The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Dans on March 16, 2016, 09:38:51 pm
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I was watching my sheep the other day ( :excited:) and realised one was doing an impressive job at getting to the grass on the other side. I realised that that section of fencing is actually upside down, with thr larger holes at the bottom!
The fencing was put in by the previous owners and it looks like they've done some the right way up and some the wrong way. What do I do?
Do I need to take the wrong way up ones of and put them the right way? Or is there something I can put against it? How urgent is it? The sheep have good grass on their side (always greener on the other side though! ) and I'm not having any lambs this year.
Worst thing is we just replaced a bunch of fence posts along that side but we didn't realise the fence itself was upside down!
Dans
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Unless you really need it to look neat, I'd stick more fence over the top of it the correct way as it's more trouble than it's worth to remove the other. The combination of the two will be "out of step" with each other so effectively reduce the gaps which will be handy since once they realise they can stick their head through they tend to keep doing it which can be a one way action if they're horned, and that encourages others to do the same.
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^ Yes, I'd do that too. I'd also stagger the vertical strands, which would make the whole fence completely sheep-head proof.
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WE were a shooting estate and all new net fences were put upside down so that the pheasants could easily get through , I have to say despite my annoyance at the upside down nets , I get more heads trapped in the normal fence than in the upside down ones and no problems with lambs getting through .
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They re all squares round this way.
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How long a run are we talking about? Could be as much work to reinforce as to sort it properly, and it could end up looking a mess. OCD would get me with that one. I would have to get it sorted.
You say no lambs this year but certainly for next years lambing I would want it corrected, it would be on this Spring's list before the grass gets too high. Also, I've seen young fox cubs easily get through small holes you would think nothing could fit through, so I wouldn't risk larger gaps with newborns lambs out there. Plus, if a lamb did get through mum will have the lot down in her desperation to reach her baby.
A few years back the chap putting our fence up just got to the end of his 2nd 50m run when I went out to check and spotted it was upside down. Cue much moaning when I made him remove it and refix it the right way up.