Feeding Time

Currently there are fifteen pet lambs in the shed. We've lost some and gained some along the way, but as lambs are very difficult to raise by hand, fifteen is a great number.

Nobby and Fred were reduced to two feeds a day some time ago, but we're struggling to get them down to one without them losing condition. When these two launch themselves at a bottle, they can be very rough. They don't mean it, of course - they just don't know their own strength!

To make enough milk for eight of the smaller lambs, we put four scoops of lamb milk powder into a jug of freshly boiled water.

We stir with a fork until all the lumps are gone and the liquid is a smooth as possible.

We then pour the milk into a larger jug and fill with hot and cold water until the jug is full and the milk is warm but not scalding.

The we pour it into the two bottles. Each bottle has one scoop of milk in it, and each lamb therefore gets half a scoop from half a bottle of milk.

Little Dude tucks in...

Margo patiently waits her turn.

It's easier to feed each lamb by lifting it out of the pen and putting it back when it's done - stops a lot of shoving and barging. Here's Honey:

Tyson.

Millie gets quite impatient and tries to climb out.

Larry gets his milk.

This little lamb needed some help with his milk.

Fred and Nobby are not pleased that there is no milk for them this time.

With full round tummies, the little lambs can have a nice nap.

Although, they do look like they want some more...