Hey all
I'm wondering how good/bad an idea it would be to put my lambs out in the 3 acre Perry pear orcahrd, it's held my Ewes since September so I know it too be stock proof although it's all hedges, only one fence has netting along it and I can't see them from the yard so I'm cautious about putting the little people out there! There is also a presence of black birds and an active fox den making it more treacherous for them. There's a fair amount of blackthorn, a really shallow reedy pond and generally a few holes in the hedges that will need plugging (they have 2 lines of barbed wire the Gypsies put there 20 years ago).
Second option; Between the farm and the Orchard is a 3 acre paddock with an open pond, two hedged sides and a post and rail fence. Obviously I'd have to do something to the post and rail (three rails, would probably hold the ewes but not the escape artists) but would the pond pose an issue to the lambs? it's vertical sided and about 2/3 meters deep but the water is almost at ground level. Shame there's a bloody bridle way through the paddock and the ramblers are appalling at closing the gates.
So, where would you put them? The Ewe's are currently in the Orchard as they are yet to lamb and there's nothing better than Dr. Green! They're coming in in the evenings and going out again in the mornings but as soon as there's action they'll be staying in
Cheers, Arch