The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Pundyburn Lynn on July 30, 2014, 12:21:14 pm
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Hello folks,
I'm absolutely distraught - my lovely Soay ewe and lamb have done a bunk. We suspect that someone left the gate open, as all the fences are in tact. They were last seen by the neighbouring farm legging it across a field, and they've not been seen since 6pm yesterday.
Needless to say I've been shouting, shaking feed buckets and hiking all over the adjacent land, but nothing. I have all the local farmers on the lookout and I've been out since 4am. Can sheep find their way home???
Lynn
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Little imps ! You must be beside yourself , I have Boreray so l know how fast they can move.
Hope someone spots them soon Lynn :fc:
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I read a story about a couple of escaped Soay. Gone for a couple of days and then waiting by the gate to be let back in so :fc:. What a worry for you. I suppose they will at least 'stand out' in someone elses field.
Can you put up signs in local agri. stores/ livestock market/ vets and so on? ...... Hopefully someone will contact you.
Can you leave the gate open to their field in case they come home when you are not around?
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Oh no Lynn - that's awful! As in the hills says though, at least they'll not go un-noticed if they end up with somebody else's flock, so hopefully you'll get them back soon.
They were last seen by the neighbouring farm legging it across a field
Does this not imply that they somehow managed to get out of your field AND into somebody else's? That means they surely must have jumped at least one fence in the process?
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Sadly it was a tattie field - no gate to theirs, just a massive gap. Beyond that it's woodland and although there's a deer fence, the gate has gaps and they could easily have gone through...
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Oh dear! Is it possible that they're missing the taste of seaweed, so have made a beeline for the coast? :-J
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:fc: you find them soon. I know how worrying it is to lose animals :hug:
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:fc: for you - I can imagine how worried you are.
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Oh dear! Is it possible that they're missing the taste of seaweed, so have made a beeline for the coast? :-J
....except it's not Soay that eat seaweed (there's no shore on the island) You're thinking of North Ronaldsay which have been shut out onto the shore for 11 months of the year, so have no choice but to live on seaweed. Sorry, I know I'm a pedant ;D
I'm not sure I can say much to help, Lynn. If they have gone into wooded ground then people may assume they are deer. The only upside is that they are such fiercely independent creatures that they will probably have a whale of a time if they end up living wild. I think though that there's a good chance they will come home.
We have a Shetland which we rescued because she kept running off from her owners land, with her crossbred lamb. She would walk into the nearest village which was 5 miles away, then turn round and walk home again ::).
Interestingly she's never made the least attempt to leave here, but has been happy and content for 13 years.
:fc: your little sheep come home :sheep: :sheep:
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Take comfort from the nursery rhyme ....
Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,
And bring their tails behind them
:hug:
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i was wondering why i had some extra smaller sheep in that field! :P
sorry, i'm really not helping am i?
Cheers Ed
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I have a Charollais cross ewe called Charlie2 The Adventurer. Because she goes on walkabouts, like a tom cat! ::)Often way for days, once for months so I had her Missing Presumed Deceased. Turned out she'd spent the winter with a neighbour who gave her a nice warm stable to sleep in. So, just like a cat ::)
Here (http://hexhamcourant.newsprints.co.uk/view/28163265/d2914123%20wool%20on%20the%20wall_jpg) she is with us at Wool on the Wall ;) :D
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My first 2 sheep escaped after my son left the gate open. I found them 2 days later up on the moor, in the geographical direction of where I had bought them.
I also heard a story about a Soay owner on a Scottish Island; they escaped shortly after him acquiring them... they were eventually spotted some 30-40 miles away, near the ferry port where they had disembarked after he bought them on the mainland.
The moral of my yarn is that you should get a map out, trace a line from you to where they came from, and then check out open spaces en route. They will go uphill and onto open ground where they can.
If they were born on your holding... I'll shut up!
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Really sorry to hear that, fingers crossed you find them soon.
