The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: yorksfarmer on October 13, 2009, 12:58:12 pm

Title: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: yorksfarmer on October 13, 2009, 12:58:12 pm: We're thinking of taking on a couple of new lambs come the new year and wondered what you guys thought. We have about half an acre of our garden free and a large polytunnel for shelter (currently has our flock of RIR layers in it but they will be moved again come new year). Just wondered if you thought this was enough space for them? Also how much feed should we be looking at each day?
Cheers guys
Title: Re: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: shetlandpaul on October 13, 2009, 01:07:40 pm: i would not keep them were chickens have been in force. but other than that go for it once you have your flock number.
Title: Re: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: yorksfarmer on October 13, 2009, 01:32:46 pm: We've only got a dozen or so chickens in there at the moment with a thick layer of straw which will be removed and the whole place sprayed with disinfectant first. Is there a issue with chickens and lambs? I've had a quick look but couldn't see anything on the net.
Title: Re: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: shetlandpaul on October 13, 2009, 08:56:57 pm: there can be.
Title: Re: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: Roxy on October 14, 2009, 02:13:24 pm: What issues, please? Says she who has her pet sheep sharing a field with all her hen flock ......
Title: Re: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: shetlandpaul on October 14, 2009, 03:24:07 pm: the vet said to avoid lambing were hens are. i think it was Coccidiosis but i maybe wrong.
Title: Re: Thinking of taking on a couple of lambs early next year
Post by: swm on October 22, 2009, 10:59:34 pm: This year for the first time I have had two sheep. After taking a course at my local Agricultural college I managed to buy two cade lambs from their flock. They were pedigree lleyn sheep, attractive, reasonably docile and easy to handle. I split a 3/4 acre paddock in to two using electric sheep netting and moved them between the two paddocks every 3 weeks. I settled on two because local experts warned me that the predicted hot summer and drought would mean that there would be insufficient grass. My two sheep did not really manage to keep the grass down and in reality could have done with another pair of hooves. I am in Derbyshire and have had the sheep from June until Mid October.