506 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK IT. 



generally placed in or adjoining a field in which roots are growing, and 

 it is usual to have a stack of straw either standing somewhere along 

 the north side as shelter, or else in the pen itself so that there may be 

 little trouble in littering the pen. At first the pen is very simple, as 

 A and B, A for the forward ewes, B for those not so forward. A con- 

 tains a number of coops or small pens, a hurdle square, into which the 

 ewes are drafted as they lamb ; these are placed on the north and east 

 sides, and sometimes all round. A " fall-back " is provided for each 

 lot for exercise and feeding. When the lambs come quickly, two more 

 pens are added, C for ewes with ram lambs, and D for ewes with ewe 

 lambs. These are also provided with shelter coops round the north 

 and east sides for the twin-lambs, and with sheltering hurdles laid up 

 all round. As the lambs grow, the bigger ones from C are drafted 

 into a fresh pen E, and from D to F. 



The young " double couples " or twins are put into a separate pen G, 

 and the older ones into H. These sub-sections are multiplied as the 

 lambs increase in numbers, so that they and their mothers may be fed 

 specially. As the lambs get stronger they are allowed a run out on 

 some green food, and often they are taken right away from the lambing 

 pen, and provided with a pen to themselves. It is not uncommon to 

 keep a cow in a temporary shelter near the lambing pen to provide 

 milk for those lambs which do not get sufficient from their mothers. 



The means of providing shelter round the pens is very simple. First 

 the pens are formed with a double set of hurdles about 8 inches apart, 

 the space being filled with straw. Farther inward stout fir stakes are 

 driven, on the tops of which battens about 4 inches by 3 inches are nailed, 

 and on these stuffed hurdles are laid showing a section as in fig. 131. 



The care of the ewes and lambs is of course the shepherd's chief 

 duty while they are in the lambing yard. It is a mistake except in the 

 case of very small flocks to expect him to attend to other portions of 

 the flock. The shepherd must be in attendance night and day, as it is 

 impossible to tell exactly when assistance may be needed by the ewes ; 

 he cannot give that attention to the lambs which they require if he is 

 obliged to be elsewhere. During the day the shepherd has to look 

 to the feeding of the sheep, the littering of the pen, the condition of the 

 ewes' udders, and the general health of the lambs ; and he should get 

 his work in a forward condition, so that by night he may have nothing 

 to do beyond attending to the ewes about to lamb, and to the weakly 

 lambs which require suckling. The ewes will most probably be out on 

 roots or pasture, and will not require much food to be cut, as it is better 

 that they should take gentle exercise, and this they can get while forag- 

 ing for themselves. They will, however, require coarse dry food, such 

 as hay or hay-chaff, which should be given night and morning ; and, if 

 cake is allowed, it must also be prepared. The shepherd rarely has 

 time to see to outside work, so this should be handed over to a 

 labourer. 



When the ewe is about to lamb she becomes uneasy, and draws away 

 from the rest of the flock ; her tail seems to stand out higher than usual, 

 which is caused by the falling apart of the pelvic bones to make way for 

 the lamb. Shortly before lambing the water-bladder appears, and 



