The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Little Landy Lover on April 15, 2014, 02:42:02 pm
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:wave:
Hey all :)
I'm wondering how good/bad an idea it would be to put my lambs out in the 3 acre Perry pear orcahrd, it's held my Ewes since September so I know it too be stock proof although it's all hedges, only one fence has netting along it and I can't see them from the yard so I'm cautious about putting the little people out there! There is also a presence of black birds and an active fox den making it more treacherous for them. There's a fair amount of blackthorn, a really shallow reedy pond and generally a few holes in the hedges that will need plugging (they have 2 lines of barbed wire the Gypsies put there 20 years ago).
Second option; Between the farm and the Orchard is a 3 acre paddock with an open pond, two hedged sides and a post and rail fence. Obviously I'd have to do something to the post and rail (three rails, would probably hold the ewes but not the escape artists) but would the pond pose an issue to the lambs? it's vertical sided and about 2/3 meters deep but the water is almost at ground level. Shame there's a bloody bridle way through the paddock and the ramblers are appalling at closing the gates.
So, where would you put them? The Ewe's are currently in the Orchard as they are yet to lamb and there's nothing better than Dr. Green! They're coming in in the evenings and going out again in the mornings but as soon as there's action they'll be staying in :)
Cheers, Arch
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I think lambs really need to be behind stock fencing. I certainly wouldn't trust any of mine not to find a way through a hedge.
The pond should be no bother though, I have ponds and streams in my fields and never had an issue. And if you have problems with ppl leaving gates open then hang a weight on the gate so that it self-closes.
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Well then there would be an issue with the hedges as I have not the funding for proper fencing! There are fox runs under the barb wired hedge that I shall be plugging along with many other little holes. I have about 50 yards of temporary mesh fence and 12 more hurdles to put out there (put 8 out there earlier) so it should be OK...
I've paced the bad headlands and I think they'll be going in the orchard as it's more likely to hold them in!!
Great news about the pond :)
The birds and foxes are now my greatest concern.
Cheers