Teach me about SHEEP

[SheepyClo]

Hi everyone! Call me Clo. I'm new to this, and need more information on sheep before I get any. I intend to use them for wool and to eat grass to cut down on mowing... WAIT! They do eat grass right?!!! RIGHT! Anyway.... tell me what you can about sheep. 1. Suitible housing 2. Food 3. How to take care of them (basics) 4. Best breed for newbies (like myself) Thanks! :bun

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G,day Clo,To receive "suggestions",you will need to tell us all a little more about your farm.................Where is it ?............How big is it ?..........Is the fencing suitable for "sheep"?..............Are there sheep farmers nearby?..............There will be many others but these should suffice for a start...........................T.O.R.

 

[SheepyClo]

Hi! My farm is in the outskirts of Kingsbay Georgia and is about 3 acres large. Fencing isn't built yet, but I promise it will be good sized and strong. I'm not sure if there are sheep farmers nearby, but it's highly likely there are.

 

[jason_mazzy]

Howdy I see you are super excited!!! And I am excited for you. I know you are moving to GA, but I think you need to take a breath or 2 and chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillllllllll
!!!!


You started off asking questions! That is great! but now lets research a lil bit.

I know you want a goat or 2.
I know you want at least 1 sheep.
I know you want chickens.
I know you want to let them interact.

Lets start here.

1. goats and sheep don't mix...or do they?

They are both herd animals and can be much fun, They each want the company of a similar sized herd animal but................................



they both have different needs.

While their physical needs are close their mineral needs are not. Goat feed will kill a sheep, and sheep feed will malnourish a goat. Goats need copper sheep need to be copper free. So you need to be sure each is etting adequate needs care. Also the goats will be much more interested in eating plants off the ground (above ground level), they are browsers. While sheep will be much happier mowing the lawn. That is a synergestic combo!!! win win win. They will also need hay. and lots of it, or a suitable pasture land.

2. Chicken feed can be dangerous to goats and sheep. It is a concentrated grain mix which can quickly lead to grain overload and cause death in goats and sheep. So you have to be sure to keep it as seperate as possible.

 

[SheepyClo]

Thanks! I do need to calm down! I'm just SOOOOO excited! GIMME A RAINBOW ROOSTER!!!! *pants heavily* Anyway.... do you suggest a certain type of food for goats and sheep? (brand) I know alfalfas good though, and to keep them away from garlic and onions, because it makes milk taste . Oh and, awkward question: do sheep make milk? Of course they make milk, they're mammals, but is it any good?
And do you recomend a sheep breed? Do you have any links with info? Sorry, i'm just trying to get my research done so i'm ready. Oh and whats a goat train? One last thing..... GIMME A FLUFFY SHEEP!

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

Hi again Clo,As Jason says ,please, stop and take a "few" breaths...........Firstly go to your local produce store and "ask" about local sheep men.............Ask about a local guy who has been raising sheep for years and who would be willing(in their view)to help someone starting out with no knowledge of 'sheep'............Then ask what are the common "wool breeds"raised in your area,(as this seems to be your preferred type) maybe they would make contact for you and see if you can call around for a 'chat' at a time "convenient " to him/them.................You may have to keep a firm hold on your enthusiasm and just" listen " to the advice you are being given............This advice could save both you and the stock from "grief" down the track...........See how you go and get back to us,regards ,T.O.R.......................

 

[patandchickens]

What I have learned about sheep in the past not-quite-year of having a few:

1) if you want to be really pretty sure they will not get unexpectedly et by dogs or coyotes, especially on a small property where you are likely to be running them near or against your propertyline, you will want to be spending a significant chunk o' change on fencing, that includes electric hotwires but also has a good stout physical-fence component.

2) even so, a lot of people recommend shutting them into an even more predatorproof night yard every night. Being smaller, you can beef up its fence further (digproof barrier, taller fence, etc)

3) If you want the wool, or even DON'T want the wool but are going to buy a normal breed rather than a hair breed, you will need to confront the whole shearing issue. Quite likely you will need to buy equipment and learn to do it yourself; do not count on being able to hire someone in for just a couple sheep, and if you DID get someone, they are likely to want to make it Worth Their While.

