R.E the draft ewes that we buy, and with thought to ME's point. When we buy them, they are quarantined on land away from any of our other stock, they never come into contact. They are tupped, set stocked and left until after lambing, when they are all gathered and sorted, the ewes go off, either with some lambs at foot, or a lone, the lambs are fattened and sold as stores or in the fat ring depending on grass. Although i'm tempted to keep some of the ewe lambs back if we do it again this year, for a wee breeding programme. I also wouldnt call them reliable, or good ewes. . . . but they live on air, cost nothing to keep, are hardy as hell, and to be honest at that price, a few losses or barren ewes isn't too much of a hardship.
I'd never, ever, put those ewes anywhere near my main flock, it's just not worth the risks!
If you get the sheep you want, they are good sheep and make you happy, it doesnt matter how far they are away?
I've bought some new additions this year, both lots were about a 5.5-6 hour round trip (in different directions). But i'm very happy I made the trips as it's given me some great new blood, and i'm escited about the future lol.
I personally wouldnt lamb anything outside in Feb, experiance ewes or not. Cold and wet will kill lambs pretty quick. On the upside for you, if you manage to lamb early, you will be able to hit the early (and good) market for lambs, if you chose to sell. However, if you are intending to lamb early there are two potential issues - firstly you would need to get your sheep and tup them in the next month, and also if you bought lambs from an outdoor flock then they would be real young (and probably too light) to tup for year lambing the following year. Does that make sense? So my ewe lambs that will be tupped, will be nine months at tupping (to lamb april) whereas if I decided to lamb in feb they would only be about 5 months at tupping.