[YorkshireLass]

I tend to err on the side of non-intervention, but most of my experience is with primitive breeds that lamb outdoors happily.


I would say yes, go on a lambing course, so you understand what the things you've read look like in real life. BUT there is no point buying medicines that you don't know how to use (and would be calling the vet for anyway).


I think I would go for:
long gloves
lube
lambing rope (can be made from lengths of washing line with a loop tied at each end - nice and smooth for the ewe)
soap/water/buckets/towels/light sources/kettles/other site-dependent practical thingies
calciject and syringe and needles in case of suspected twin-lamb disease (are you comfortable injecting things?)
iodine or antiseptic spray for navels
colostrum replacer/bottles (I've never had to use these so I'm not sure how soon after birth this needs to happen - milk powder can, I presume, be picked up the next day if you need it)
pens and paper for notes and records; perhaps spray marker to identify ewe/lamb families


There are all sorts of pills and potions you can add in, I gather commercial sheep have a bit less get-up-and-go so might need some more mollycoddling 

[SteveHants]

Depens on your system. My kit that I carry with me is as follows: crook, iodine, tags, notebook, alamycin LA or penstrep,  calciject, needles 16 & 18 ga, small & large syringe, thermovite, marker sprays (2 coulors, ram and ewe). I usually tag lambs in the back of the landrover, once a day after they have had colostrum but before I can no longer catch them. When the landy is making too much mess I go on foot with a slimmed down kit in a game bag.

[Bionic]

It seems there are some things that everyone considers to be essentials and others down to preference.
I will buy the things that have cropped up time and time again but will speak to a local farmer about watching him with some of his lambs and see where I go from there.
thanks everyone
Sally

[Foobar]

The advantage with going to help a local farmer is that they will probably pull a lot of lambs, even some that you might think don't need pulling, and they will have a lot in a short space of time, so you should have an opportunity to get your hands wet so to speak.  Best time to go is early mornings 5-6am onwards.


(Yes, I know, not all farmers are like this so don't anyone start shouting at me ok! )