a PET lamb.

[giz]

I got a lamb last tuseday. a castrated male, he was the only one left,they had a problem with him and he has a bit of a runny eye, i have the stuff for it, and its clearing up now..
(dont ask me what type of farm it was, as it was thru a friend i got him. i think they were just a small organic farm.)
im living in a bought house in a built up area, with a stable out back, but he is just too small for that, so in the house he lives with me and the dogs atm, with 3 or 4 feeds aday depending on how hungry he is..
i rang up for my chp number last monday, and the council aswell.. just have to wait for my number to come thru then all sorted..
the only thing he hasnt got is his ear tag, as non of them were done, he will be getting it when he goes back in 2 weeks.

when he is off the bottle, and feeding and what not, he is going to go to a comunity farm to teach kids and adults, as alot of people just dont know anything about livestock or even seen em. sad times nowadays..

I edited this post so people see what i about Befor feeling im just being a fool..
He is here and happy so can we just remember that..

PS, hay and Straw for them wee bales is only £2.50 and £3.00 of your not getting it cheep maybe get a whack. its at stannah in blackpool i think they are.

[oldjerry]

If you're serious,and I've just checked the calender,please think twice about this,and whoever is ready to supply you with the animal needs to have a serious word with themselves.There's a world full of unwanted pets up for rehoming. Best Wishes.

[giz]

why whats wrong with it??? he will be killed as he isnt well, so im taking him to bottle feed, he has conjunctivitus, and the ewe has something wrong with her hence they have come away..
and im aware there is a full load of unwanted pets, hence i have a house full of them.

[oldjerry]

Well apart from all the admin stuff(and it's a lot more than just a holding no.) the transport thing,etc,how much grass have you got to graze this animal on? Sure you could feed it primarily on hay (£4-6 a small bale at this time of the year),but if your'e going to keep it in a small garden (which will need fencing REALLY well) it's comparative to keeping chickens in cages.
To be honest that's just a few of the things to consider,do your neighbours have dogs? D'you realise just how strong a fully grown wether is?
I appreciate you want to do well by this animal,but I just don't think what you seem to propose will have that outcome. Anyhow,others may disagree.......Best Wishes

[giz]

they are bringing him to me.... a bale of hay is only £2, i have a horse, so i know all that stuff, i have a decent sized garden, i have dogs, they dont.. i have to have good fences as its afghan hounds i have.. its a bought house, and there is plenty of grass... when he is Full grown he will move out in to a field with some other pets..

[red]

um
I've been trying to decide if this is a joke.. assuming its not..

it is not ok to keep a single sheep - they are a flock animal and need other sheep for company.

you cant take a sheep for a walk, you can only move them in proper transport with the proper paperwork.

there is no such thing as a pet sheep, as far as the law and defra are concerned, sheep are livestock, and all of the rules apply to one treated as a pet the same as for a farmer with 1000s.

no - you wont be able to make any money from him. particularly if you wont eat him. he will cost you a lot - you will have to buy lamblac - milk for lambs, and it sounds like he already needs vet attention.

assuming he survives, how are you planning on shearing him?

wool is worth very little these days, particularly from a x breed.

[giz]

well that is fine then.... ill shear him myself, ill get my friend to show me how, Or, she will do it, what ever...
he is already under vet treatment...if its better for them, ill just get two then
as for walking them, how can you not? i asked defra on the phone and he said yes, so long as i have all the paper work and what not..
as for the milk and the feed, yes, im aware of all that.. he is comming with that, and i get the rest for stannah.

im not being funny, its not a joke, im not Stupid, iv just not had sheep for a Long time, an those were pets too.
Its already been sorted. i want to have them now, so i can see what im doing ready for when i move and have my own small holdings.

[oldjerry]

Well you asked for advice,sorry that it's no use to you. Just one thing though,can you bung us the phone no. of whoever's selling hay at£2 at the moment?

[giz]

its only them wee bales... and the straw is £3.... its in Blackpool... even stannah is at that price im sure...
and yes advice is fine.. just felt it was just on the attack right away...
its ok your all just the same as... only want the best for the animals.. but if there gona be pts, any life is better than non..
also, just been told, my friend wants him when older, for their new community farm as he will be tamer than the ones they have, so he will be going to a good cause..

