adoptions so there are other options but if you're scanning 2 or over it's important to have facilities to rear pets

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/323260909169
these are the buckets we use......there's soft teats for baby lambs and hard teats for bigger lambs

wrangler

grayh0und wrote: »

Any tips on successful adoptions?

Wet adoptions always have the best chance here
Tie the foster lambs legs so he can't get up,
Bath him with in a bucket of warm salty water if he's dry
Put the lamb in a basin under the ewe and pull the new lamb down on top of the foster lamb and get as much of the fluids into the basin on top of the lamb.
Take away her own lamb and leave her with the foster lamb,
After ten minutes cut the ties on the legs and then twenty minutes later give her own lamb back,
That's the basics, but it works all the time here,
The two things that mess it up is if
1, You have everything perfect then discover the ewe has milk in only one teat.
2 scanner gets it wrong and she has another lamb.
The longer they're lambed the less chance of success. we'd always try to pull the lamb so there'd be loads of fluids available

grayh0und

Nice one, thanks for the tips. We generally have lambed all outside, but could maybe still make it work. If we had a foster lamb, and got it going on colostrum / milk replacer, could it be introduced to a ewe some time after it was born? Or would it need to be done very near its birth.

wrangler wrote: »

Wet adoptions always have the best chance here
Tie the foster lambs legs so he can't get up,
Bath him with in a bucket of warm salty water if he's dry
Put the lamb in a basin under the ewe and pull the new lamb down on top of the foster lamb and get as much of the fluids into the basin on top of the lamb.
Take away her own lamb and leave her with the foster lamb,
After ten minutes cut the ties on the legs and then twenty minutes later give her own lamb back,
That's the basics, but it works all the time here,
The two things that mess it up is if
1, You have everything perfect then discover the ewe has milk in only one teat.
2 scanner gets it wrong and she has another lamb.
The longer they're lambed the less chance of success. we'd always try to pull the lamb so there'd be loads of fluids available

wrangler

grayh0und wrote: »

Nice one, thanks for the tips. We generally have lambed all outside, but could maybe still make it work. If we had a foster lamb, and got it going on colostrum / milk replacer, could it be introduced to a ewe some time after it was born? Or would it need to be done very near its birth.

We've done them up to a fortnight old .
Another trick is if the ewe has lambed less than 24 hrs you can put your hand into her as if you're lambing her and keep working her until she starts licking her lips and your hand if you put it to her nose, we use a glove and a bit of lube,
The foster lamb has to be well wetted and salted and you have to take your hand out a good few times and rub the lamb to get enough of her fluids on him

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

We've done them up to a fortnight old .
Another trick is if the ewe has lambed less than 24 hrs you can put your hand into her as if you're lambing her and keep working her until she starts licking her lips and your hand if you put it to her nose, we use a glove and a bit of lube,
The foster lamb has to be well wetted and salted and you have to take your hand out a good few times and rub the lamb to get enough of her fluids on him

I actually attempted this trick a few weeks ago after seeing a previous post of yours wrangler but I 'chickened out' when she started forcing strongly and I was afraid she might force out the lamb bag so I tried her in the crate for nearly 2 weeks but the rap still wouldn't take to him, she just wanted her own lamb so the foster lad is on the bottle now
😢

wrangler

Sami23 wrote: »

I actually attempted this trick a few weeks ago after seeing a previous post of yours wrangler but I 'chickened out' when she started forcing strongly and I was afraid she might force out the lamb bag so I tried her in the crate for nearly 2 weeks but the rap still wouldn't take to him, she just wanted her own lamb so the foster lad is on the bottle now
��

Yea probably shouldn't be advising that online Naturally you have to be gentle but it does work.
Crate is the last resort....... we've never found a wet adopted lamb neglected out in the field but plenty of the crate ones have failed after a few days let out

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

Yea probably shouldn't be advising that online Naturally you have to be gentle but it does work.

So you wouldn't worry at all about them forcing when you are doing this trick. I suppose as it was my 1st time I wasn't sure what to expect

wrangler

Sami23 wrote: »

So you wouldn't worry at all about them forcing when you are doing this trick. I suppose as it was my 1st time I wasn't sure what to expect

Yea, once a ewe is lambed, every hour decreases the chance of a wet adoption, putting a hand in them gets the hormones going again, but it takes time, you could be 15 mins trying to get her to start licking her lips.
You don't have to be rough with her, once your hand is in her she'll be forcing, I think it's the forcing that kicks off the hormones.
Every time I'd take my hand out to rub fluids on the lamb I'd put my hand to her nose,
I read about it somewhere and couldn't believe it'd work either

davidk1394

Anyone know the price of a fully automatic volac feeder ? Have one here and thinking of shifting it.

gazahayes

davidk1394 wrote: »

Anyone know the price of a fully automatic volac feeder ? Have one here and thinking of shifting it.

Interested in the price also, toying with getting one for the oh to rear pets if there's money in it.

Oldira

wrangler wrote: »

Bucket only holds six or seven ltrs so you'd be going two or three times a day to eight lambs.
I drilled a hole in a twenty litre drum for a teat and made a better bracket for the wall so don't have to go as often.
We found this sort more straight forward than sucking it up through a pipe and they seldom knock it down if they have to reach for it, the ideal hanger is on an adjustable slide and keep it nudged up as they grow and the bedding goes up as well.
Takes a bit of organising but anything is better than bottle feeding

How long will milk last before going stale or go off.? Can you make enough for a couple of days and leave it is you have only 1-2 lambs?

wrangler

Oldira wrote: »

How long will milk last before going stale or go off.? Can you make enough for a couple of days and leave it is you have only 1-2 lambs?

