[in the hills]

How vulnerable are young lambs in the rain?

It is really heavy and persistent here today. Moved the ewes and lambs onto clean, lush grass as they arrived. They have a small arc type shelter and good hedges in these fields but the main field shelter is in the field where they lambed. Do I leave them where they are or open the gate so they can use all fields and have access to another shelter? They were in the lambing field for longer than I would normally leave them on there, so grass short and some poo still around. Not sure what is best for them?

Any thoughts?

[plumseverywhere]

Just what I was sitting here worrying about In the Hills - I turned our 3 cades out a few days ago. they have shelter in the orchard but are only 8 weeks old - looking forward to hearing what others say 

[in the hills]

My youngest are only a week and a half old and Soay twins, so still tiny!!!!   

[plumseverywhere]

Oh they really are little    Am looking across the road at some really tiny Texel crosses (are texel crosses ever tiny compared to Soay ?!     )  do you think they'd use a temporary shelter perhaps? something thrown together - how many are there?

[Rosemary]

We've got the livestock trailer in the field with the back down and some straw in. The lambs go in there and the ewes stay outside - it's quite cute. At least the tup lambs will be used to the trailer too, when the time comes 

[in the hills]

Seven ewes and nine lambs. They do have an arc and hedges where they are at the moment but worried that they wont all want to squeeze in together ..... latest mum still quite aloof and staying on her own. They dont seem to use any new shelters for quite a while ... only like the familiar I guess. Might go and open the gate to give them access to the bigger shelter ... was just worried about worms, etc. if on dirty pasture. Usually Im quite keen on rotating pasture. Think I will risk the worms .... pouring down and cold.

Much smaller than any commercials/crosses around here.

Just seen your post Rosemary. Our trailers in the field they lambed in (used as extra accomodation during lambing) so they will have that and the field shelter and the arc if I open the gate.

Thank you. Im off to open the gate.

[tizaala]

All our animals are still inside due to waterlogged ground,  can't put the horses out as they will just churn the grazing to mud , the goats don't do rain.... far too nasty . the chickens look like well used dishcloths, the sheep are still in the barn as Gabi doesn't think there is room in the sitting room for them all. Dogs and cats refuse to go over the doorstep. It's a Horrid ,Horrid day ,driving rain with some hail thrown in for good measure , we are already knee deep in mud and before the day is out the stream will be flooding the track. Deep joy.

[in the hills]

Gate open.

I know all about April showers but feels like November. Plenty of space now for anti-social Annie and teeny twins to shelter in isolation if they so wish. All standing in pouring rain at moment to eat the hedges - their favourite thing when moving fields. You cant win.

Yeah, no chickens in sight apart from the crazy ex batts who dont seem to get why all the pure breeds make for cover.

[zwartbles]

Plenty of rain here in dryest Norfolk as well !! We put our lambs out with their mothers at about 1 week old and do a visual check every now and then. They have a field shelter to use and seem to use their one brain cell (between them ) and keep out of the worst of it. It's interesting that even the youngest lambs understand wind direction and shelter accordingly, even if it's only behind a hedge, or their mothers. We are building a large boat tomorrow --- Two sheep, two dogs, two cats ..........................................

[dixie]

My older ones, 2 weeks old are out in it, just hedges for shelter, but they all seem ok, I have 4 ewes with lambs inside aged from a few hours to 3 days, will try and get them out at the weekend, it's really tough this year, cold as well as wet. Remember lots off farmers lamb outside in all weather, sheep are quite tough.

[wellies]

I let mine in this morning as it was really windy, flooding and driving rain. They probably would have been fine but they raced down to the stables and straight in. Ted Tup plonked himself in an empty stable and refused to come out so I've left him in too  . The pigs have taken to their arc but the horses are out and munching hay to keep them happy. The new puppy could start on his walks yesterday and he is absolutely mortified by the weather, just looks at me as if to say are you serious    . Ahh the lovely British weather 

[smudger]

Aye. Wouldn't you now it was spring and half the country is in drought?

I found my GfD's in the shelter this morning, so it must have been bad last night.  I find its usually me who wants      a shelter provided - so at least I cam sleep easy at night. Whether they use it is up to them.  Using the trailer sounds a good  idea if no shelter available.

[SteveHants]

I still have 1/4 or so of my flock to lamb - this morning I opened up all the fields so they can get under a hedge whichever direction the rain is coming. Luckily my ground is on a slope so there are always dry, sheltered spots. Its why I choose places like this to lamb outside, plenty of bays and so on to lamb/shelter in. I dont envy the ones born today/last night, but they all seem to be alive and well, if not a bit bedraggled....hope it continues and the rain stops for a bit.

[MrsJ]

We're lucky, they have plenty of trees to shelter under, lots of corners in the field and they can get into the barn.  Usually, it's just the lambs that go in there but with the weather this bad, I expect to find the ewes in there as well later on.

[fifixx]

I've just brought the 4 yearling goats back in as one field from the river which has already burst its banks.  I'm sure they would have been fine, but at least I'll get a good night's sleep!