[jimmyh1988]

hmm okay well as the probably most experienced here being a farmer myself . i think its great thats you feel you can help this lamb dont get me wrong!!! however some of the points raised are very true e,g
1) sheep are flock animals same as pigs its recommended you have at least 2
2) fleeces off sheep also depending on his breed your looking at about 50p to a £1 a fleece more if ya lucky .
3) you would make very little money from him you might like to try ya hand at showing him however its not much use being a prize winning sheep minus the wedding tackle thats where you would make your money .
4) small square bales cost about £2.50 down south a big bale your looking at about £10 a bale and other mineral sheep food also neeeds consideration aswell as vaccinations and wormers and products to kill flies and other various products so this all adds up .

i'm not having a pop i'm just giving ya some facts and by the way why cant you walk a sheep ? of course you can you halter train them and walk them round a show ring!!! no different to training any other animal what ever next !!!
anyway all the best hope the lil guy gets better however on a farm where you have livestock you also have deadstock and most farmers would have unfortunately had him dispatched but hey all the best jimmy

[oldjerry]

Jimmy mate ,your're not the only farmer on here, and small bales at THIS time of the year do a great deal more than £ 2.50,I just don't think that any one should try and keep a single wether on a council estate. As a farmer you will know that you don't just knock animals on the head cos your'e some heartless ,uncaring git,but because at times,it's the right thing to do.

[chicken feed]

if you are really going to have this lamb as others have said they are flock animals and welfare guidlines state they should have their own type for company.if someone came to us to buy a single i would only sell if they had already got some if not they would have to have 2 or non at all.

as for walking as already stated this is a non starter shows have CPH nos and standstill when animals are taken home applied (unless defra approved isolation ) so i cant see how you can walk a lamb around a estate.

i keep pigs, goats, lambs & cattle and these rules apply to all of them i can take them to shows but cant walk them on the public highways(not that i would want to).

the animal welfare act for herd and flock animals state they must be given water food heath care and company of their own type.

[Davie Crockett]

Not connected (I hope!) But close by........http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-13148820 and of interest to this topic.

[bonniethomas06]

Hi Hi Giz,

I have just taken on three orphan lambs for the first time, they are now three weeks old. I am sorry you feel that you are coming under attack - you sound like you have the best of intentions, but I feel that you are trying to ignore what you don't want to hear.

To give you an example - if I pick up one of them to the garage (where they sleep at the moment - it is empty and covered with straw) it goes mental - they are totally lost without other lambs. While I then go and walk to the other two to pick them up, the one in the garage gets really distressed. As soon as his brothers turn up, he is happy again.

I thought to myself the other night how right the farmer (who wouldn't sell us one on its own - in fact insisted on 3 in case one died and left the other alone) was - it is cruel to keep one on its own.

I also disagree that any life is better than none - no life is much better than a lifetime of suffering.

However, I don't think anyone here can change your mind. Threrefore, I wish you the best and hope you will carry on coming on this board with any queries and to let us know how you are getting on. You have got a bargain with your hay, we pay £35 for a large bale - it was £20 last year but has gone through the roof as last years harvest was so bad.

Good luck

Bonnie

[giz]

OK hello everyone.. i did get the one..
as he was the one left, and needs some attention, he had a mucky eye, almost cleard now, and he was having issues feeding,they thought he had a hair lip, i got a softer teat and he is fine now, eating well..
he is 3 weeks old..
i didnt WANT to make money, so im sorry if thats what you thought i ment, i was just interested.. lol..
showing him, yes i know i cant do the real ones, as hes a castrated x.. but, thought like dogs, and bunnys, you have the starters, you know what i mean?
he isnt in the slightest Unhappy, as he has my dogs, although thats not his OWN type, but he seems to enjoy jumping on them and sleeping with them.. hes outgoing and not shying away or looking lost.

here a bale of hay is £2.50, and straw £3.00..or £2.50 if i get it from the lady where my horse is..
when jizzer is older, he is going to live with a loanly goat called eric an a fat old sheep on a community farm, where it will be helpful with him being tame and what not. an it will be good as about 99% of people round here have never even seen a sheep.
he is still only on Lambs milk, and attempting to munch on some hay and a little of my grass not getting much thou.
he sleeps in teh house, and is feed, and let out during the day with everyone else..
he isnt drinking much water thou, so do i need to keep a eye on that/? or is the milk enough...
i was in a right grumpy mood so sorry for just switching off im ok now, honest. lol..