The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: SophieYorkshire on November 17, 2015, 01:42:01 pm
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I am sodding sick of these sheep.
I am sick of them being a nightmare to bring in for any treatment.
I am sick of them 'baa-ing' at me in amusement as I drown myself in wormer and slip in sh*t.
I am sick of never even getting to watch my expensive grasscutters because they hide.
I am sick of arguing with OH over different tactics for looking after them.
And now I'm sick of the tups colour having come out and not being able to catch him because he's busy mounting every furry mammal within sight.
I think I may give up >:( >:( >:(
Anyone want to buy any horrible herdwicks? :roflanim:
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Just wait until lambing time, then you'll find it'll all have been worth it :).
Life would be boring if it wasn't hard sometimes :D.
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Just wait until lambing time, then you'll find it'll all have been worth it :).
Life would be boring if it wasn't hard sometimes :D.
:fc: hope so Foobar - don't know what I'll do if they have any issues lambing - they'd still escape me if they were having elephants! :D
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I'm sure they will tame up over winter - get out their daily to dish out some hay or grub and they will get more used to you. Make sure you call them over when you bring the food out so they get used to coming when you call.
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The only thing you'll probably need for lambing Herdwicks is a pair of binoculars.
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Yeah, binocs are a wise investment for any outdoor lambing, not just herdwicks.
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I'm sure they will tame up over winter - get out their daily to dish out some hay or grub and they will get more used to you. Make sure you call them over when you bring the food out so they get used to coming when you call.
Tried that tactic for 3 years - no success!
Binoculars and mint sauce at the ready :hungry:
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Winter is not the best time to love your sheep.
Seriously, if you're fed up with them, then sell them on, have a break in the sun then get a different breed which behaves itself and suits your system better. I see no reason to make yourself miserable just because you think you ought to be able to manage the Herdwicks.
But if you love them really, at least you've kept your sense of humour :sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
I agree about not worrying unduly about lambing. The wilder the sheep the less she's going to appreciate your help, so leave her to it. If she has a real problem she'll go down and you can sneak up on her from behind.
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:roflanim:Love it Sophie! If deep down you don't really love them .... sell up and get some Zwartbles! Always happy to see you, even in the dark with a headtorch :)
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I live in Herdwick country. My sheep and tup (not Herdwicks) are in a neighbour's field whilst he gets a few of his mule sheep tupped. A week ago two Herdwicks got themselves into the field and got themselves tupped by the Suffolk. All my sheep come running when they hear the car. The Herdwicks hardly raise their head.
I know what you mean SY about keeping something which clearly doesn't need to interact with you but these are a Fell breed and survive without seeing a shepherd from one day to the next and perfectly well for most of their life. They don't need feed except in the harshest of conditions so the buckets are meaningless.
What breed would you swap them for?
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But if you love them really, at least you've kept your sense of humour :sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:
Don't think there's too much love lost on them anymore except on my favourite ewe - I think my humour is amusement at my own exasperation! :D
Think the next time I bring them in after lambing they can go straight on the trailer, especially the one that takes delight in headbutting me every time I get near her! :roflanim:
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I know what you mean SY about keeping something which clearly doesn't need to interact with you but these are a Fell breed and survive without seeing a shepherd from one day to the next and perfectly well for most of their life. They don't need feed except in the harshest of conditions so the buckets are meaningless.
What breed would you swap them for?
Couldn't agree more about feed - brought them in the other week and was thinking about moving them onto fresh land because the field looked poor and a bit bald and they were all looking very tubby when I tipped them!
By and large I don't do anything with them other than the basic husbandry, they look after themselves very well - but catching them without a dog is nigh on impossible!
What breed would I swap for? Herefords right now! :roflanim: Think I am well and truly off sheep!
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My chum bought Portlands. Has the same issues. Glad you've kept your sense of humour. His is going rapidly. It's supposed to be fun. I suggested he sell them on, too.
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When you move to Cumbria they will probably take off to the first Fell and you wont see them again!
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Sounds like your going through what we all do from time to time, although maybe your problem is a bit more terminal.
I think it might be really worth considering what you want from the sheep and whether there is a better breed for your set up and situation.
I have gone from having mostly Charolais and Suffolk mules and a few ryelands to now reducing the numbers of charolais, selling off all the suffolks and increasing the numbers on the ryelands.
I was having to spend far too much time on them, fencing had to be gazelle proof and the suffolks were just a pain at lambing.
Its really about what you want from them, maybe worth having a look around at sales and if you know any others with different breeds you could go visit?
Good luck with whatever you decide!
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Get some lovely golden Guernsey goats. They are always pleased to see you :goat:
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When you move to Cumbria they will probably take off to the first Fell and you wont see them again!
And obviously I will make a massive effort to try and bring them back if they do! :innocent:
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Sounds like your going through what we all do from time to time, although maybe your problem is a bit more terminal.
I think it might be really worth considering what you want from the sheep and whether there is a better breed for your set up and situation.
