[macgro7]

Hi
Yesterday we went for the rare breed auction in Melton Mowbray and saw shetland sheep.
I knew how small they are in theory but have never actually seen them in real life especially in comparison to other breeds.
So far we've been only keeping poultry - chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese.
Never had any problems, neighbours complaining about the noise etc. Quite the opposite actually.  My neighbours love the cockerel crowing lol
I have kept 10 geese and still had to mow the grass which means I have more than enough space for two little shetland ewes and their lambs (untill weaning I suppose).
My question is what other problems would I expect from keeping sheep in the city?
I do have a cph number etc

[Fleecewife]

What acreage do you have ?

[Anke]

My suggestion would be - no sheep in the city. Goats are easier to keep in a non-grazing (or only little grating) situation, and also give you milk plus meat.... sheep really do need space...

Also keeping grazing animals with geese/waterfowl/poultry (as in shared grazing) has been known to lead to problems with campylobacter.

[Rosemary]

If you only want them for interest, what about Ouessant sheep? Even smaller than Shetlands 

[kanisha]

Probably better to try rabbits.

[macgro7]

Oh I do have plenty of rabbits!
We have about 3/4 of an acre so they would have grazing. It could be divided into three paddocks.
I'm planning to get rid of the geese which means there will be a lot more grass available

[Fleecewife]

I don't think of Shetlands as particularly tiny.  They seem to eat as much as a larger sheep anyway.

If the sheep would be as lawn mowers, why not get wethers?  If you have breeding ewes, then you have the problem of keeping or borrowing a tup (from where, in a city) and of disposing of the lambs - which when you just have a couple is difficult to do.  If they would be going for meat, where is your nearest slaughter house? 

For overwintering your sheep, they will need hay, and they may need some in summer too on such a small area, so will need a supplier and storage.   

You will need access to a large animal vet, which can be difficult in a city.  Many large animal vets will share medicines amongst a number of small breeders, but in a city you'll be on your own - many products come only in large sizes, for average commercial flocks. 

You will need to learn to shear, or with Shetlands, to roo - not difficult and quite enjoyable, but if you don't do that you're unlikely to find a shearer in town. 

On the plus side, you would have enough fleece each year to support a reasonable amount of spinning    and Shetland wool is delicious to spin, mostly

Another plus is that livestock diseases would be uncommon in a city, unless you live beside a zoo.

Just a few points I can think of, but hopefully others will have more.  Maybe a bit more info on your precise wants and position would help us to think of the practicalities.  For example, when you say 'a city', how big is that city and are you in the centre or on the outskirts?

[macgro7]

I'm in Leicester. 16 miles away from the melton mowbray livestock market, where we can find a slaughter house certified for sheep and goats.
Not far from anything to be honest.
Having studied in a agricultural college (brooksby melton), I do have experience of working with sheep (shearing, crutching, drenching etc).

[Fleecewife]

OK.  So what do you need to know?

[macgro7]

At the moment I am curious about laws regarding sheep or other livestock (or poultry) in the city.
I have seen someone keeping pygmy goats in Cardiff but not sure if there are any restrictions set by the councils perhaps?
I wanted to get goats before but my wife is not very fond of them (smell mainly - much more so than sheep).

[pharnorth]

Have a search on your local council web site.  They may even have a useful council officer.  But to the best of my knowledge (second hand my Dad worked in this field) there are no blanket restrictions not least of all because urban or city can mean a multitude of things. You are open to neighbours complaining about noise or smell nuisances, but sheep should be less of an issue than some of the poultry.  If this is your land and there are no bye laws or covenants then should be ok......

[macgro7]

Ok.
The only restriction we have is not to restrict waterfowl in the brook which flows through the middle of our property. We border an allotment site and also a small woodland to which we have the only access although it belong to the housing association which also owns several houses next door. But because the only access to this land is through a little bridge on OUR land we are the only people who can actually use it. This is also stated in our property deeds. People on next street have a very loud cockerel and our neighbours love it!
We had a stag turkey which was making a lot of noise and I had no complaints at all (he was annoying me though lol).
A pair of sheep won't be causing as many problems as my bunch of poultry.
Grazing and some hay for them would cost cheaper than buying feed for 50 birds...
I only want to keep quartet of chickens and trio of muscovies on top of the sheep.

[Cuddles]

would fattening up a couple of lambs over the summer/autumn be an option?  by the time the grass stops growing the lambs would be ready for freezer?  This should minimise the need to buy drenches/vaccines etc which can make keeping a small flock a bit more expensive.

[Anke]

I wanted to get goats before but my wife is not very fond of them (smell mainly - much more so than sheep).

Female goats do not smell! Neither does home-produced goatsmilk taste "goaty"....

Wet sheep do smell though....

[macgro7]

Getting couple of lambs to fatten was another option I might considering.
Or a couple of small breed of goats - golden guernsey or Baggott.  I really don't like pigmy goats, no offence to their fans lol