[Sudanpan]

We haven't got sheep (yet!) but as I am in sheep research mode I was wondering what would be the things to consider if getting sheep from different sources.
Eg if we got a couple of cade lambs from one flock, and later got a ewe with a lamb of her own, would there be any problem mixing them all together in the field? Would the ewe be nasty to the cade lambs? Would that not be a problem depending on theage of the cade lambs?
As I said I'm just asking - not about to do this!
Thanks for your time
 

[Blackbird]

I haven't experience of mixing small lambs with adult sheep, but I have recently introduced 2 new year old Shetland lambs to my small flock of 5. They were butted around quite a bit by my 2 Grey Face Dartmoor wethers at first. However, my existing Shetland ewe teamed up with them straight away and my other wether, a Hebridean, took them under his wing (so to speak!) and protected them from the Dartmoors. This made me recall the old adage "birds of a feather flock together" which goes on to say "as do sheep of a wool". They now hang out together as a group.

If you are thinking of getting sheep, I was advised that you need a minimum of 5 for them to display proper flocking behaviour, and I did keep the newbies separate from the others for a couple of weeks in quarantine till I was confident they were sound and healthy. Good luck if you decide to go ahead. There's lots of knowledgeable people on here who have been really helpful to me as a novice.

[Marches Farmer]

A lot would depend on how old the lambs were, both generally and in relation to each other.  If the cade lambs tried to suckle from the ewe she'd certainly butt them away, but if all the lambs were eating a fair proportion of grass it probably wouldn't be a problem.  As has been said, the possibility of introducing disease would be a more pressing concern.