I think I've decided that the better breed for me is cattle ;D Will see lambing through, then first opportunity I get they can pack their fleeces and get to market!
Feel like I've failed them and myself, but having done battle for more than three years I think their trial period may well and truly be over!
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As a nice hardy breed why not try swaledale? According yo a lot of farmers easy to handle and they do come for the bucket. Also they were at one point kept by everyone in the north of England. Plus they're hardy and can survive in harsh weather, just make sure you buy them from someone who breeds hardy ones.
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Swales - I have one. Can't get near it. And I rescued it so you would think it could be more grateful!
SY - don't worry we still have Shepherds Meets - annual gatherings for handing back strays!
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Try a Down breed - very docile, some to an absurd degree.
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Get some lleyns! Once they're trained to the bucket, they ll come runnin g at the drop of a bucket handle lol
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Don't get Lleyns, get rid of the sheep you have.
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Try a Down breed - very docile, some to an absurd degree.
Couldn't agree more! My neighbours ones are lovely, and they don't leap hurdles like my Jacobs...
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Try a Down breed - very docile, some to an absurd degree.
Couldn't agree more! My neighbours ones are lovely, and they don't leap hurdles like my Jacobs...
And to think I passed some Hampshires up for these bloody Herdwicks ::)
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I know I will have warned you... :innocent:
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What's wrong with lleyns ? :innocent:
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Lleyns are one of the best breeds in the UK.
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Lleyns can be as flighty as herdwicks! Get some Texels - OK not popular with smallholders because they are not rare - but they are so docile and will come to a bucket with nothing in it after 6 months of not ever having been fed from a bucket. I can feed several of ours from my hand, have known them to put themselves in the barn into a pen and lamb by themselves and be very proud of themselves in the morning!
PS remember rare breeds are rare for a reason!
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I have lleyns, granted the odd one or two are flighty, but the rest all come to the bucket, in fact they badger me for food when they hear a rustle of a feed bag or bucket. It really depends on what breeder you buy them from. Rare breeds granted are not for everyone, but the reasons why they're rare is because they're not what the market wants, in other words they're not fast growers and tend to be on the flighty side, but hey so are welsh sheep. Its really what will suit your situation and also what you really like. I hope you can sell the herdwicks and keep us updated?
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I love my Herdwicks. They're like big, friendly dogs. Both batches were from very large hill flocks and not at all user-friendly when I got them, but they soon got used to the sound of the bucket/feed bag/Mule engine. With any breed, starting them off in a smaller area, where you have more chance to interact with them is best.
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I have three Zwartble X, and I can not get rid of them. I even baa at me when I litter pick the road when the can see me through the hedge and over the dyke.
I keep threatening them, but our dog can bark at them and they will sometimes chase the dog, the only thing them are really wary off is our welsh pony who will push them off the hay. I move them by following a bucket where I get mown over, its a bit like crowd surfing, with the dog barking at them which is no help at all.
They have mown the grass beautifully and my next task is to set up some more fencing so them work there way though my orchard over the winter. I just need to teach the dog to herd.
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I have 15 Zwartbles ewes and do not need feed. I have a hurdle pen in the field and they put themselves into it for me to shut in so that I can move the electric fence without worrying they get over it. The fence is moved every other day at the moment. There is a back fence to move and two ponies follow the sheep along the field eating anything the sheep have left. Even the wily old ewe I bought at the Welshpool sale who was not going near a pen when I got her pushes her way in.
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I love my Herdwicks. They're like big, friendly dogs. Both batches were from very large hill flocks and not at all user-friendly when I got them, but they soon got used to the sound of the bucket/feed bag/Mule engine. With any breed, starting them off in a smaller area, where you have more chance to interact with them is best.
I quite agree TT, I have had Herdwicks for 7 years now, I don't find them flighty or hard to handle and I don't have a dog either. Now Portlands are a different matter. Intelligent sheep I like, stupid ones I don't.
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PS remember rare breeds are rare for a reason!
But Llanwenogs are rare but also not too big, lovely wool, prolific, easy to handle, and look like Shaun :)
and Cannington college trials are finding they compare favourably with Lleyns
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Read a henry brewis book - your not alone, look back and laugh, we all have bad days with sheep no matter what breed. Cows on the other hand can have their own issues. My experience of Herdwicks are they are clostraphobic they like to be on the other side of the fence but don't go farther.
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Get a dog. Or buy cades.
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Cades or Mollies as we call them in these parts :love:
I got a tribe of six mooching about in top shed,plus they have orchard, a bit of coastal path and a few paddocks. They're currently joined by a few ol cull ewes, spoilt rotten they are :innocent:
They do have a job at the mo ahem, training the new Schnauzer puppy :-J They so used to dogs n cat
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Get a dog. Or buy cades.
We have four dogs! None are good for rounding them, I have a friend who brings his to limit some of the 'break your neck' situations :D
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I just say EWE EWE lol
Ram lambs are now trained lol, ewe lambs next x