There’s a first time for everything.

[baymule]

Yay! It looks like a latch-match to me! Don't worry about posting lots of pictures, we all love pictures. Onyx looks like she will take this baby as her own.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Woo Hoo! Well, I mighta shoulda said you tickle the hairy top of her hip - or even the tail itself. I don't go touching them other places, lol!! It works on the theory that mama always reaches around and nuzzles their butt when they nurse. For whatever reason I've had luck with it any time I try to get a baby to latch on!

Glad it seems to be working and that Onyx might just make a wonderful adoptive mama!

 

[Ayla_noemi]

She's got a seriously nice udder on her and the lamb looks like he's benefiting from it nicely. Can you get us a side on pic of the lamb?

Those quick sips are how they normally feed, so I'm thinking Onyx is letting him nurse and they could be well bonded now.

Just took these had to get her out into the light.

 

[Ayla_noemi]

I've never personally did it with sheep, only cattle,but was successful with putting bum calves from the stockyard onto my milk cow. Just took putting a scent into her nose and on them as well...some use Vicks, I used essential oils...can't remember the one I used at the time, could have been lemongrass. Needs to be a strong scent.

I used Vicks when we did this with meat rabbits.

She seems very docile if you are able to milk her so easily and she may welcome the relief of a swollen udder if you give her a lamb. I'd let her udder get a little distended again and then try it, masking the scent of the ringer lamb and just monitor how it goes. It would help if you isolate her from the others, especially the original mama, until the pairing has taken.

I'd check often enough that you feel secure about leaving them alone together. You've got nothing to lose by trying.

Or, you could just milk her like you planned to do your goats. She has GREAT teats for a sheep and a very roomy udder, being that docile she's an excellent candidate for a milking ewe. Some of the world's most expensive cheese is made from sheep's milk.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/04/essential-sheep-milk-cheese.html

I think I’ll try the grafting just to have some experience should I really need to do it in the future. It if takes good and it it doesn’t I’ll just give baby back to momma and continue milking. Thank you all for the advice. I’ll let you all know how it goes. How long should I try the grafting before I know if it’s a success or not?

 

[Ayla_noemi]

So....was wondering what's happening with your ewe? Did you try the grafting? Are you milking her instead?

These are a few pics after the Vick’s was added. Baby kept answering moms calls but seemed to be looking for Onyx to protect her from us. Now Onyx was just watching us and did not shoo baby or head but at all.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Did you try tickling the baby's butt/hip (top of butt between hip and tail) when you were trying to get her to latch on? That seems to stimulate baby goats to root. Don't know if it works for sheep.

 

[sumi]

So glad to see the little one figured things out Don't worry about posting "too many" pics, we love pics here!

 

[Ayla_noemi]

Aww, I can almost see that little tail wagging with pleasure! Such a beautiful pair and thing to witness...

She was waging lol

 

[Beekissed]

Excellent experiment!!! I love it when folks try new things just to learn if it can be done. I love Onyx...that's one keeper of a ewe. I'm glad someone mentioned the stimulating the hind end of the lamb...that comes in handy for getting baby animals to suckle...and also to have a BM(kittens and puppies).

I hope this graft sticks and you can call this experiment a success. I imagine as time goes along and you may have to repeat this grafting with the sheep that you will refine your technique and can teach others how you have found success with it.

Katahdins are my fave sheep breed for a very good reason...easy to work with, easy keepers, docile, easy lambing, easy to fatten on just grass, parasite resistant if raised properly and they are just beautiful in all ways~love the different colors, the way their wool just peels off neatly in large sheets instead of the rag tags of other hair breeds, their neat, feminine heads/faces.

 

[Mini Horses]

I would keep them apart for about a week and assess their bonding. If they sleep together, lamb feeds without issue, you should be good. It will also give her milk time to get thru the lamb's system and then the smell of her poop will be that of the ewe's milk production., plus they will share their smell from coat oils, licking, etc. Then they can identify one another, plus take any reclaim chances from the actual mom as it will no longer smell as hers.

Lambs & goats do not nurse long at a time when this young but, more frequent. Later the length of time extends, frequency drops. They can get a lot in a few suckles.

Things seem to be going well!! They sure look like they belong to one another...all that lovely black hair! So glad for all of you there. Try watching and not typing legs, that will give you some idea of how they are doing.