[Connor]

I am getting some ewes that are in lamb and scanned and was just wondering if the things i have will be ok for them.

1. I have a polytunnel that i have converted into a lambing house for them i have pallets around the sides to keep them warmer will this be fine for them?
2. Atm my grass is longish but i have a goat aswell and she stamps alot of grass down when i put the sheep on it will they eat it down?

A few questions aswell

1. How fertile is sheep manure?
2. How much grass would 2 ewes eat and will i need to feed them meal through the winter?
3. Do goats and sheep get on well?
4. I have also heard that a goat will take on a lamb that has been rejected by its mother is this true if so how do you do it?

Hope you all can answer my questions!!

[Hillview Farm]

I take it if they have been scanned your lambing early?  What breed did you go for? Have they lambed before?

1) Yes a polytunnel is a good idea, I know quite a few people who use them.
2) yes to a degree they will eat it down but I find breed largely affects how far they go down, My ewes will get out on long grass to find short new growth.

1) I would think its good!
2) 2 ewes would only need about 1/2 acre but it does depend on your grass types etc. And if they are out on grass all winter then they shouldn't need feeding unless there is snow on the ground (its just nicer to give them some food) I wouldn't feed them meal though, I'd feed ewe nuts at 18% protein.
3) Cant tell you as I don't have goats but it'd think you'd would be ok if you introduce them correctly.
4) The chances of one of your 2 ewes rejecting is very very low. If they have lambed before and not rejected then i'd think you would be fine. Best thing you can do is just leave them alone when they are first born as if you get involved sometimes the ewe will turn on it. I had this problem with my first lambing, it was a shearling and I moved them too quickly into a pen and she knocked the living daylights out of him. She took it in the end but after 24hours.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Re Q1 sheep manure is not too rich, it's ideal really, between horse and cow manure in richness, but in handy pellets ready spread. Perfect for growing grass :-) only places it can be less ideal is the favourite patches where they lie down all the time and do loads and loads, that might need a bit of attention.

[Bramblecot]

Re Q3.  My vet recently told me it was not a good idea to have sheep and goats together because of the worm problems .  Might be worth checking on.  Good luck

[moony]

We kept 2 pygmys with our sheep. They tolerated each other but never mixed or bonded. The goats just went off with the horses. Never had a worm problem but then they were over a large area, circa 17acres. However the goats did used to enjoy head butting them, particularly the tup lambs, at feed time and learnt to twist their heads so the sheep hit their horns first. With the older tup their horns had no effect so they would chew his ears and legs while he was hogging the bucket. In the end that made his ears rather messy. I would anticipate that if he was a younger tup he may have taken an issue with the goats and it would have been a bit of carnage.

[jacoblambuk]

Hi the only thing i would be careful about with the polytunnel is the sheep getting to warm you want a good airflow also if the tunnel is clear poly if its sunny they can get to hot.

[Connor]

Thanks for all the help!

My ewes are texel cross and have been scanned to lamb in February also what will i need during lambing time

[Hillview Farm]

Are you sure they are lambing feb?

we scan here at 80-90 days of gestation (3 months). So if your ewes were tupped in sept then i'd doubt the scanner would be able to tell at only 30 days :S

[Connor]

Checked that they were put to the tip at the end of October so wen would they be lambing?

[ZaktheLad]

Do you mean end September - if so, would be around 20th Feb (if a tupped date circa 28th Sept say).  I agree about the scanning though - I don't think would have been carried out so early on in pregnancy to give an adequate result.   It's a shame the vendor wasn't able to give you an exact tupping date as this would have made life much easier for you.

[Anke]

Checked that they were put to the tip at the end of October so wen would they be lambing?

How could they have been sold "as confirmed in lamb" then? Have they got coloured bums? Only one colour?
I would worm the sheep before they come onto your grass ( and thenkeep them inside for a few days) and use Zolvix or Startect, to make sure you don't import any worms onto your pasture. Goats suffer from the same kind of worms as sheep but won't build up a level of tolerance like adult sheep do (they are browsers rather than grazers).
If you want to milk your nanny next spring I wouldn't let her suckle any lambs directly, however you can of course bottle feed lambs that ´have been rejected by their dam or any triplets.
Do you have your goat on her own at the moment ? - VERY BAD IDEA! Please get her a companion ASAP.

[Connor]

Goat is sorta on her own atm I have chicken aswell and I am getting sheep for her and for me if ya know what I mean?

[Hillview Farm]

How well do you know the seller?

I personally would be careful that they aren't selling you something dodgy! It sounds very odd that they are 'in lamb' ewes that went to the ram a month ago. A scanner can scan from 35 days to confirm a 'yes or no' but not how many etc.

Be very careful!