High Desert Cowboy- How far is it up north?

[High Desert Cowboy]

Truth be told the dogs are the reason we have sheep. Kya has always given herself a job if I couldn’t give her one, and I thought she might appreciate having some change of pace. As a pup I’d take her with me to feed a small herd of corriente cows we were renting for team roping and she decided to give herself the job of bringing all the cows to the feed bunk. She saved my bacon once with an escaped cow and has helped me move yearling bulls down the alley. Without the cows, she started to take it upon herself to bring the horses to their feed bin, and having been raised with those two they were pretty good natured about it for the most part. We got ducks for her to work with and she enjoyed those, but I felt sheep would be better for her, also Dixie wouldn’t work ducks(I really can’t afford cows right now.). She loves loves loves her sheep. Breeding sheep and raising lambs is just a side project to help Kya pay for her hobby haha.
I have no problem nipping at or grabbing ahold of stock when it’s really necessary, like when the ewe first tested Bella. It became a problem when she kept it up, and I worried about that ewe when on the third time Bella grabbed hold of her udder and was being dragged. Face and flanks is one thing, but the udder? Ouch! Of course Bella’s only a few months old so bite accuracy and better listening skills will come with time.
Final note Dixie has been rehomed. While I love her to death she needed a different home. She’s doing well and is well loved, and I miss her to death but it’s definitely better for her.

 

[Ridgetop]

Sometimes working dogs don't work for what you need. Better to place them where they fit in and do their job with the right owner. Everyone is happy then.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

Well we have been truly blessed it has rained every day this week and I see no need for it to stop. I am looking at some options for sheep shelters as they really don’t have much to get out of the rain besides sage brush. I’m also trying to get my one ewe to let me work with her a little, she wants nothing to do with me and without the dogs I wouldn’t have a chance. She’s starting to get in the middle of the group and making it harder. Can you rope a sheep?

 

[Bruce]

Do they have necks and legs?

 

[Mike CHS]

If you can get a rope on a wild one you can get them to stay in place to work on them (assuming you have someone to hold the head) but you won't be able to move them on lead for awhile.

 

[Baymule]

Make a cow panel hoop shelter. They are cheap and easy to build.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

I’m just not sure how delicate sheep are as opposed to cattle and horses but if they can take it I’ll give it a try. I also looked into crooks a little. I’ll have to look into a hoop sheltwr

 

[Bruce]

Sheep have been out on range for centuries. They aren't afraid of a little rain like goats are

 

[Baymule]

Here are a couple of pictures of a hoop run I built onto my coop at our old house. I put it together with hog rings.

Here is a hoop coop I built here at our new place.

To put the tin on, a friend stood on the inside with 1x4 slats and I drilled through the tin and 1x4 from the outside to hold the tin on.

Hoop shelters are quick and easy to build.

 

[Ridgetop]

Great shelter! I love hog rings for working with wire.

Since your dog will work the sheep and hold them in a corner, you just have to get close enough to drop the loop over her head. I prefer to put a halter on then but my son just uses the rope to catch and we do what needs to be done then and there. But he is big and we have been doing this for many years. It depends on how much help you have. Since your wife is pregnant and not well, I suggest that you use a rope, then wrestle a rope halter onto her and tie her to the corral fence with the halter. Keep the rope on and then you have 2 ways to confine her without choking her. She will try to strangle herself in just the rope. On the other hand, once she chokes herself senseless you can immediately have your way with her.

Seriously, using the rope and halter you can pretty much do everything yourself. Once she is tied to the rail, call the dogs in to watch her and she might let you do what needs to be done. If not, side her up to the corral and tie her body to the bars. I have done that with a couple young ewes that wouldn't let their lambs nurse. Range sheep are never going to be very tame unless they are separated as lambs, raised and handled separately so you can halter break them, etc. In a few years your kids can do that for you!