[mab]

Hi folks,

I've had about 0.8 acres for a year but put off actually getting some animals as it was mostly bare earth when I got here - had been cleared by bulldozer - and I re-seeded it this year with equine paddock mix - it's well grown, though with a lot of weeds (predominantly nettles, goosegrass and poppies).

I'm planning on getting 3 Shetland ewes in about a week (they are 'hand reared and tame' so I'm hoping they'll be relatively easy to handle  ).

Got a holding no. (and 1/2 box file of paper) from defra/rpa.

I'm planning on using electric sheep netting and moving them around (say 1/3rd of the area at any one time).

Land is fairly well sheltered from winds by tall - if gappy - hedges, and I was planning on letting them have access to one of the sheds for shelter during the winter months.

I've (belatedly) ordered a couple of sheep-keeping books from amazon, as the general smallholding books I've got are a bit thin on details for sheep-keeping.

I'm a bit concerned about weeds though - I know ragwort's poisonous but don't know about anything else. Some local people I talked to didn't think I should worry "they'll know what not to eat", but that's not consistent with what I've read elsewhere. If I find any 'nasties' I can pull 'em up, but how do I keep 'em from coming back?

Also should I be feeding them any supplements during the winter (I would suppose yes if lambing, otherwise no)?

As far as I'm aware they're not pregnant - If I want them to lamb what's the latest time to put a ram in with them (or is it already too late)?

any advice would be welcome (on weeds or any other issues I ought to be aware of).

thanks for all the info I've already got from reading past postings on this forum  .

mab

[VSS]

"The Sheep Book for Smallholders"
ISBN 978190487 1644

Probably the most comprehensive guide to small-scale sheep keeping ever written.

Available direct from publishers "The Good Life Press".

Also on Amazon.

[Anke]

If you can have sheep without lambs in your first year (like buy in store lambs) you would be able to learn about their management etc without the worry of lambing. Then go on a lambing course (Tim Tyne's in Wales, or your local agri college, your nearest sheepfarmer maybe) and decide after that if you want to breed. On a small acreage you may be better off just buying in a few lambs to fatten each year and let the field rest over winter.

[Roxy]

 agree - get the sheep and see how you go on, there is plenty of  time for lambs later on.    You  don 't want the worry of lambing on top of learnng the general management too. 
one thing to bear in mind is that sheep can soon bare a field off - so you will need to manage you land carefully.  Having lambs  would obviously add to your livestock numbers .....it does sound like you are being sensible  and I wish you luck with your sheep!

[Fergie]

I'm a bit concerned about weeds though - I know ragwort's poisonous but don't know about anything else. Some local people I talked to didn't think I should worry "they'll know what not to eat", but that's not consistent with what I've read elsewhere. If I find any 'nasties' I can pull 'em up, but how do I keep 'em from coming back?

Also should I be feeding them any supplements during the winter (I would suppose yes if lambing, otherwise no)?

Hello Mab,

if there are a lot of weeds, either cut them down or pull them up.  The sheep will eat the fresh shoots as they appear, with no ill effects, thus killing the plant - even Ragwort can be removed this way, provided all the "full grown" weeds are physically removed first.

Supplementary feeding is appreciated by the sheep, and a little each day will make them very tame - they will run towards you as soon as they see the bucket.  They don't need much if not in lamb - just a scoop will keep them happy.  Ask for coarse sheep mix or similar from your grain merchant.  Don't use general cattle mix which has too much copper for sheep.

It's getting late for tupping - November is better, for lambs in April.  As others have said, keep them as pets for the first year, until you get to know them.

Enjoy them - they can be very frustrating, but never fail to keep your interest.

John

[shetlandpaul]

you don't need shelter they are very tough sheep the hedges will be perfect.but i would get some hay in. is the soil hard you may get some damage.

[Fergie]

Sorry, forgot about hay, or rather I took it for granted since I don't really think of it as supplementary feeding, but I agree they will need some, particularly between January & March when the grass doesn't grow at all.

[mab]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies!

I read the first of my sheep books today (the thin one).

I'm thinking, now, that it would be a challenge to get a ram in in time anyway - particularly as I'd prefer to let them settle in first - and as you say, it's going to be a learning experience for me anyway - oh well.

Fergie - thanks for your comments on weeds. According to the book I read today I should be removing thistles and nettles (I've got quite a lot of these) as well as ragwort (can't find any, but maybe it's too late in the year?). I'll scythe them down and remove the cuttings.

I've got some ewe-nuts - still need to get hay before the sheep come.

you don't need shelter they are very tough sheep the hedges will be perfect.but i would get some hay in. is the soil hard you may get some damage.

Glad to hear they don't need shelter - I was doubting wether they'd go into a shed willingly!  The soil's quite soft (particularly after the rains) though there's a strip of concrete within the enclosure.

mab

[mab]

Got the sheep today.

All's well so far 

when I collected them, there was some chasing and catching involved in getting the last one into the van. I was wondering how they'd react on arrival  - try to escape through the gaps around the van? Hide in the back of the van? charge out and straight through the fence on the other side??

Actually they just looked out from the van door when it was opened; and after about 15 seconds, they filed placidly out of the van, into the enclosure and started eating - a bit of an anticlimax in a way.

They're ignoring the hay at the moment, though they will come and be hand fed with ewe nuts (and then follow me around like.. er...  ).

Just hoping they'll still be there and happy and healthy in the morning.

mab

[shetlandpaul]

if they don't want the hay after a few days then your grass is still enough. try again in a weeks time they will soon let you know that they want more food.