Straw for lambing pens.

[daithi]

I normally buy some small square bales of barley straw for the lambing pens but my supplier doesn't have any this year. I have plenty of 4×4 rounds but not keen on using them as they are not chopped and ewes just make them into a rope in the pens. I am just wondering what the collective use .
As a last resort I might bale up some of my rounds into small squares.
Thanks

 

[sticky]

I use 4x4 rounds, put in the yard take off what I need and shake it into the pens and then leave the rest for the ewes to pick at and after a day or so just chuck it about the yard to keep them clean.
I ought to add add that l have plenty of straw of my own to go at and I’m not afraid to use it.

 

[TexelBen]

We just use 6 stringers that we bed the big pens up with, never had a problem

 

[Longlowdog]

I've never used chopped straw. I find the ewes that bind straw into rope usually have a wee bit of a long toe that is snipped off if I have to untangle them or are in a small pen relative to their size where they have to rotate on the spot rather than walk round. Necessity sometime means ewes get placed temporarily into hastily made pens but rope binding seldom occurs in 6x6 pens here.

 

[pat kcotnit]

We use wheat straw for lambing. No ropes getting made round sheep's feet if you were using barley straw.

 

[Boydvalley]

Ropes are normally cleansing caught on their foot and collect straw. Best straw to use is what you’ve got.