It should be alright for two days if you're feeding cold, warm milk might be different

Oldira

wrangler wrote: »

It should be alright for two days if you're feeding cold, warm milk might be different

Thanks. Cold milk here. Lambs thriving after only a few days.

wrangler

Oldira wrote: »

Thanks. Cold milk here. Lambs thriving after only a few days.

Farmer and lambs do well on cold milk ad lib, here's our homemade feeder.
It holds 16 ltrs
Note the 'height adjustable brackets'
20190327_180039.jpg

20190327_180213.jpg

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

Farmer and lambs do well on cold milk ad lib, here's our homemade feeder.
It holds 16 ltrs
Note the 'height adjustable brackets'
20190327_180039.jpg

20190327_180213.jpg

Nice simple setup there wrangler.

I'm struggling to get 1 of my pet lambs to drink from 1 of those buckets that you recommended. He will take 2 or 3 sucks and then keeps stopping. I have to constantly keep putting the teat in his mouth at that.
He's starting to lose whatever condition he had coming off his mother and is getting very thin. I can't figure out why he won't suck it.
I'm making up the milk warm as it's easier to mix so was thinking today is that a mistake giving it to them warm and letting it go cold as they drink it.?
Any advice or tips would be appreciated

wrangler

Sami23 wrote: »

Nice simple setup there wrangler.

I'm struggling to get 1 of my pet lambs to drink from 1 of those buckets that you recommended. He will take 2 or 3 sucks and then keeps stopping. I have to constantly keep putting the teat in his mouth at that.
He's starting to lose whatever condition he had coming off his mother and is getting very thin. I can't figure out why he won't suck it.
I'm making up the milk warm as it's easier to mix so was thinking today is that a mistake giving it to them warm and letting it go cold as they drink it.?
Any advice or tips would be appreciated

Don't know what to say about a lamb not drinking, I'd be watching for an adoption for him, Is he able to drink enough out of a bottle, We've never had any problem, keep him fed enough anyway.
We use a whisk for mixing the milk with cold water, seems to work alright, you shouldn't have to mix it warm, we use an electric kitchen hand blender for anything more than 3 or 4 ltrs

Dinzee Conlee

wrangler wrote: »

Farmer and lambs do well on cold milk ad lib, here's our homemade feeder.
It holds 16 ltrs
Note the 'height adjustable brackets'
20190327_180039.jpg

20190327_180213.jpg

I like that.

Is it just an ordinary clear 5 gallon drum, with a nipple fitted?

Where did you source that type of nipple, if you don’t mind me asking?

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

Don't know what to say about a lamb not drinking, I'd be watching for an adoption for him, Is he able to drink enough out of a bottle, We've never had any problem, keep him fed enough anyway.
We use a whisk for mixing the milk with cold water, seems to work alright, you shouldn't have to mix it warm, we use an electric kitchen hand blender for anything more than 3 or 4 ltrs

Lambing finished here last Saturday so no chance of adoption I'm afraid. He's not great to drink from bottle either tbh. He was a triplet so he was on his mother for 4-5 day and then I moved him onto the bucket last Friday but he's getting weaker by the day imo.
Hopefully he'll get into it before it's too late.
I have the very same teat as yourself in the Gewa bucket.

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I like that.

Is it just an ordinary clear 5 gallon drum, with a nipple fitted?

Where did you source that type of nipple, if you don’t mind me asking?

Local Agristore has them here, they're easy enough got,
Here's a link to a supplier anyway if you can't
https://www.agridirect.ie/product/lamb-feeder-bucket2

We use a hole saw to make the hole, We had to use Tec 7 on that one to make it water tight but it mostly seals alright, I would rather it was easy removed for washing

wrangler

Sami23 wrote: »

Lambing finished here last Saturday so no chance of adoption I'm afraid. He's not great to drink from bottle either tbh. He was a triplet so he was on his mother for 4-5 day and then I moved him onto the bucket last Friday but he's getting weaker by the day imo.
Hopefully he'll get into it before it's too late.
I have the very same teat as yourself in the Gewa bucket.

Sounds as if the lamb is sick, was he always that way
Lamb has to be strong enough to suck it too, we'd always take the strongest lamb for a pet

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

Sounds as if the lamb is sick, was he always that way
Lamb has to be strong enough to suck it too, we'd always take the strongest lamb for a pet

Well when the 3 of them were on the mother I was supplementing them with the bottle to make sure they had enough and this lamb was the best of the 3 to suck so I picked him for that reason but in fairness none of those particular triplets were great to drink bottle.

OneMan37

Sami23 wrote: »

Well when the 3 of them were on the mother I was supplementing them with the bottle to make sure they had enough and this lamb was the best of the 3 to suck so I picked him for that reason but in fairness none of those particular triplets were great to drink bottle.

I have the same problem. I will have to stomach feed her to keep her alive. Once she's eating nuts nicely I'll let her out. All I can do. I may move pen out to grass after a week to encourage her to start eating grass too.

davidk1394

Anyone looking for a feeder ?

razor8

davidk1394 wrote: »

Anyone looking for a feeder ?

Why are you not keeping it?

davidk1394

razor8 wrote: »

Why are you not keeping it?

Don’t need it