This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of milk replacer feeding time on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum profiles in early-weaned lambs. Fourty-8 newborn Hu lambs (2.53 ± 0.13 kg; 24 male and 24 female) were divided into 4 treatments: ewe-reared (ER) or weaned at 10, 20, or 30 d post birth (EW10, EW20, and EW30) and fed milk replacer (MR). All liquid feed were eliminated at 60 d of age (d 60). Creep feed was offered ad libitum to all lambs from d 15 to 90. Lambs were weighed on d 60 and 90. The data of liveweight (LWT), average daily gain (ADG), feed (including creep and MR) intake, nutrient utilization and serum parameters were analyzed as completely randomized design using one-way ANOVA. Duncan’s method for multiple comparisons was used if the overall F test for the measurement was significant (P < 0.05). The results indicated that lambs of EW10, EW 20, and EW 30 had higher LWT (22.1, 21.4, and 20.2 vs 18.5 g), ADG (225.1, 219.6, and 208.6 vs 177.6 g/d), and creep feed intake (512.9, 412.1, and 413.0 vs 370.3 g/d) (P < 0.001) than those in ER group. There were no differences between treatments in the apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) (P > 0.05) from d 50 to 60. The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, N and P of EW20 and EW30 groups were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of EW10 and ER groups from d 80 to 90. Lambs in the EW10 group had higher concentration of albumin, serum urea nitrogen, and immunoglobulin G than those of other groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, early weaning could improve creep intake, growth performance, and nutrient utilization of Hu lambs. Time of early weaning significantly increased the growth of lambs.