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:wave: i could write a book on catching escaped soays . i had 120 on a hill some escaped into a large unfenced forestry ,nightmare .they used to butt the chicken wire fence till it burst and legg it ::) .it was the main reason i got rid . dont no where you are but i have a dog whos favorite job is catching soays (i am in fife)
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I might need that dog of yours, Langfauld! Another day searching and shouting, and getting to know all the local farmers and gamekeepers, and nothing. Needless to say I am heartbroken, while they are probably having a great time. Sheep owners will understand that they each have their own distinctive 'baaaa', but I can't hear it anywhere :'(
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I opened the response from you this morning expecting you to say they had come home, but no :(
I do hope they turn up soon. You must be distraught
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:fc: hope they are home soon.
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oh no! How distressing this must be...
At least with all your searching all neighbours now know that they are missing, and Soays do stand out.
:fc: somebody spots them soon or they come home on their own!
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Any news? I hope you have found them
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oh no, we had a few soay and ours used to pop the fences like a deer so we sold them, as i was sooo worried they would escape. if i saw something dead on the main road, i would feel ill incase it was my soay so i can imagine the feelings you are going through.
dont worry though, im sure they will find a flock to join up with.
when our goat escaped(i was searching farms and gardens too), she did come back herself. and when our 2 heifers went for a walk, they joined the neighbours herd, so there is hope!
:hug: :hug:
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Thanks folk, no news at all. We've been out every morning and evening shouting and calling to them in case they can hear us. I'm certain my wandering and wailing spirit will be seen for centuries doing the very same thing! They were so lovely to keep, highly charming and entertaining, and it's just not the same without them
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Don't give up on them just yet, they may still turn up! There's enough food for them just now, so no real incentive to come home... have they been fed concentrates in the past?
But some ewes become somewhat more independent once they have their lamb(s), one of my Shetland's only got clipped a week ago as she was not to be caught before then. In winter she is one of the first to run for the bucket, but at the moment she keeps her lamb with her all the time and often away from the flock.
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bet they turn up in someones flock at tupping time!!
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We had one of our North Country Cheviots escape just before lambing, searched for a few days, had a few reports but couldnt get her. 2 weeks later we caught her 13 miles away with a lamb at foot. Theyll turn up
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Lynn,
So sorry they've not turned up yet, but the best encouragement I can give is to say you're not alone!
I remember laughing at this thread on the Navitron forum (http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7882.15.html) ages ago (read from about post 27 onwards), but it's taken me a while to find it for you. Remember this is just the way Soay are at times, and it's not your fault :bouquet: .
BTW Dan, I think we need to steal this smiley (http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/Smileys/classic/wootsheep.gif) for TAS! ;D
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Oh I do hope you find them xx
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it's taken me a while to find it for you.
Thank you for taking the time - it made my day.
Still trying to work out the gaffer tape reference though...
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Oh keep reading, keep reading! ;D
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Any news?
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No, nothing. I've lost hope, I must admit! The tales from the forum have really cheered me up though! Thanks to you all!
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any news yet?
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My Soays have been spotted! :sheep:
On Thursday we had a call from a cyclist who'd previously seen our posters for missing sheep and thought they were funny. She'd seen the sheep in an area of woodland around 5 miles from our home. When we went there on Friday there was no sign of them, but a man at a nearby cottage had also spotted them the previous day. We searched and searched on Friday evening, but again, no sign of them.
The Police called this morning saying that our sheep had joined another herd of sheep over the weekend and they are calmly and quietly chomping grass in someone else's field. I plan to go there after work with a dog harness and a 5m length of rope! I have no idea how to catch them!
Any ideas?
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You have to get the whole flock in that field into a small pen (probably with the help of the resident shepherd) and then pick yours out from the group and trailer them home I would have thought. Otherwise they will just jump the nearest fence and be off again...
