[plumseverywhere]

We've raised cades for the past 2 years. I sectioned off a part of the garden as a 'nursery paddock', it has a shed with straw on the floor and a grassed area. We shut them in at dusk as they are prey for foxes especially when small because they have no ewe to fend the fox off.  We had a hurdle across the shed door (one with tight hatchings on so they can't get their heads in and stuck!) so that meant we could leave door open etc if we were arround and for good ventilation. They have a heatlamp at night and during very cold days when still tiny.
We heptavacced because we've kept 5 out of 11.
One is a wiltshire horn X but doesn't shed so the singing shearer comes out once a year 
Get them from a good source, make sure they've had colostrum, tails banded if breed appropriate etc etc - cades can be a source of heartache and headache if not from the best start. Tags, movement forms etc etc.
Oh and remember that the milk replacer is expensive! ok for us as we have goats milk on tap so to speak, not sure if you have goats - helpful if so.
We had electric fence and the goats respect it really well as do our children (youngest has grown up with it around, never been an issue) sheep are so well insulated though that they don't feel the ping if its the strip horse type adn they just walk under it oblivious. Stock fencing far better.

[thenovice]

from my experience, sock lambs can be be a bit of a pain. Why not buy a couple of in lamb ewes, and then you can have best of both worlds? Im picking up a few wiltshire horns this week. I was very impressed with the breed, easy lambers, and very hardy. The lady im buying them from lambs outside, with no intervention, or tubing. 

[MrsJ]

We have Wilts Horns.  They are very hardy and will graze on poor pasture.  They were first time lambers last year and we had no problems with them.  They lamb outside (we bring them in for bonding).  However, they are not the cheapest to buy. 

[SteveHants]

from my experience, sock lambs can be be a bit of a pain. Why not buy a couple of in lamb ewes, and then you can have best of both worlds? Im picking up a few wiltshire horns this week. I was very impressed with the breed, easy lambers, and very hardy. The lady im buying them from lambs outside, with no intervention, or tubing. 

No tubing? I'd always tube a lamb I hoped to get back on its mother.


If I sell a cade - it will have had colostrum from its mother and I'll tube it until whoever buys it takes it off my hands so they can teach it to suck a bottle....