The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Steel on March 03, 2019, 09:59:37 pm
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One of my welsh mountain wethers has been rattling his dags at me for a while now. In the cold weather I wasn't overly worried but as we seem to be a bit warmer lately I'm getting concerned. He is also quite enamoured by me and as lovely as he is I'm tired of being leapt on by a poo smelling wether.
However, I have never cleaned up a sheep by clipping before (I tried washing, with a friend restraining, and that turned into a foaming poo frenzy that made us ache for days and I don't want to repeat it) and I have to find a way to restrain this very strong sprightly bugger and then attack his nether regions with something. I'm quite worried about using scissors in case he lunges so thought about using my Oster clippers. That's if I can get him restrained and quiet first.
I should add I'm on my own with this and of small stature, and Mr Rattly has a long tail that has a mind of its own.
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Ideally you could do with a headstock to restrain the front end, they attach to gates or fences. However they are not cheap so a halter can be used but these allow the sheep more movement and he will swing around a lot unless pinned against a wall or fence.
Patience and swear words will get you through.
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If it’s dagging, I do most of mine with a V made of two hurdles, sheep nose in to the V, no halter headstock or other restraint. My knee holds the sheep in the V while I clip. Then out to where there’s a bit more space to turn sheep onto its bottom - and clean ground - for the bits I can’t reach stood up.
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Buttermilk - I can do the swear words. I'm good at those. Might have to develop a bit of patience though ;D
Sally - that sound good and defo something that can be done. If I put a bit of feed in the V he might just go in there voluntarily as well.
Do you think an Oster with a dog blade on it might do the trick? keen to save some money and make existing equipment do double service if possible.
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Do you think an Oster with a dog blade on it might do the trick? keen to save some money and make existing equipment do double service if possible.
I have absolutely no personal experience of using electric sheep shears, but I do think it unlikely that a dog blade would work. Dogs have hair, sheep have wool, for one thing. Poodles have wool, mind... :thinking:
Also, dirty wool and clean wool need different blades, I think, and the former will blunt shears meant for the latter.
I’d just buy a pair of hand dagging shears, but I do understand you are hoping to avoid spending the £15
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It's not the price of hand shears, I was thinking more electric sheep shears. The length of time I have to restrain and stress a strong wether to do the job with hand shears and avoid stabbing him by accident if he goes nuts. Ditto scissors.
They are very suspicious and flighty animals, and wary of anyone standing near them or touching them. I can touch and rub their faces, heads, necks and chests no worries, and they let me lift their tails, but no more. I reckon I've only got one crack at this, and then I'll never get him near the hurdles again.
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I shear my sheep with an oster a5 ten or 8.5 blade (ouessants) however the blades are not designed for wool. If there is a lot of lanolin i doubt they would cope if its sticky. Nothing to stop you giving it a go though