[suziequeue]

We have just been told by our neighbour that her nephew has three badger-faced ewes and three ewe lambs ready for us to buy if we are interested.

Really thrilled. Haven't a bloody clue though!!!

Want to put the three ewes to tup this autumn.

What I'm confused about is - do I put them to a badger-faced ram? or any breed ram?

How old do the ewe lambs need to be before they are ready to breed from?

Susanna

[Bright Raven]

I am new to sheep keeping too and also have lambs that I thought I would tup this Autumn. Since then I have been advised that if the Ewes are too small they could have horribly complicated births possibly resulting in the death of the ewe. I am now exercising caution and will not tup them untill next year. Good luck with your new flock.

[suziequeue]

Yes - since I posted up we have discussed it and have decided not to launch straight into anything on the breeding front.

Just have the ewes for a year and get to know them and learn about sheep husbandry.

The older ewes will have a year's break, the ewe lambs will be ready to start and we will have had a year's experience with them.

Just gotta make sure they all survive that long now!!!


:-))

[Anke]

I started off with store lambs in winter and had a good few months to decide if I like them and put them to the tup in the following autumn. And it is good to get used to them (and all the husbandry tasks that sound awfully complicated... like foot trimming, shearing etc) before you get a tup on them

I personally would not put ewe lambs to the tup, it is just not worth it if you only have a small flock. Better to let them grow up. Also they don't need much feed in their first winter, just hay if snow/hard frost and quite small amounts of feed (sugarbeet is good too) when snow/v cold for a few days (if there is decent grass in the field and not overstocked).

[suziequeue]

Well - we went to our neighbours' nephew's place who's got Torddu breeding flock and ended up getting nine!!!

He's going to do the business with drenching, tagging etc and we'll be picking them up on Thursday.

We have two tup lambs to fatten for next year and two older yews to put to tup this autumn - and the rest in between.

So excited!!! One of them already comes to the bucket.

 

[Sharondp]

We have badgers - everyone comments on how unusual they are - have fun with your new flock!

[suziequeue]

Is the meat good?

[Sharondp]

HAven't eaten any yet! We only got them in the Spring, and hopefully they will be tupped this year. We have some commercial lambs we need to get off to the abbatoir soon...

[suziequeue]

Well - they arrived yesterday. They've got lost in the field as the grass is so long...... then they escaped today....... so I came back from work and spent the next hour or so rounding them all up. What a laugh. The dog was SOOOOO good!! In the end the....... "adolescent faction" sauntered back in as if they'd never been further than the back garden :-)

They look like little mere cats with their racoon eyes and little flippy ears.

:-)

[andywalt]

well done its sounds really exciting I will get my flock next month, have fun, enjoy !!

[suziequeue]

Ha!!! they tried the same trick again today but the strategically placed bailer twine put a stop to their plans.

I'm still having to wade through long grass to find them. They move around in a little pack and there's a back corner in the field that I can't see from the house where they like to congregate.... typical!!!

I shall shut up about them now as I could end up writing about them every day otherwise!!!

[andywalt]

its great to hear about them suzie, when will they lamb next year?