4) Sheep don't need much in the way of housing (somewhere to get out of the wind and, ideally, if they choose, out of the rain, especially wind-blown rain which they hate; and they do need good areas of SHADE in hot weather)

5)

do you suggest a certain type of food for goats and sheep? (brand)

Good grazing and/or hay; and if they are growing or lactating or in late pregnancy you may need/want to add some grain. None of this is a brand name issue

do sheep make milk? Of course they make milk, they're mammals, but is it any good?

I like it. It is very very sweet and rich, with only the barest hint of 'not cow -ness' to it. However note that if you wish to milk your sheep you will need to get them bred and have them lamb (as with any other mammal, they only lactate after giving birth).

Getting sheep bred can be a problem, as stud service is much rarer in the sheep world than with other livestock and AI does not work the same way as in other livestock and while it can be done it is a laparoscopic procedure and somewhat expensive. You can *try* to find a local farmer who'd let you borrow his ram or send your ewes to him, *a few* people do find that kind of arrangement; or you can buy an auction ram, run him with your ewes for a couple months, then butcher him - but note that you are likely to be acquiring exciting auction-sheep diseases this way.

And do you recomend a sheep breed?

Totally, totally depends on what you want. Think about whether you really want a wool breed or would be better off with a hair breed; if you want a wool breed, what do you want the wool FOR (there is huge diversity in which breeds' wool is good for what purposes); are you likely to want to breed the sheep and if so what do you want in the way of lambs, lambing and lamb-rearing; etc. And then rather than getting fixated on some obscure breed whose writeup takes your fancy, see what is available in your area.

There are various websites with writeups about sheep breeds and sheep management, try google.

I do really suggest reading some BOOKS about raising sheep (the Storey's and the FFA series ones are particularly good IMO) so that you can get a better idea of what it would take and what the likely pitfalls would be and whether this is really the direction you want to go. I mean, it may well be, but you would want to find out BEFORE getting sheep

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[abooth]

Hey Clo, you sound like I felt before I got my sheep last year. I have 4 sheep and they share their space with 4 of my chickens. I have a three sided barn. The sheep can go in and out whenever they want. The part they have access to is probably 18 feet by16 feet. I have a permanent woven wire fence outside the barn then I use electric fence that I move around my yard so they can eat the grass. I got my sheep to mow the lawn. I have 2 babydoll southdown wethers a cheviot ewe and a cheviot ram. I started with the ewe and bottle fed her. When she needed to move outside I got the southdowns to keep her company. Later I got the ram once I figured out how much I love the sheep. I keep grass hay in a big hay feeder all the time and right now there isn't too much grass so they eat more of the hay. I feed them grain too. 2 pounds split between the 4 of them. I doubt they really need the grain but I like for them to know what a feed bucket is. I use it to help catch them if I need to do something with them.

 

[dkosh]

Hello there! It's so exciting to be starting a new flock. First of all you can keep goats and sheep together. I've been doing it for years. The goats do stay with the rams because they can butt the others when there is food around and we don't want them hitting our pregnant ewes.
Electic fence is a wonderful investment. We have a lot of it and move them through out the orchard and it also helps keep coyotes out. They get along with chickens too.

As far as breeds go we like the dorcet and tunis for the meat. We have some hampshires and suffolks but they have a history of stomachs that turn.
Southdowns are very vocal.
We have a couple of shetland and cotswold for the wool.
I love them all though. My DH will not allow me to name them because I have a rule...Once they have a name they have to stay.

 

[boykin2010]

I live in georgia and i just fenced in about 3 acres for my hair sheep. These are sheep that shed their fur so that you dont have to shear them. They do eat grass. I put up t posts and used 5 strand 48 inch tall electrified polywire to keep them in. I also have a donkey with them. Their shelter can be small because they will only use it when it rains. Mine slants to keep rain running off of it. I reccomend hair sheep because they are VERY healthy and are actually known to be parasite resistant and they shed their fur so they are VERY low maintenence. Mine graze on grass and eat a little hay free choice. I also give them a little bit of supplemental feed. Hair sheep make very good pets and the males grow quickly and are very good for meat. Try going on the internet to find sheep. I found a breeder 10 minutes down the road i bought my sheep from. I also found 2 other breeders about 15 minutes away. Sheep breeders are out there they just arent well known. Oh and definately go with electric fence they will walk right through anything else. I have a 3 sided barn which works great and it is pretty small. Maybe 15 feet wide. This is big enough for my 6 sheep.

You will LOVE sheep. I am loving mine.