Lamb Care Sheet
Feeding:
Housing:
Grooming:
Companionship:
Bringing your new pet home:
Taming your lamb:
Good luck with your new lamb(s)! If you have any questions before or after you bring your lamb(s) home, feel free to email me at [email protected]
I’m happy to answer any of your sheep-related questions!
****The above texts are based on what I have learned through experience in sheep-keeping. Please note that this is only meant to be a guide highlighting the very basic essentials of sheep care. There is still much more to know about sheep care. Please, please, please do your research!
Feeding:
- Make sure to provide your new baby with plenty of fresh water and hay at all times! A quality grain that is intended for sheep can be fed once daily. It is okay to feed up to a cup per baby; however, please note that feeding too much grain to shetland sheep can be detrimental to their health. They are a primitive breed of sheep that thrive on vegetation/hay. Sheep will also require minerals that are specifically designed for sheep. Sheep CANNOT have the same minerals as animals such as goats and horses due to the high copper content. Please do your research on the subject and be sure to feed your baby correctly as it grows.
Housing:
- I personally believe that sheep are happiest when allowed to roam in a closed pasture, but that isn’t always a possibility. Just be sure to provide your baby with enough space to play and have an area where it can be safe from the weather and predators. Sheep will test fences, so make sure that your fence is sheep-proof before releasing your baby into the enclosure! I recommend 4-strand electric fencing to contain your sheep, but any fencing that is at least four feet tall should work. Be sure that space in the wiring is not big enough that your sheep could get its head stuck.
- NEVER tie sheep. Sheep can be prone to tragic and unnecessary accidents when tied that can easily be prevented by not tying!
Grooming:
- Sheep need to have their hooves trimmed every few months. It is crucial to do this so that the sheep can walk properly. Do your research and invest in a pair of good hoof clippers (tractor supply has these) or strong scissors. Also, a huge part of shetland sheep-keeping is shearing. Some shetlands naturally shed their wool in the spring, but others don't. It is best to shear your sheep in the spring to keep it cool during the summer months. Electric shears work nicely, but a less-costly solution for shearing a small number of sheep are manual ones. Be sure to do your research on the subject and make sure you know how and when to complete the process. Knowing this information is mandatory!
Companionship:
- Sheep are herd animals, so they must have companions. It is best to have at least two sheep together (do not keep unaltered males and females together unless you plan on responsibly breeding them). If having more than one sheep is not possible, you can try housing your baby sheep with another species of animal, but monitor them very closely to make sure they are compatible. This is not recommended, but it has worked for some individuals.
Bringing your new pet home:
- Chances are, your new lamb is going to be very shy and wary of people at first. This is perfectly normal. It will not be familiar with you or the environment. It will probably cry loudly for a few days because it will miss its old surroundings. It is best to give your new baby a few days to acclimate to its environment and settle in. Do not physically handle it very much during these days. It needs to become acquainted with its environment before it can get used to your touch. It is also wise to spend time in its enclosure so it can get used to you. Don’t approach it or try to pet it yet. Simply sit or move around quietly in the cage for a few days.
Taming your lamb:
- It is easier to tame sheep when they are confined to a smaller enclosure. It is wise to keep your new baby in a smaller enclosure until it becomes friendly with you. Once it is tame, it can be released into a larger pen, but until then, keep it confined.
- Do not approach the sheep. Let it approach you, instead. Doing this helps your new baby to view you as harmless rather than a predator. If your sheep approaches you, don’t try to pet it. Simply let it sniff you and become acquainted with you. After a few days of this, you can try offering your baby a treat when it approaches you. Treats such as a handful of sheep feed, raisins, crackers, and bread are all good choices to use.
- Once you are able to feed your baby from your hand, you can start to try to pet it. Go slow with this and don’t rush it. Sudden scary movements can hinder the process. Be gentle and try to touch areas that sheep enjoy having touched. These areas include under the chin, behind the ears, and along the back. DO NOT rub your lamb's forehead. Rubbing a lamb’s forehead teaches it that it is okay to touch you with it. This can lead to bad behaviors such as butting and rubbing with its head. Your sheep can become disrespectful if not handled properly.
- Always let your baby watch you feed it during the taming process. You need to be associated with food in the baby’s mind. To do this, do not let the baby have free-choice food (this only applies to grain; lambs must have free-choice hay). Feed it frequently with small feedings and stay near the food until the baby is finished eating. This will ensure that your lamb realizes that you are the source of its nourishment, the same way its mother was. After your lamb has been tamed, slowly switch to once a day feedings with the grain.
Good luck with your new lamb(s)! If you have any questions before or after you bring your lamb(s) home, feel free to email me at [email protected]
I’m happy to answer any of your sheep-related questions!
****The above texts are based on what I have learned through experience in sheep-keeping. Please note that this is only meant to be a guide highlighting the very basic essentials of sheep care. There is still much more to know about sheep care. Please, please, please do your research!