I am just thinking that you may have a hard time persuading them not to do a runner again.... once the taste of freedom has been acquired... but good to know they haven't been killed in one way or another!
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Fantastic news :thumbsup: :relief:
Yes, get 'em tightly penned with the others, then bundle yours into a secure trailer.
And then you're going to need to make sure that fences are very secure and that the sheep are very happy to keep them at home! Mine get a bit of cake each day purely to keep them happy and from crossing the river...
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Oh, thats such good news. I thought you had seen the last of them but at least now you know they are ok.
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Yes, get 'em tightly penned with the others, then bundle yours into a secure trailer.
and then off to the rare breed sale they go... :-J
good luck in catching them, what a strain for you.
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and then off to the rare breed sale they go... :-J
No, keep them securely penned at your place for six months, THEN send them off to the rare breed sale safe in the knowledge that after a few weeks they'll be back at your place again ;) .
I'm SO pleased for you that they've been found Lynn. Good luck in catching them and getting them back home!!
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Glad they have finally been spotted. Good luck with getting them home :fc:
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Great news :thumbsup:
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How high are your fences? I'd be inclined to go for putting them in the shed fronted by vertical hurdles then straight on the trailer to market.
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great news!
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Such good news!
Hope you get them home safely :fc:
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so what happens with the police and animal health etc do you get a rollocking for them going awol or are they sympathetic?
just curious - (and im touching wood it doesnt happen to us)
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I don't envy you catching and keeping ::) them. But I'm so very, very pleased that they were found safe ;D .
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so what happens with the police and animal health etc do you get a rollocking for them going awol or are they sympathetic?
just curious - (and im touching wood it doesnt happen to us)
If you are lucky enough that they haven't caused any damage (in the case of tup for example having fathered a whole bunch of lambs that the resident farmer didn't really want to have...) I would just put them into isolation (shed with high/vertical hurdles sounds about right) for a couple of weeks, worm/treat for lice maybe - and see how they are at the end.
If they were mine I have to say - abattoir straight after isolation period and into the freezer. I wouldn't try and sell them on - chances are they would do a runner in the mart anyway and then you would be really popular!
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I wouldn't be too quick to bump them off. Keep them in for their full quarantine and tame them up during that time. Handle them every day, maybe halter train them, and hand feed them treats. Do you have an internal paddock? ie one with no hedges at the edge of your property? Keep them in there as long as you can, until they really know where home is and where life is best.
We rescued a wandering ewe years ago, one her owners simply couldn't keep in ever. Once she came to us she never wandered again - we still have her as an 'ancient' and she loves it here.
One thought - do you have other sheep? If not, could she simply have set off looking for a flock?
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Have you managed to catch them?
Wasn't the thought that the gate had possibly been left open? ........ not really their fault then ..... surely?
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How did I miss this topic ? ???
How exciting that they've been found, little devils :thumbsup:
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Hi folks,
Yes, the gate had been left open. That was maybe six weeks ago. At the time they were well pampered pets and we were absolutely distraught with their absence.
Since their disappearance they have travelled maybe 8 miles and have become quite flighty, however, since Monday they have chosen to remain in a large field with other sheep with twice daily treats from myself. The new issue is how to catch them! The field belongs to an older lady who has been very patient with our shenanigans so far. The other sheep are owned by someone else who has not yet noticed my regular attendance! I have a neighbour (this is our first interaction as neighbours) who has offered to bring a horse box to the field on Sunday ONCE I've managed to tether the sheep. Lots of kind-heartedness so far. But although the sheep were initially overjoyed to see me and ate from my hand, they now suspect that something is up!
Essentially, I have until Sunday to tether these bloomin' sheep, when I can't seem to get them close enough to grab! I'll need to source some hurdles from somewhere, and hope the old lady doesn't get impatient...
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id be putting up the hurdles now and feeding them tiny feeds inside the enclosure very regularly before sunday. if you cant get them in the hurdles, try feeding them in a trough close to the hurdles and move the trough closer and closer each time.
not easy if there is plenty of grass around.
