[Rosemary]

BTW if you're not addicted yet, this'll seal the deal 
http://www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/colmarks.html

Is there a test at the end? 

[Castle Farm]

Get what the locals advised you to get. They know best and will help you out with stock.

[Crofterloon]

My advise would be to go with the sheep the locals advise.
Reasons are Soay's great little sheep but they can be a sod to round up, full of character but maybe cause a bit of worry to a begineer.
The cheviot a decent sized animal your not goingn to have too many problems neighbours will probably help if you need help.once you got experience you can try other breeds.

[Newsheep]

Going for what the locals advise is really good advice especially as a novice as help is always useful.  I am lucky my neighbours only have cows now so miss their sheep and have been such a good help to me plus I spent 3 weeks helping with lambing on a large hill farm so get plenty of help from that farmer but before this I spent nights lying awake worrying 

On another point my Boreray wether has thin horns similar to the ewes whereas his half brother tup has the most magnificant curled horns, there is no way an electric net or fence would be safe.

[princesspiggy]

On another point my Boreray wether has thin horns similar to the ewes whereas his half brother tup has the most magnificant curled horns, there is no way an electric net or fence would be safe.

ahh do u keep borerays? welldone, id love to know more about yours, but dont want to hijack this thread!
 

[dt400]

Hi    Some of the locals have Shetlands, the croft next door has two also there's a breeder by the Loch, so it's not like there would be no advice.   The main thing the worries me about Shetland and Hebs is everyone tells me there escape artists, the previous owner had one of the pervious apparently without any problems.   Any thoughts.   Clive

[lachlanandmarcus]

If you make sure they are not short of grass (and preferably have more than whats outside the fence) then they are no problem. Stock fence and a single wire above is fine.
If they run short, they will be more of a challenge -  they can get themselves tangled in electric net as a result.If planning solely to rely on electric netting including over the less grass months in the winter, Shetlands might not be the ideal breed, you might want something bigger and slower and more placid.

[Fleecewife]

Hi    Some of the locals have Shetlands, the croft next door has two also there's a breeder by the Loch, so it's not like there would be no advice.   The main thing the worries me about Shetland and Hebs is everyone tells me there escape artists, the previous owner had one of the pervious apparently without any problems.   Any thoughts.   Clive

Why has my quote done that 
 
I have never had Shetlands, or Hebs, or Soay escape.  The only sheep which once wandered out onto the road were some Jacobs - and that was because someone had left the gate open (they didn't go anywhere, just stood around looking gormless  ).  The Jacobs also jumped into the next paddock when our Hebs first arrived, sussed them out then jumped back into their own bit 
 
On the other hand we know someone who relied on a drystane dyke, which ran straight uphill, to keep a couple of Hebs in.  They quickly worked out that they could jump it by starting at the uphill end, and were off and away over the hill.
But if you have sensible fencing and make sure the sheep are happy on your land then they won't jump.  We use two strands above the mesh but that's to stop the neighbour's cattle reaching over, not to keep our sheep in.
 
Someone already mentioned the idea of starting with a selection of wethers so you can see how they behave, without having committed yourself to one breed - they will all be eaten anyway, so if they don't suit it's no big deal.   
Hebs can be crossed with Cheviots and produce a pair of good-sized white lambs- they are a very milky breed (the old crofters' milk sheep) so the cross-bred lambs grow quickly and should finish in their first autumn, depending on your grazing (pure-bred take 16 months).

[Dougal]

Cheviots, cheviots and cheviots! From Sutherland you are miles from most of the Marts and once you get there what choice do you expect to find? The shetlands will work away but the ground can carry the cheviots and when you come to sell any then they will look the same as most of the other stock in the mart so you won't get hammered on the price.
If you do settle for the shetlanders, they are easy to keep, I would push you to get a cheviot ram for them. The boys on Shetland only use pure rams to get enough ewe lamb replacements, everything else is crossed!
What ever you chose best of luck and have fun.

[SallyintNorth]

And just to help you decide to try Shetlands (which I think is where your heart is calling you  ), we have found Cheviots to be as flighty and hard to manage as all get-out.      I know some primitives can be flighty, but if you choose carefully, you should be able to get well-socialised ones to help you get started.

I do agree that it is generally a good plan to get the breed the locals have, and that purebred Shetlands are unlikely to fare well at a normal market, but I also agree strongly that you should get stock you really like.   

[JFDI]

Cheviots were described by the auctioneer at the Bicester Sheep sale as the Roll-Royce of the industry, and they went for big money.  The farmer next to me muttered something about deer fencing though! 

[shep53]

As some one who breeds hill northies ( lairg cheviots ) i can say that i have never had one jump a fence , they are to heavy. The worst jumpers i  have/ had are swaledales and mules  tall light sheep. Any breed is capable of jumping or getting through small holes if they learn to.

[ppd]

  Hi Clive 
We are neighbours!
We have a few sheep and got Jacobs (although our crofting neighbour told us to get cheviots) Now commercially that was good advice, but I have to say I love seeing the jacobs on the croft and their lambs are dorset x cute black and white fluffy headed things. If you are not looking to have to make money from it then get what you like the look of
Have fun