help with weaning

apphorses · #21 04/23/10, 10:54 AM

I'm glad I don't have bottle babies. That has got to be time consuming for sure!!

I will be finishing the fence today to wean our 2 kids from mama. That should be fun. I really need the milk though.

Hope things work out good for ya!!

Loree in OK

Birch Hill Farm · #22 04/23/10, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

Jeffers carries the kit in its entirety. You can also just order the nipples from Jeffers and get the tubing and bucket from a local hardware then drill the holes in the bucket yourself. Anyone who can weld, can weld you a holder.
After trying to figure it out for meself years ago before actually "seeing" a lambar system, I'd reccomend ordering the kit and then modeling the subsequent buckets on the one you bought. Unless your a real handy person.

Thanks! Just ordered the kit.
-jon

ozark_jewels · #23 04/23/10, 03:38 PM

Of course you will need to train them to the bucket(holding them on the nipple till they get the hang of staying on themselves). Depending on the kid this can be very easy or very hard. I stand behind the kid, with the kids butt against my legs so they can't back up, then put their mouth on the nipple. Usually they start sucking pretty quick. Good luck!

Birch Hill Farm · #24 04/23/10, 04:15 PM

Thank for the info, this should make life much easier.

shiandpete.1 · #25 04/23/10, 05:56 PM

I really dislike feeding bottle babies, it takes up way too much time, the lambar makes it so much easier. I actually get an extra hour of sleep a night because of it.

ozark_jewels · #26 04/23/10, 06:43 PM

Seriously, the lambar saved my sanity when I was kidding out 100+ does several years ago.

I've raised better kids and had much more time to do it in, since starting to use lambars.
Now, if I have more than two kids, I use the lambar.
And I used to be one who said I would *never* use one of "those things".....LOL!!

Pony · #27 04/23/10, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiandpete.1

I really dislike feeding bottle babies, it takes up way too much time, the lambar makes it so much easier. I actually get an extra hour of sleep a night because of it.

I can see how that would be a beautiful thing, and I'm only supplementing 4. If I had the space, I'd be completely bottle-feeding all of them.

Got bit by one of the little blighters today. Darn! Those back teeth HURT!

I am so tired...

But all is not lost. Nick and I are starting to build the barn this weekend, and life will be, if nothing else, a lot drier and warmer.

lonelyfarmgirl · #28 04/25/10, 08:10 PM

Your bucket in the photo is exactly the one I have. I used it last year. I took it out twice a day and let them drink what I had and took it away. I dont have enough milk to leave it out all the time. Maybe in a couple years I will, as I am bottle feeding an orphaned heifer. She will be tame enough to milk when she calves in 2 years.

Now I am bottle feeding 6 with bottles. Its no big deal, but my senior milker kidded with 2 does last night, so I might shift to the bucket. But I might not, because my 2 largest kids are nearly ready to wean.