:fc:
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Yes, I agree with the hurdles - currently trying to beg, borrow or steal some. Thankfully the sheep are fond of oaty muesli, so my plans include luring them towards the corner of the field...
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Don't you think maybe you should contact the person whose flock of sheep you are going to daily and in whose rented field you intend to lasso two Soays? Not only is it curtesy but also they might help. I.e If it was me, i'd get the whole flock in tight and truss up your two for transport. . . . . failing that i'd let the dog help lol.
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I would try the hurdles before the dog option.
When one of our lambs (a well grown one) got into our neighbours field and was impossible for us to catch, our neighbour brought his well trained old collie to help. Idea was to bring whole flock into the barn aided by old Rob and then pick out lambie. Lamb didn't move with the flock at all and ended up chasing the collie! Collie was bemused but did eventually get lamb moving ...... across the brook, up a steep hill, over the fence and into woodland!
Your sheep maybe different if they have been there for a while and feel part of the flock but Soay aren't supposed to work well with a dog and our only experience seemed to indicate that they didn't.
None of us could find where the lamb had escaped and another one made their way through on another occasion. This time we set up a hurdle pen. Took lambs mum into the field and tied her in the pen with food. She called lamb in and that was that.
Have you got more sheep? Could something similar work?
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If they are suspicious of the pen I would make it big at first ( I'm sure a kindly neighbour would lend you some hurdles) then when they are used to that make it a bit smaller. Or make a race with flexinet or similar leading into the pen. Wish I could come and help but too far away :( Good luck.
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Sheep read body language to the tiniest degree, that of other animals and of humans. As prey animals, their lives can depend on it. They will pick up on the fact that you intend to catch them, simply by the slight tensing of your body before you grab. They will detect the purposefulness of how you go into the field, and it is extremely difficult to fake genuine nonchalance well enough to fool a sheep.
I would go for the option of speaking with the flock owner, who may have a round up planned anyway, but you can't just go in amongst his flock and do what you want with his animals. If anyone did that with my sheep I'd be livid ::) There is no real urgency with bringing the Soays home, so you can fit in with his plans. I think you said there is just a ewe and a lamb, so you could sneak them home in the back of your car, if you have someone there to hold them.
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Sheep read body language to the tiniest degree, that of other animals and of humans. As prey animals, their lives can depend on it. They will pick up on the fact that you intend to catch them, simply by the slight tensing of your body before you grab. They will detect the purposefulness of how you go into the field, and it is extremely difficult to fake genuine nonchalance well enough to fool a sheep.
Can't pull the wool over their eyes then? ;D :innocent:
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you can't just go in amongst his flock and do what you want with his animals. If anyone did that with my sheep I'd be livid ::)
Very much ditto
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What Fleecewife says. Talk to the owner of the rest of the flock, find out when he/she's gathering them next, turn up and catch yours and stick them in the back of your car, so there's no panic about timing it with a horse box.
I carry goats and the occasional sheep like this, seat down, dog guard, or in my case, a piece of weldmesh tied in place with baler twine to the front seat headrests, tarpaulin over the folded down seats, and then some blankets to absorb any accidents. Remove tarpaulin, blankets into washing machine when journey over.
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Just to reassure you all I don't intend to do anything with the other sheep or interfere with them in any way! My Soays come to the gate to meet me whenever I visit and I only go a couple of metres into the field. The other sheep are oblivious to my presence!
I have now procured a couple of hurdles and will start with the training regime in the morning...
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Good luck :fc: :fc: . It will either go like a dream...or not. I like the sound of your ewe and lamb, even though they have caused you so much work ;) .
