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Author Topic: Can you tether sheep  (Read 8586 times)

billy_wiz

  • Joined Dec 2014
  • Anglesey
Can you tether sheep
« on: January 15, 2017, 08:22:28 pm »
Can you tether sheep as you would goats ?
I have an area of grass. I don't want to use goats because they are just too destructive when they get loose , as they invariably do . Fencing would be inappropriate , hence the question.

If so how?

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2017, 08:35:09 pm »
 I have seen a large black 4 horned Jacob x ram tethered as a sort of guard sheep in a gateway. I think he had a collar. He was on a really long rope so had plenty of room to move about and seemed quite happy.
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Talana

  • Joined Mar 2014
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2017, 08:58:02 pm »
 Tethering is not recommended for sheep or goats.  Electric fencing is a good option and portable. Without knowing your full circumstances a strimmer may be a better idea.

nutterly_uts

  • Joined Jul 2014
  • Jersey - for now :)
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2017, 09:04:49 pm »
IMHO Sheep spend too much of their lives trying to find ways to die in safe places let alone literally giving them rope to do so :innocent:

I don't think its safe enough personally

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2017, 12:34:28 am »
Near to me there are two sheep grazing in a graveyard on tethers. They seem fine. I think it depends as much as anything on the temprement of the sheep.

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2017, 04:48:59 am »
I don't think it's a great way to keep them, but saw a big tup tea tethered, with a kennel there... Owner said he kept escaping into neighbours fields of ewes!

I tried tethering my first 2 goats when they were kids but they were highly strung there was too much risk of injury so I gave up. In Norway it was quite common.

mojocafa

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Angus
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2017, 08:04:34 am »
a strimmer doesn't need wormed, vaccinated and no foot rot...

....sounds like a plan  :thinking:
pygmy goats, gsd, border collie, scots dumpys, cochins, araucanas, shetland ducks and geese,  marrans, and pea fowl in a pear tree.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2017, 08:58:37 am »
If you keep sheep you'll need equipment and products to vaccinate, foot trim, dag and shear and ensure a constant supply of clean water.  Grass doesn't grow all year so you'll need a hayrack and somewhere dry to store hay for the Winter months.  You'll need a holding number and to register with a large animal vet.  Sheep like to meander, to settle on high ground for the night and to lie down in the shade on a hot day.  A sheep is a flock animal and should never be kept on its own.

Shropshirelass

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • South Shropshire
  • A country lass who loves it all!
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2017, 10:12:27 am »
I suppose you might be able to with a couple of hand reared sheep or ones that are used to lead ropes or being tied up like show sheep, otherwise I think it would be unfair. Personally I wouldn't just tether 1 sheep or goat as their herd animals & like company & also is your area of grass used by dog walkers? & are the sheep used to dogs as even though ours are they do like to move away from a natural predator. Putting them on a tether with limited space where dogs often go is a recipe for disaster, as they will likely panic & get themselves caught up. Also do you have other ground to move them onto after? & they'll also need water & some form of shelter even if its just a tree or hedgerow & consider the breed, age & purpose of the sheep - e.g breeding, meat ect, as this time of year some breeds are more sensitive to the cold & some need more feed supplements. Whereas a lot of native breeds are pretty hardy.

Also consider how much grass you have? Approximately 6-10 sheep to 1 acre is recommended by the National sheep association. or you could opt for geese which are hardy & you could just pen in if you wanted to just put some wire across like with the sheep, but you'd just need water & shelter in the form of a kennel with a door or something, but 5-10 geese would clear a couple of acres quite happily over about 6-8 weeks. Plus you wouldn't need paperwork for them.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2017, 11:12:27 am »
Yes you can, but it's extra work and vigilance.  I have a tup who is getting aggressive,  he has been tethered, on a VERY long combination of chain, light rope (to ease weight/drag) and swivels (very important). I could feed the others in safety, he had a very big hay rack. (At the moment he's loose and behaving himself, just tying him up while the others feed). Far from ideal, i wouldn't do it if I could avoid it.

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2017, 04:10:23 pm »
 So on average it  would seem that those who have seen sheep tethered would say it's ok. Those that haven't seem to deem it not a good idea.
 So do you go for the theory or the practice??
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2017, 04:59:33 pm »
Well, if the question is "can you tether a sheep?", the answer is clearly "that depends on both the circumstances, and the sheep".

However, if the question is "is buying a sheep and tethering it a good idea for keeping my grass down?", the answer has to be no, for all the reasons already stated!
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2017, 05:24:24 pm »
 I would say you've summed it up nicely there Womble.
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

kanisha

  • Joined Dec 2007
    • Spered Breizh Ouessants
    • Facebook
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2017, 09:03:09 pm »
traditionally Ouessant sheep were ALL tethered on the island during the agricultural calendar from feb to september.  The rest of the year the sheep had and still do free access ( vaine pâturage)  to roam the island. The sheep were tethered in pairs.

 This text is from writings by Gustave Geffroy on his Impression of Ouessant 1897.
 ....Et partout, des moutons, des moutons, encore et toujours des moutons, des noirs et des blancs, petits, vifs, attachés deux à deux par une longue corde,........
 
 My translation, "And everywhere, sheep, sheep,  more and always sheep, blacks and whites, small, lively, tied two by two by a long cord."
Ravelry Group: - Ouessants & Company

Tim W

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: Can you tether sheep
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2017, 09:10:01 pm »

It was common practice to tether (and shackle together ) sheep in Eastern Poland (and Bosnia) when I worked there in the '80's

 

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