Wobbly lamb learns to walk thanks to home-made baby bouncer

A lamb which has been unable to walk since birth is finally finding his feet thanks to a home-made baby bouncer. Bouncer the lamb was born lame and was struggling to get around her farm owned by Alan Hunkin. So his daughter Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, 25, built a makeshift baby bouncer from a canvas shopping bag by cutting holes out for the legs, head and tail.



She hangs the bag on a bungee jump chord off a hammock in the garden so the playful youngster can bounce and gradually build up the strength in her limbs. Cheryl also assists Bouncer by holding the handles of the bag, allowing him to walk along almost weight free. The one-week-old Suffolk cross Berrichon lamb is now gradually learning to walk with the help from the black bag. Cheryl, of Okehampton, Devon said: "Bouncer is a twin, when he was a few days old he struggled to get up and he was a bit wobbly.



"The lamb couldn't stand which meant he couldn't feed off his mum or any other sheep. He needs to be bottle fed. I feel sorry for him, he feeds well and seems strong and healthy, he just can't stand up. I needed to find a way to help him walk again. I made a baby bouncer from a bag with holes cut out for the legs, head and tail. I can hold the bag and help him walk along. I also hang the bag on a bungee jump chord off a hammock in the garden.


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"Hopefully it will teach him how to walk. I also put him in a cardboard box with hay and he sleeps outside my bedroom." Bouncer started bleating which Cheryl said was a good sign that he was getting stronger. She said: "Every day I give him an injection of antibiotics and bottle feed him every three hours. He is getting quite fat, he loves his food. I might have to get him a bigger bag. I love him, he is my companion. If Bouncer survives we will keep him as a pet."