[sokel]

We have 8 lambs here that at the moment, they are shut in at night and out into either the garden or paddock during the day. They range between 3 and 5 weeks old
What would be the best age to put them out with 3 adult sheep and 1 week old lamb and a sheep friendly horse ? the ewe with the lamb is a stroppy swaledale and belive me she is seriously stroppy !
Once they go out they will have access to 14 acres without any way to confine them into a small area

[SallyintNorth]

As a general rule I'd say 6 weeks but it depends on the lambs.  You'll still be feeding the youngest milk anyway won't you?

[sokel]

Thanks Sally
Yes they are still all getting milk at the moment, last year we where a bit mad anf they where still getting milk morning and night at 12 weeks  so they stayed at the house untill after that.
This yeat as soon as the bottles are finished at 6-7 weeks we want to put them up with the other sheep but just a bit concerned how they will cope with that much free range with a sproppy ewe and of course by then hopefully we will have some decent grass and the calfs can go out 

[SallyintNorth]

Well, they'll be easy enough to catch, as they're used to coming to you for food?  So if you put them out and they can't cope with the stroppy ewe, you can get them back again easily enough!

Ideally they wouldn't have 14 acres of lush grass, no.  I'd certainly give them a good (chelated) mineral drench before turfing them out onto that.  You'll still be giving them cake, though?

[twizzel]

Ours were 6 weeks into a small paddock in garden, 8 weeks out into a 8 acre field, although they don't have any ewes for company, just my 12 orphans. All easy enough to catch, come to call and a bucket. We even managed to catch one yesterday in the middle of the field with no food, after a bit of a run around

[sokel]

Well, they'll be easy enough to catch, as they're used to coming to you for food?  So if you put them out and they can't cope with the stroppy ewe, you can get them back again easily enough!

Ideally they wouldn't have 14 acres of lush grass, no.  I'd certainly give them a good (chelated) mineral drench before turfing them out onto that.  You'll still be giving them cake, though?

Ohh yes they will still be getting fed and TBH the grass is hardly growing up here, its changed from brown to green but thats about it
We know when there is enough grass because the horse stops coming for hay and buckets and he is still at the hay most of the day
Even when it grows you wouldnt call it lush grass either as half of it is reclaimed fell

As for catching them you just shout and they come running and you can pick them up  We do tend to forget they are sheep and treat them more like household pets