A couple of questions from a soon to be sheep owner

goats&sheep19

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Here they are!
I have named them, going from left to right; Margaret, (she seems to be the leader) Marigold, Maisie, and the last one is the wether, who I am not really naming.
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This is Margaret
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Maisie on the left, and Marigold on the right.
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What do you think?
Also, as you can see, they are in need of shearing, the seller said she couldn't find a shearer a bit earlier in the year when she would normally get them done.
So now we are in late summer, when I want to shear in spring in the future. What is the best thing to do, do you think? Shear them now, or if I just give them a good crutching could I wait till next spring?
 

Mini Horses

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Love the brown coloring. I don't raise sheep but, I'd want to shear now. They look to need it. If coats would grow enough to keep them warm through winter is my concern -- not knowing either how cold your winters, or how fast they regrow the fleece. 🤷

It looks heavy. A lot to carry around. 😁
 

goats&sheep19

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Love the brown coloring. I don't raise sheep but, I'd want to shear now. They look to need it. If coats would grow enough to keep them warm through winter is my concern -- not knowing either how cold your winters, or how fast they regrow the fleece. 🤷

It looks heavy. A lot to carry around. 😁
Thanks!
Thats what I'm thinking, but I might wait till the sheep experts come on before deciding.
Our winters aren't that cold, the coldest night time temps are around -12C, with day time temps above freezing almost all the time.
And it only gets that cold if its a calm night, the coldest with wind is probably around -3 or warmer.
We get snow once or twice a year.
 

purplequeenvt

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Shear now. The next shearing might be less than ideal staple length, but it’s better than an overgrown, potentially useless fleece.

I just finished shearing my whole flock. As long as they have food in their bellies and a place to get out of the wind and rain, they will be just fine.
 

goats&sheep19

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Shear now. The next shearing might be less than ideal staple length, but it’s better than an overgrown, potentially useless fleece.

I just finished shearing my whole flock. As long as they have food in their bellies and a place to get out of the wind and rain, they will be just fine.
Ok, that sounds good!
I'll let them settle in for a few more days, and then shear them.....or try to. (I'm actually really looking forward to it, I love to learn something new)
How do they look to you overall?
 

SageHill

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They look great. Congrats on your first sheep!!! Shearing - it's your summer now - exactly what @purplequeenvt said - shear now. They've got a lot of wool now and it keeps growing - too much and you could have issues (I ~think~).
As for the wether - if his wool is good, and you are wanting wool keep him. At least until you have enough sheep in your flock to keep you in the wool ;) .
 

goats&sheep19

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They look great. Congrats on your first sheep!!! Shearing - it's your summer now - exactly what @purplequeenvt said - shear now. They've got a lot of wool now and it keeps growing - too much and you could have issues (I ~think~).
As for the wether - if his wool is good, and you are wanting wool keep him. At least until you have enough sheep in your flock to keep you in the wool ;) .
I'm hoping to shear them (or at least make a start) today!
We've just got to get our shearing blades sharpened, and then I can start.
I do agree about them have a lot of wool, the more I look at them, the more wool I see!
With the wether, his wool doesn't look nearly as good as the pure Merino ewes, and I think they have more than enough wool for what I want in the moment, but I'll see how it goes.

We are now thinking of getting in to sheep farming a bit more seriously, as we had some money left to us that has enabled us to buy some more land.
Thinking of around 30 white Merino ewes, and a ram.
We are going to talk to our neighbors that run sheep about it, but do you have any advice? Partially how to tell a good ram from the bad?
Just in the planning and thinking about it stage in the moment, as I don't want to make the wrong decision.
 
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