Our sheep are our family. They are a friendly flock and even the ewe raised sheep want us near when it’s time to give birth.

 

Our ewe Mint went into labour on Father’s Day 2018. The weather was horrible and she chose to stay in the implement shed pen during labour. It was just as well, because when she finally delivered it had turned into a raging storm outside. We then set up a lawn pen with access to the shed so the sheep could come and go as they please.

 

In 2019 we set up two pens in the open front implement shed so that we could have two ewes in there at once. A Wi-Fi lamb-cam was set up so we could check it anytime from our phones. It was after lambing in 2019 my husband decided he wanted a purpose-built lambing shed. I couldn’t believe my ears!

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In February 2020 we began work on the Abyrose Wiltshites Baa-ternity suite. The most affordable option was to install a second-hand 6x6 double garage, all council approved and done to specification. It has a concrete floor and in May/June was insulated, lined and wired up with lighting and power. We put in a west facing slide opening window. We then sealed the concrete with a concrete non slip sealer. The suite has water, a tub, TV, bench and an electric jug. When lambing is close, we will add a lazy boy chair and hammock. All the comforts of home! My husband worked hard to get four pens completed early July.

 

The sheep will have the option of lambing in the lawn pen or the baa-ternity suite. If the weather is fine, they will have free access to these areas during the day.

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When birth is very close, they will stay in the shed overnight so they can be supervised in person and/or watched via the lamb-cam. They will have fresh water, ab-lib hay and a ration of fiber gain in addition to their NRM nuts. In the pens we will have rubber matting and straw. Any wet or dirty straw will be removed each day. I have purchased Statlosan F which is a powerful drying agent, its multi-action disinfecting power provides long-acting protection, killing harmful pathogens for up to a full week. Statlosan F stabilises the microflora and chemical balance in animal bedding to create a natural and healthy animal environment, and is non-toxic.

 

As we have been in the past, we are planning on being with the ewes for the births. While it’s expected they will lamb by themselves with no problems, we will be there to lend a hand if necessary or just watch, and take videos and photos of gorgeous new-borns. After the ewes have bonded and licked off their lambs, we put on gloves, weigh the lambs, record gender, time of birth, birth presentation and apply iodine to their umbilical cords.

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If it is a day time birth and the ewe decides to lamb indoors, we will encourage her to take her lambs outside so she can eat grass while we clean up the pen. The new mum with her lambs will stay in the baa-ternity suite pen at night for the first 1-2 nights or longer if necessary. When we are comfortable the new family are bonded, strong and doing well, they will move into the lamb paddock which has been closed off since the 1st June so it will have clean, lush grass and animal shelters.

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No doubt a lot of people will think we are crazy and question why we do all this. Here are some of the facts. Indoor lambing is common place in the UK, Ireland, Canada and other countries. Many farms choose to lamb in barns, sheds or purpose-built buildings, then move the ewe and lambs to pasture at around 48 hrs after birth. Spring weather is variable – often wet, muddy and windy. It is devastating that hundreds even thousands of lambs die in NZ every year during lambing, simply because they are born outside in terrible weather and exposed to the elements. It can be a huge financial loss to farmers.

 

We have a small flock, which we love dearly, and we want our lambs to get the very best start in life. This is one way we can ensure that.