[Backinwellies]

Someone told us Llanwenogs are easy lambers and easy to handle ..... so far we have had an unexpected rump presentation birth resulting in dead lamb and poorly ewe      ......and then today we decided we had better try dagging them before flies suddenly realise sun    has come out.  Well first ewe flew over my shoulder  and then one of the ewe lambs decided Ian wasn't going to catch her and managed to squash him against a post .... so much so he was totally winded and probably has a bruised rib (he was definitely quiet over dinner) ..... not sure he thinks much of sheep now  (has decided that pigs would be less hassle so anyone got any OS&B before he changes his mind    !!!)

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Before you give up on sheep there are much easier breeds. I would say Ryelands of course as I keep them but I keep them because they are so easy. My OH thinks they are like little dogs and sits on the floor stroking them.
If you want to persivere with the ones that you have you may just need to get them used to comming up to you and being handled in exchange for a treat ot two. You could build a folding pen or a race to confine them in and get them used to wearing a halter and being restrained. It takes a bit of time but it does make handling much less stressful for all concerned.

[Bionic]

(has decided that pigs would be less hassle so anyone got any OS&B before he changes his mind    !!!)

Linda, Ryan James [email protected] had a litter of OSB's born 6th April, ready end of May. He is near Ferryside and where I got my OSB's from last year.

[Backinwellies]

Thanks Buffy but the plan is to be semi commercial (with acreage doubling later this year)..... Llanwenogs are generally easy to handle and produce good lambing % (One Agric college is testing them against their flock of Llens  as so far they are impressive.  ... and when we get enough to do some culling guess who is top of list!! 

Thanks Sally will note that and speak to Ian.

[Fowlman]

What you need is some nice little shetlands

[SallyintNorth]

Take heart, Linda - when I moved to the moorland farm with my friend, we took on the resident hefted flock of 530 Swaledale ewes.  My friend had worked with sheep all her adult life, so was pretty experienced.  That first year we had a baptism of fire!  The ewes (and their lambs too) were all over the place, including jumping over our shoulders and once a ram lamb landed square between my eyes!  We'd try to shed them in the race and they'd jump clean over whoever was operating the lever...   I could write pages about the management and husbandry issues we struggled with.

But... by the second year, the girls had got used to us and our dogs, and were much easier to handle.  Still wild hill sheep living semi-feral, but manageable.  It was a hefted flock so they were all born and bred on that farm and had never been handled by anyone but the farmer who sold the farm to us, and never been driven by anyone but him and his dog.  It took them a while to get used to us and to begin to feel confident and safe with us and our dogs.

I'm guessing that your girls will feel much the same, compounded by any inexperience and subsequent less-than-confident-and-effective handling on your and your OH's part.  You'll all get used to each other and it will get easier.

Hang in there!

But yes, get some OSBs while the iron is hot!

[Backinwellies]

thanks SiN ..... that does make so much sense especially after yesterday when I went to the NSA show and listened to a womon on sheep handling ......  quite enlightening (am going to put another thread on here about it. )  I am soooooo lucky to have found an OH who openly admits he is not a great lover of sheep (yet?) but who will drop everything to help me to vet with ewe vesterday am.