The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Bionic on November 17, 2012, 09:22:12 am
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Do sheep need a field shelter. I don't think that they do but OH seems to want to make one for them so who am I to complain.
I only have 5 sheep and hopefully a few lambs in th spring, any idea of what size to make and how to do it?
It doesn't need to be for lambing because they will be in the stable for that.
thanks
Sally
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its good to have a corner with some think tin sheets a few bales .In the top field i have a make shift corner .you dont need it but they will love it allways feed there .The sleet is the thing they hate and if they can shelter its good.
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Thanks VF
Sally
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We have shelters for our primitives. Part of their survival strategy is to know when to seek shelter, and they certainly do so in heavy rain or sleet as VF says. They don't stay in the shelters the rest of the time and love to be out on hard-packed snow, in the wind or summer sunshine. The shelters give them an option and they are savvy enough to know when to use them.
Look on our website for some examples.
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Depends on whether there is anywhere for them to shelter in the field from bad weather eg trees or hedges .... they will always find the best spot.
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Thanks Fleecewife. We have looked at your website and it has given us some good ideas.
Sally
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Fleecewife - what amazing animals! love what you do, looks fantastic!
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Thank you :) We love it.
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I have pallet and tin shelters in most of my fields - one still to make.
They certainly use them in heavy rain and sleet - especially the lambs.
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I dont use them and wouldn't unless the fields were devoid of hedges, trees etc.
The problem with shelters is that they all get in them, cram together and then you get the same disease risk you would from housing sheep.
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Mine are just three sided pallets, open at the front, about a metre from the wall. I've never had disease problems, they are far too well ventilated. It just keeps off the rain. Mind you, I do live somewhere with the same rainfall as Borrowdale, the wettest place in England ::)
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We had a large field shelter for our Fell pony, she never used it-even in the worst weather. Our two sheep used it all the time-wimps!
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We have a tiny flock of Zwartbles sheep and there is only really shelter on two sides of the field so we built a shelter for them. It's on sleds so can be moved about the field. We actually built it primarily for them to have somewhere to go for when it is really sunny but they seem to like it when the rain is tipping down too. It's probably way more than they need in terms of quality but the wind where we live is horrendous so it had to be heavy duty enough to not blow away. It's also high enough that the Welsh ponies we'll be getting next year will be able to use it if necessary too.
Here's a picture of ours...(edit to re-size)
(http://i48.tinypic.com/2hp7lhf.jpg)
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Wow. Very smart!
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Thanks Smee. It looks very good. I notice, like Fleecewife, you have spaces between the slats. Its something we wouldn't have thought off until we looked at the various pics.
OH wants to build something that straddles a fence so whichever field they are in they will still have access to the shelter.
thanks again
Sally
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:wave: Hi Bionic
OH built a shelter similar to the one shown by Smee2012. Ours is solid at the sides but not boarded right to the top. We used ours during lambing too as we have no other out-buildings.
In our other paddock, we have a corrugated shelter ..... bit like a pig arc .......it can be moved around.
They do use them despite having thick hedges and mature trees.
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Thanks ITH
Sally
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Fleecewife (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=4333) iv just seen you re stock just fantastic a credit to you ,and rare breeds iv just got some amrock utility from France .
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The problem with shelters is that they all get in them, cram together and then you get the same disease risk you would from housing sheep.
Reading this I remembered a very wet family holiday in Harris and the image of a bus shelter near Tarbert, absolutely packed full of sheep sheltering from the rain...
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Reading this I remembered a very wet family holiday in Harris and the image of a bus shelter near Tarbert, absolutely packed full of sheep sheltering from the rain...
:roflanim: I can just picture that, too :D
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Going slightly off the subject... some years ago when I was in Australia we were visiting a big park when there was a heavy rain shower. I found an open sided shack to shelter under only to find I was joined by all the kangeroos who it seems don't like rain either.
It made a very funny picture :roflanim:
Sally