[feldar]

Yippee first lamb is born, a little ewe lamb a bit small and she is a few days early, but skipping about with her little red lamb jacket on, so toastie warm. only 70 more ewes to go !!!
From now on it's kipping on the sofa and turning out in the small hours for our new babies. Love this time of year, used a new ram this year so can't wait to see what he produces

[Sunnybank]

would love to see some pictures,  what breed of sheep do you have??

[feldar]

We breed and show Hampshire Downs. The majority of them are due around the middle of the month but we do go onto the end of January. Then start again late March/April with the commercial flock

[Anke]

We breed and show Hampshire Downs. The majority of them are due around the middle of the month but we do go onto the end of January. Then start again late March/April with the commercial flock

oh wow - you are a glutton for punishment... I love lambing - but once a year is enough! My tup has just about finished tupping the girls....

[Hazelwood Flock]

My first ewe isn't due until 31st dec, plenty early enough for a Dartmoor! I love lambing, however hard it gets there's nothing like baby lambs to make it feel like all is right with the world! 

[SallyintNorth]

Well done feldar!   

We've still got the tups out  - and until this last few days the girls seemed to be thinking it was too early and weren't really cycling well.  We think it's been the weather - we've had a beautiful warm sunny autumn; winter has only arrived in the last week.

[khajou]

Are Hampshires not supposed to lamb until 1st December?

[bazzais]

Well done

My rams are out now but I dont think I've done too well this year.  All the gals were a bit fat as I didnt slim them for long enough looking back.

I'd say 35 got raddle marked in the first three weeks but for the next 4 weeks only another 5 or so.  About 20 odd have no marks at all - I'm just a pussy and cant handle more than 2 months lambing

I am hoping its becasue I used cheap was and it didnt mark properly.

Only the scans will reveal the answer

Baz

[SteveHants]

My ram only went in on Friday - I don't envy people lambing in the middle of winter, sheds or not, I've worked nights and it just doesn't seem right at this time of year, being up (my nightshifts were on a big fish farm, so the cosiest I got, 'lunchbreak' aside was in the cab of a landrover whos heating didn't work - and I had to drive with my window open on site to shine the lamp at the ponds). Lambing outdoors in April suits me - even if its wet, its warm wet. After last years escapades whereby I put my ram in the next field to bring the ewes into heat and he smashed the fence down, I am now trying tubbies 'super tup' in place of a teaser. Hope it works....

[Rosemary]

Congratulations, feldar!

Our tup comes out tomorrow. All the ewes are marked (only nine) and the scanner's booked for early January, so fingers crossed.

[jaykay]

Excellent  Gotta have a photo of her in her jacket 
Yes, I took my tup out at the weekend - will scan in Jan, fingers crossed they're all having gimmer twins 

[feldar]

Are Hampshires not supposed to lamb until 1st December?

Yes you are quite right our lambing year starts 1st December and she wasn't due until the 2nd if we went by the raddle mark, but that's sheep for you and as any pregnant lady knows when that baby is coming your due date goes out the window cause that baby is acoming and you aint gonna stop it!!
We've only had the one early one and i think even our lambing inspectors would forgive us for that. She is very small, hence the lamb jacket and very cute so i don't think she's going to be a show lamb anyway.