The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: shrekfeet on February 01, 2011, 01:15:05 pm

Title: individual pens?
Post by: shrekfeet on February 01, 2011, 01:15:05 pm

I normally borrow some hurdles from a neighbour for lambing unfortunatley they are not available this year. I only have 4 ewes lambing and I bring them in to lamb. They are due in a bout 14 days,. My question is whether they need to be in individual pens after they have lambed or will they be okay in with each other. I guess I would be turning them out after a couple of days as they have shelter in the field.

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: Rosemary on February 01, 2011, 02:21:10 pm

I think shutting them in for a day or two with their lambs helps them to bond.

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: Fleecewife on February 01, 2011, 02:27:03 pm

We lamb outside now, but years ago we lambed our Jacobs inside.  OH knocked up some hurdles from wood which worked very well and were cheaper than buying.  If you have your ewes lambing in one area, you run the risk of lamb theft.  It does sometimes happen even when lambing outdoors if a ewe in labour is close to one which has just delivered, she will assume that the new lamb is hers.  If you have only 4 ewes, presumably they will not all be lambing on the same day so you only need one or two pens.

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: Anke on February 01, 2011, 04:32:50 pm

Lots of people use pallets and wire/baler twine for this, and you would only need two pens max. Better to get the newborn lambs out of the communal area, although with only 4 ewes it should not be too difficult to match up mums and lambs.

Also ebay should have some cheap hurdles available?

We built the pens described by Tim Tyne in Countrysmallholding and also in his sheep book, with some variations, and they have proved very useful. I now have a permanent pen in the hayshed for any emergencies.

Title: spare hurdles
Post by: agri293 on February 01, 2011, 06:43:28 pm

hi there i dont know your location i am outside edinburgh if you or anyone wants to borrow some hurdles 07778168275

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: andywalt on February 01, 2011, 08:18:29 pm

I ran out of hurdles so have used pallets and bail twine, does a great job and the pallets are free !!

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: OhLaLa on February 02, 2011, 11:36:28 am

Quote from: shrekfeet on February 01, 2011, 01:15:05 pm

I normally borrow some hurdles from a neighbour for lambing unfortunatley they are not available this year. I only have 4 ewes lambing and I bring them in to lamb. They are due in a bout 14 days.......

I'm new to all this. How many days before approx due date will you be bringing them in?

 :sheep:  :)

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: VSS on February 02, 2011, 11:40:39 am

Quote from: Anke on February 01, 2011, 04:32:50 pm

We built the pens described by Tim Tyne in Countrysmallholding and also in his sheep book, with some variations, and they have proved very useful. I now have a permanent pen in the hayshed for any emergencies.

Good aren't they  ;D

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: Anke on February 02, 2011, 02:03:16 pm

Yes they are! But we have not used the fancy screws in the side, but strong fencing wire to create the loops for the canes. works great. We (well OH not me) build a few add-on panels every year.

Title: Re: individual pens?
Post by: andywalt on February 02, 2011, 05:16:46 pm

ohlala

bring them in a week before so they can get settled down and relaxed before they lamb