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Any news? :fc:
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Well, I now know where they are but catching them is a different matter. We've tried tricking them into a race/pen, tethering them, using the local shepherd's dog, arranging horse boxes and simply wrestling them to the ground. No use whatsoever. They've gotten clever! We now have a post in the marketplace looking for access to a livestock trailer for around a week to slowly lure them inside with food!
Should've listened to the advice about Soays...
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Is the owner of the other sheep aware and could they help out?
Ouessants have a poor flocking instinct particularly when somone is trying to pen them and pressurizing them. My solution is to build a pen infront of the gate to exit the field into another one. allow the sheep to move through several times and then close the far side of the pen. the sheep move into the pen willingly thinking they are going through to the other field. ;)
Saw this video a while ago an exercise in patience... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLocjkHotw4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLocjkHotw4)
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I haven't read the rest of the thread so this might have already been tried but when we needed to round up three awkward castlemilks for shearing my neighbour turned his sheep into the field then gathered them all together with his dog through three fields, down his track into his barn.
They went easily in a flock but had been impossible on their own.
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I haven't read the rest of the thread so this might have already been tried but when we needed to round up three awkward castlemilks for shearing my neighbour turned his sheep into the field then gathered them all together with his dog through three fields, down his track into his barn.
They went easily in a flock but had been impossible on their own.
thats what i was thinking but alot depends on how helpful the flock owner is. i feel for you. :hug:
i suppose there is an alternative of shooting them - not ideal but might solve the problem if they are going to sent to mart anyway - may save money in the long run.
or gift them to the flock owner?
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Well, the other sheep have now been moved... So my two Soays are in a field around 3-ish acres (I've never found acreage easy to judge). Fences are adequate but not soay-proof, so they're presently CHOOSING to remain there. Sheep owner now uninvolved, field owner VERY patient! Watch this space...
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this is better than Emmerdale.....
have you considered electric fencing - making the field smaller and smaller and making it as tall as possible til you have them in a smaller area?
get a foot/neck crook to catch them.
or borrow a football net off a goalpost and scoop them up?
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I was wondering about using a load of HERAS fencing panels like un-jumpable hurdles?
You could make quite a big pen with them to catch them in, then working from the inside, make it progressively smaller and smaller until you've eventually got them properly. You could even have a trailer inside the last pen so you don't have to transfer them at all.
(http://www.pitbarriers.co.uk/users/UserFiles/Image/heras%20fence2.jpg)
You might have to use the panels upside down of course, to stop them from wriggling under?
or borrow a football net off a goalpost and scoop them up?
Now you're just being silly! ;D
You have my complete sympathies Lynn - this must be such a nightmare for you!
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I don't know how to post the link :dunce: but I have watched film on the net of the 'wild' Soay on St Kilda being caught .
Perhaps watching that could give you some ideas. I think they used netting to help 'channel' the sheep.
How wary are they? Are they going into a small hurdled area to feed?
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Any news?
We were leaning towards Soay but are starting to reconsider...!! :thinking:
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Finally, some good news. A contract shepherd managed to round up our two Soays in 5 minutes, and they have now moved to a lovely meadow with wild flowers and good fences (at least that's what I'm choosing to believe!). I suspect that they may actually be heading for his freezer...
Soays ARE wonderful sheep, very clever and endearing. But we've learned our lesson that they're not for us. Once they'd had a taste of the wild there was no way they'd be satisfied at home and they were almost impossible to track down and catch.
Many, many thanks to you all for the advice and moral support throughout this period! Does anyone know of a small, docile breed that can't read road maps????
Lynn x
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Glad they have been caught at last! I think your story has convinced me that they are not for us either! Would Shetlands tick similar boxes to Soay (small, hardy, etc.) but without the wanderlust? They are next on my list to investigate....
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I'm going to think of them being in that meadow too, Lynn.
