The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: richmorpygmygoats on March 24, 2013, 01:23:12 pm

Title: Starting With Soay
Post by: richmorpygmygoats on March 24, 2013, 01:23:12 pm

Hi All
I am planning to start keeping Soay sheep. I have joined the Soay Sheepp society.
 
Any advice would be great

Regards
Rich

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: SheepCrazy! on March 26, 2013, 01:58:37 pm

Good luck Soay's are great sheep, just make sure your fences are up to scratch and you have a few friends to help you get them rounded up until they get used to you, Feed them regularly to help tame them down and after they've worked up the courage they should follow a bucket happily. There are older posts on here for Soay's handling maintenance ect so have a look a few pages back. And check out my website to see my little flock.

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: Fleecewife on March 26, 2013, 06:19:08 pm

As SheepCrazy says there are lots of previous posts, quite long, going into plenty of detail about managing Soay.  If you have some more specific info about your circumstances and experience, and just what you need to know then I'm sure we can oblige  :) :sheep:

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: trefnantbach on March 27, 2013, 12:53:51 am

make sure your fences are up to it - ours are incredibly determined when grass is in short supply and the grass is greener on the otherside! Ours regularly go walkabout but they make their own way back by tea time every day! They are greedy buggers when nuts are available and that is the key to getting them where you want them. Also the more you have the easier it is to move them. They are a bit less jumpy when theres more of them. get them bucket trained from an early age. The sound of a rattling bucket gets ours running from three fields away! if you can cope with their intelligence, you will be rewarded by this facinating breed of easycare fantastic mothers.

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: richmorpygmygoats on March 29, 2013, 09:29:01 pm

Thank you all for your info and help. All advice taken on board!! Will keep you posted on any developments when we get them

Thanks again
Rich

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: thenovice on March 30, 2013, 08:17:11 am

Get a rifle  ;D

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: Pikeman on March 30, 2013, 11:11:36 am

We have soay and they were our first sheep, just 5 but collecting a ram tomorrow to add to the flock. Great sheep hat are pretty self sufficient and hardy. In the recent snow they just stood out despite access to a stable. No sheering, they just malt in the spring and if you look closely they always look like they are smiling. Can be very flighty to catch.

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: Richard Underwood on March 31, 2013, 08:07:57 pm

Pikeman's comment about Soay smiling made me think of this photo of one of our ewe lambs.

Title: Re: Starting With Soay
Post by: SheepCrazy! on April 02, 2013, 11:00:49 am

Aw shes so cute! :thumbsup: