Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?  (Read 5735 times)

ZaktheLad

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Thornbury, Nr Bristol
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2013, 02:52:54 pm »
I have noticed that my ewes appear to take it in turns to babysit the majority of lambs whilst the other mums go off grazing.  This is on a strict "no milk" basis though!   The babysitter changes daily.  I find watching sheep fascinating!  ::)

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2013, 03:20:13 pm »
I'd echo that, we usually have a creche thing going on whilst the other mums graze.

domsmith

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • sanquhar, dumfries and galloway
    • sunnyside farm
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2013, 08:37:40 pm »
Friday afternoon  a chance conversation and some local road works, saw 100 tons of road planings delivered! so i thought i would put a sheep tunnel up and use the planings as a base.
but in an intense family "discussion" we hammered out a plan to extend the old hay barn. going from 50*30 to 50 *60. using the planing as the base and just a simple pole barn idea, we now hope to house all the sheep!!

monday morning, all timber ordered, afternoon side of old barn down, digger on site wednesday, posts in on thursday and hopefully finished sometime next weeek.

just glad to be doing something positive, as the weather gets even worse!

dominic

Remy

  • Joined Dec 2011
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2013, 09:03:12 pm »
Mine are due from 5 March and I am dreading further wet conditions.  It seems like my fields have been waterlogged for as far back as I can remember!   :-\   They have certainly never been so wet since we've lived here, about 9 years.  The field I would normally put them in for lambing can't be used and I only have one small paddock with a small shelter and another larger paddock which is the driest, but has no shelter apart from hedges.  I will have to put up some kind of makeshift shelters in it.  If the weather looks like it's going to be dire, I am going to have to somehow convert my haybarn!
1 horse, 2 ponies, 4 dogs, 2 Kune Kunes, a variety of sheep

Victorian Farmer

  • Guest
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #19 on: February 05, 2013, 11:03:44 pm »
lets have a look at the wether for you lambing soon                                                                            *6/2/13 to 10/2 13 This cool westerly looks set to hold, with an associated unsettled period through until about the end of the 1st week of the month, when colder weather to the north slips southwards once more. *11/2/13 to 20/2/13* High pressure builds to the north or northeast, a cold and biting northeast to easterly breeze setting in across all regions. Wintry weather sets in once more during the middle period of February, potentially another spell of snowy and frosty weather establishing.                                                  Not looking too bad spring may start
Spring may start nice                                                                     

*February* The first 10 days of the month look as it'll see a mainly westerly orientated flow across all areas of the UK, this be strong at times with gales in exposed western and northwestern areas, low pressure tracking close to the UK at times. Rain will be heavy at times, but carried through quite quickly on a brisk flow, the flow may swing into the southwest occasionally and this will ensure that temperatures will hold up quite nicely for much of the time across all areas of the UK. There are indications that somewhat colder conditions will establish through the middle of the month, while remaining unsettled with low pressure having the main influence, some wintry precipitation is increasingly likely. As winds fall lighter for a time, frost and fog will become a problem. Low pressure is anticipated to be the controlling influence, wintry showers may be expected almost anywhere from time to time before dying away as a weak area of high pressure takes centre stage. Through the third week, low pressure approaches from the west with a strengthening south-easterly flow across all areas, the threat of a wintry mixture of precipitation crossing the UK as a westerly change brings Atlantic air through to showers and brighter conditions. Pressure rises at the very end of winter, an anticyclone crossing the UK, winds falling light for a time, before a southerly drift establishes over all areas, becoming less cold thereafter.           MARCH The first month of spring begins with high pressure looking likely to be in control and a fine and dry, mild start, a southerly drift covering much of the UK. This scenario is expected to continue although temperatures falling back with overnight frost with some rain affecting western Britain as low pressure approaches from the west. The Atlantic will be attempting to push into western Britain, with its associated rain, buts this eastward progress may be erratic and undetermined as high pressure to the east may remain as a block? A southerly flow may be strengthening as this battle takes place, although by mid-March the Atlantic will have taken control, rain pushing through on a westerly with strong winds and rather unsettled conditions for all areas. The latter stages of March sees, higher pressure to the east or southeast over the near Continent, low pressure mainly affecting the northwest of the UK, where it'll be unsettled, southern and eastern Britain drier at times with any rain patchy and weak, mainly mild everywhere. As the month draws to a close, high pressure takes control, conditions settle and spring may have arrived with temperatures lifting across the UK.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2013, 11:09:49 pm by Victorian Farmer »

Lostlambs

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Canada
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2013, 12:59:32 pm »
Just reading all ideas thought I would write a bit on my lambing. I am just about finished my first group of about 15 ewes. My temp is from -40 to -15 C I use heat lamps in the corner of pen in unheated barn. I try to towel dry any lambs especially twins or triplets after ewe has cleaned a bit. I made a warming box out of a plastic tub with lid attached to an old hair drier( the type with a flexible hose and plastic cap for the hair) I attached the hose to the tub and place the lambs in to warm and dry. I keep the tub in the pen with the ewe so she still can keep them close.With wee ones I will tube feed once or twice if they are weak as they need to nurse right away to fight the cold.Hypothermia is my biggest problem and have had to inject glucose mix in the belly if they have got too cold before I reach them. They stay in pens with ewe 1 day for single and 2-3 for twins and further for triplets until they fill out a bit. I don't have too many diseases because everything freezes :wave:

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: What are you going to do at lambing in this wet?
« Reply #21 on: February 06, 2013, 01:24:57 pm »
Mine are due from 5 March and I am dreading further wet conditions.  It seems like my fields have been waterlogged for as far back as I can remember!   :-\   They have certainly never been so wet since we've lived here, about 9 years.  The field I would normally put them in for lambing can't be used and I only have one small paddock with a small shelter and another larger paddock which is the driest, but has no shelter apart from hedges.  I will have to put up some kind of makeshift shelters in it.  If the weather looks like it's going to be dire, I am going to have to somehow convert my haybarn!


I've found a structure made of pallets in a noughts and crosses grid arrangement very useful, the wind doesn't get hold of it cos of the slats and it provides shelter in all directions, the ewes always choose to lamb there. Just some nails and cable ties and baler twine. Can also be moved and dismantled if needed. And cheap !!

 

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