No electric in lambing shed

[countrylad]

Well as the tups go in I’m already thinking about lambing time. Lambing inside this year, no electric. My question is for folks in the same situation, what tricks do you have. Some thoughts were a gas fridge, a wee gas camping hob for my kettle, and a paraffin heater for my hypo lambs. Would a paraffin heater warm up hypo lambs quickly enough? Would it be safe enough, lambs wouldn’t have access and the heater would have ventilation. Any other tips?

 

[yellowbelly]

Get a little generator.....

........we used to lamb at night with paraffin tilly lamps but fire and straw is too risky now there's an alternative. It's not worth the risk for £100.

 

[Yale]

Saw a gas powered caravan water heater used in a shed for hot water,quite neat,heated on demand quicky.Just has to have a pilot flame which could potentially be hazardous near hay and straw.

 

[Renaultman]

Well as the tups go in I’m already thinking about lambing time. Lambing inside this year, no electric. My question is for folks in the same situation, what tricks do you have. Some thoughts were a gas fridge, a wee gas camping hob for my kettle, and a paraffin heater for my hypo lambs. Would a paraffin heater warm up hypo lambs quickly enough? Would it be safe enough, lambs wouldn’t have access and the heater would have ventilation. Any other tips?

I have a 6KVa generator, Kubota engine, runs on fumes. I paid £1100 for it, 2nd hand obviously. Some of the best money I have ever spent.

 

[Woolless]

Headtorch?

 

[ajcc]

Been there, done that....Tilly lamp and in by fireside or in pickup cab with engine running for cold lambs. Headtorch game changer.

 

[Deutzdx3]

Get a little diesel genny, you can throw a decent amount of strip lights up then, have a little job and electric kettle no problem and a lot cheaper to run than a petrol one. Second hand they are reasonable and have a value to sell again.

Other option would be cobble together a solar setup over winter. Deep cycle batteries, little inverter etc. Costly if you’re in a rush mind. Not to bad picking bits up here and there.

 

[johnspeehs]

Plenty of LED lights around now that will run off a caravan battery or small Genny.

 

[Timbo]

Well as the tups go in I’m already thinking about lambing time. Lambing inside this year, no electric. My question is for folks in the same situation, what tricks do you have. Some thoughts were a gas fridge, a wee gas camping hob for my kettle, and a paraffin heater for my hypo lambs. Would a paraffin heater warm up hypo lambs quickly enough? Would it be safe enough, lambs wouldn’t have access and the heater would have ventilation. Any other tips?

Please dont - flames of any sort plus straw plus tiredness does not mix.

Put some temporary electric in. We're not in the dark ages now.

 

[puppet]

Head torch for evenings and don't go near them between 11 and 6. Cold lambs taken away somewhere else for a few hours.
Modern tractor with plenty lights parked at the end of the shed gives plenty light for checking too. Your connection depends on distance. Our last quote for transformer and pole was above £20k. Lot more now so not going to happen

 

[Timbo]

Head torch for evenings and don't go near them between 11 and 6. Cold lambs taken away somewhere else for a few hours

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Woolless]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And feed before you leave.

 

[TexelBen]

We use a 6 KVA generator, runs inside and outside lights, radio, kettle, anything you need.
It's like daylight inside, we fitted 3 200w led flood lamps per bay
Genny runs on cherry too, which is nice

 

[michael N123]

Head torch

Could fit up a basic 12v led light system and run off car/electric fence battery’s They’d probably last longer than you think between charges aslong as your just turning lights on to shepherd and not leaving them on all night

could even get a kettle or microwave for your vehicle like what truckers have

 

[JohnGalway]

Well as the tups go in I’m already thinking about lambing time. Lambing inside this year, no electric. My question is for folks in the same situation, what tricks do you have. Some thoughts were a gas fridge, a wee gas camping hob for my kettle, and a paraffin heater for my hypo lambs. Would a paraffin heater warm up hypo lambs quickly enough? Would it be safe enough, lambs wouldn’t have access and the heater would have ventilation. Any other tips?

Used to point my headtorch up towards the white inner plastic of the tunnel roof for light, I also had a second head torch for finer detail stuff. I had a small gas cartridge camping stove to heat up water in a kettle - do heed the warnings though as hay/straw + fatigue don't mix so well. For hypo lambs, an idea could be a hot water bottle or two covered in newspaper so as not to burn the lamb, all inside a cardboard box. The problem being how long would the hot water bottle/s stay warm. I have removed hypo lambs from ewes and brought them home with me, important to lock up the ewe mind.

If money isn't a problem I'd be buying a silent diesel generator.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Years ago I knew of a farm that made a huge corral from bales to lamb in the middle of a field. For electric they used a generator.

But for hot water they had a clever little idea. The field they used was always grazed off stubble turnips. The field would be going into spring barley and would have muck spread on it before ploughing. So they would put maybe 100 yards of plastic water pipe on the ground looped back and fore, then tip the muck from a cattle yard on it just a day or two before lambing. The muck would heat up and for 3-4 weeks the water would run hot from under the muck heap. They just turned a tap on fed from the nearest water trough and the cold water chased out the hot.

I remarked it must be right faff to get the muck heap off the water pipe, but was told it was very seldom a problem.

 

[AJR75]

Head torch for evenings and don't go near them between 11 and 6. Cold lambs taken away somewhere else for a few hours.

What's the theory about leaving them alone 11-6?

To the OP I don't have electric in my shed either and a generator unless a big beast would walk far too quickly. Am sure the neighbours wouldn't take too kindl to one hammering away in the small hours either.

Head torch, tractor work lamps and if need be my lamping torch do ok for me.

 

[Chasingmytail]

For light I would go for a quality rechargeable spot something from Dewalt/Bosch etc so the batteries are interchangeable with tools. I have a mains spot and its so powerful. Coupled with headtorch but a headtorch would be painful on its own.

 

[Timbo]

What's the theory about leaving them alone 11-6?

Once settled into routine , they tend not to lamb.

 

[Chasingmytail]

A cheap gas canister stove for the kettle and hot water would be great. But recommend building a strong table first. Fire extinguisher close by always advisable.