[Dianabooth]

   Hello to Everyone!  I'm new to this forum and am in need of some advice.
We have 13 'First time Mum' Ewes and we are also '1st timers' with regard to lambing!!  The ewes are a mix of 9 Suffolks and 4 pure Black Welsh Mountain ewes.  Because all these ewes are first time Mum's my gut tells me that we should lamb indoors in a calving shed that we have but my vet & neighbour who are old timers at this lambing business say I should lamb outdoors.  I think I would agree if it were not for a couple of things.... the grass is non-existent because of this years rain so I'm having to supplement their diet with good quality hay on top of the usual 18% feed, the ewes are new Mum's and we have never lambed before.  The first lambs are due on or around 14th April. Would be so grateful for any advice or thoughts.  Thank You!

[sabrina]

I am in the North of Scotland and all lambing which starts from February onwards are lambed inside. May depend on your weather. If warm then I would think outside would be better for the sheep.

[Backinwellies]

Keep them out until a few days before lambing ... then check weather forecast before making decision.  Don't know where you are but grass growing here at 700 feet.  Guess decision needs also to be based on how much land you have to graze post lambing.  Would the lambing 'field' be small or large?

[ZaktheLad]

Also depends on how easy they are to handle.  If you are new to sheep and the ewes are lambing first time, you do need to be able to get hold of them if there seems to be an issue with them lambing on their own at any point.  You certainly don't want to be chasing the ewes around the field.   First timers can be a bit trickier to lamb than older ewes and some can be scared of this thing that has just appeared out of them and need a day or so in a lambing pen to bond with their offspring!   Therefore as a first lambing season for you and your girls, I suggest indoors and then out after a couple of days when all seems ok.   Next year when you are in your second year of the lambing experience (and the stress and thrills/excitement) this brings then perhaps switch to lambing outdoors for next year?

Good luck with your lambing - hope it all goes well for you.

[SallyintNorth]

Sometimes an inexperienced shepherd does more harm than good - by being over-zealous and of course concerned that things 'aren't right'.  Not so much of a problem with an experienced ewe, but I suspect your neighbour and vet are thinking that, unless the weather's atrocious, the new mums will probably do a better job just left to get on with it and do what comes naturally.  Particularly the hill sheep - have a read of this post I wrote the other day - it begins

Years when we lambed our Swaledales first-timers outside we had hardly any mothering issues.  Years we lambed them indoors we had way more.  ...

[ZaktheLad]

Just don't do a Kate Humble and start pulling out lambs that are well on their own way to a natural birth!  You will soon learn when things don't look quite right when compared to a natural birth.  You read so much about lambs being wrongly presented etc but in fact, the vast majority do lamb unaided and have healthy lambs.  Enjoy the experience - it truly is the most magical time of the year and once bitten by the lambing bug, you will be looking forward to the next almost as soon as this one has finished.

[Dianabooth]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and experience.  I think, as suggested,  I will wait to see what the weather is doing before making a decision on whether to  lamb inside or outside. We have 4 acres that the ewes graze on, It's split into 4 post and rail paddocks.  I was planning on sheep fencing off with electric wire the two paddocks nearest the house next weekend so we can keep a closer eye on the ewes if I decide to lamb outside. I also thought it would give the other two paddocks time to recover & for the Spring grass to grow.  I too, am a great believer in leaving nature to do it's course and only step in when it appears that the ewe or the lamb are in distress.  I have foaled before although 'Mum' was an old hand (4 previous foals). I let nature take it's course and only intervened when the foal was unable to stand an hour or so after birth& had difficulty finding a place to suckle!. I know lambing is different though.  Thanks again to all for your help and anything else you may think of please let me know.

[Bramblecot]

Depends on where you are, and the weather.  If you have a calving shed, then why not prepare a few pens in advance so that you have the option

[FiB]

Hello   It's surprising - our grass doesn't look like it's growing but the sheep are not that interested in hay this week.... So they must see so something I don't....  Sounds like you have good local support what ever you decide... Having local 'phone a farmer ' friends is a great confidence booster.  We have mountain breeds (Lleyn and Beulah... And they have lambed  outside beautifully both years (touch wood).

[benandjerry]

Hello and welcome   I am a wannabeeeee and can't offer any advice other than to say when I have seen lambs being born its magical.

[Daisys Mum]

Hi and welcome from me too, I have couple of first time mums this year too, it is also my first year lambing something other than Shetlands who just did it all themselves. This year I have Zwartbles and one of my first timers is expecting triplets, I plan to lamb outside and just bring in any with problems.

[Lesley Silvester]

I don't know about lambing but wanted to say hi  .

[SallyintNorth]

I'm not sure about electric fence and newborn lambs...  I haven't used an electric fence with sheep myself, but I have read that young lambs don't feel the jolt much if at all, and even if that's not true they will inevitably end up on the wrong side of it because if a lamb can get itself into trouble then it will!  Then mum will be distressed and may try to push through herself...   Plus you have some horned sheep I think?  I know people say to not use the squared net type of electric fence with horned sheep; I'd be worried about a concerned mum getting a horn over the wire when trying to contact an escaped lambie...

[Dianabooth]

It wouldn't be sheep netting...I've had a lot of trouble with non-electrified netting with a couple of sheep getting it twisted round their necks. Both were OK but It was horrible but I haven't used it since.  I'd be using two strands of electrified wire at the lower level of the existing post and rail  fencing.  I agree that I too am unsure about whether this is acceptable for the lambs and what kind of a jolt they get.  Perhaps some old hands can advise me?
I will prepare outside pens and inside area and then make a decision nearer to the time when I can check weather etc.  Thanks so much to everyone for their kind comments even if it's just to say 'Hi'.This sounds like a very friendly forum with lots of experience to share.