Lowlander, we've had Soay for 5 years now and so far we have had few problems. Normal stock fences but we do have good thick hedges on most sides in addition. There was only a hedge as a boundary to one paddock and the farmer who owns the adjoining field checked all my boundaries for me before we bought our flock to check that they were good enough. He thought they were. The hedge contained them for the first few months but they did on one occasion get into his field. His wife spotted them and told me (they had only been gone for a morning). I just shouted and they all came running home! Hedge now has a fence behind it.
The lambs are so tiny that we did have to check all the fences for teeny gaps. Once all secured we have had no problems and the lambs of the commercials around here are always out on the lane so I guess all lambs squeeze out where they can.
I can understand that Lynn's sheep became 'wild' as they were gone for a long period .... same can happen to 'pet' cats ..... as I found out not long ago ::) but in general we have found that Soay do not deserve the reputation that they have.
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glad its resolved now and you have recovered from the stress.
we had soays once but was alarmed by them jumping over our fences so sold them on to someone who adored them and started breeding them. different breeds for different people.
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Thanks for the reassurances. We have mostly fences against hedges but on the lane side there is a wall and at the bottom there is a stream (planning to stock fence along it). Fences are currently keeping my lurcher in who is an escape artist so maybe they would be OK. Back to the research!
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Hi Lowlander.
Have you spoken to Julie Suffolk of the Soay Sheep Society? We really liked the look of Soay but as first time sheep keepers we were worried by the reports of 'wild' Soay and great escape artists! Speaking to Julie reassured us that they didn't deserve their reputation and she also talked to us about type of fencing needed and handling.
They are clever little sheep and great characters. We love them. They do seem to respond well to bucket training and quiet handling. Undoubtedly they could jump our hurdles during handling but we just keep things as calm as possible and try to 'outwit' them when needed. ::) ;D
We sold some shearlings in the spring to start a new breeding flock to a couple who were relatively new to sheep. Went to visit a week or so ago and the sheep have settled really well. They are just in a field with normal stock fencing and no attempts at escape. They are coming to the bucket for their new owners and some will come to have their noses rubbed. New owners 'love' them. ;D
Just a few positives. ;D
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Thanks! I do love the sound of them just don't want to be unpopular with the neighbours if our sheep end up in with their animals - or worse - lost. Will definitely talk to the society before making a decision.
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Oooh - just realised Julie Suffolk is the breeder 50 miles from here that we were thinking of contacting for the Soay. Will definitely do that and perhaps go and visit to meet them. Thanks.
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Lynn, I'm so glad they're caught, and this is at least over for you. I have my fingers crossed that it's not also over for the sheep though!
Undoubtedly they could jump our hurdles during handling
One of our Zwartbles jumped clean over a hurdle yesterday when I walked past with a rattly bucket (of screws as it happens!) and didn't give her anything, so it's not just Soays!
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Sounds like too much of a hassle having them to me.....especially having to do this bucket training malarky.
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Part of the problem was that two sheep - especially a single ewe and lamb - do not feel like a herd (to the ewe). She needs at least one but preferably two or three other adult companions to make up the "herd".
Your girl was just looking for company...
Same happens with goats.
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Bucket training is really easy .... well seemed to be in the case of our little flock and when we bought them as ewe lambs they had experienced hardly any human contact. Just took a couple of weeks or so.
In general they come running as soon as we shout them now. That seems a fairly straightforward method of sheep gathering if you only have a small flock .... and no dog!
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Part of the problem was that two sheep - especially a single ewe and lamb - do not feel like a herd (to the ewe). She needs at least one but preferably two or three other adult companions to make up the "herd".
Your girl was just looking for company...
Same happens with goats.
Excellent justification for extending the goat herd :excited:
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Bucket training is really easy ....
Not always! It's taken us several months to get so our Manx Loaghtans will come to a bucket, and even then I have to be on the other side of the fence.
At least they're close enough for a visual check now, and through a rope and pulley setup worthy of Wallace & Gromit, I can still close the gate behind them to pen them in, even if I'm not in the same field. Patience is definitely a virtue ;D .