Author Topic: Hi - from TenTors (Read 2192 times)

TenTors · « **on:** August 29, 2010, 07:50:38 pm »

Hello - from TenTors - We have just started keeping Wiltshire Horn sheep - the ones that shed wool in the spring. We also have bees (I have kept bees for over 20 years so am fairly experienced there) and we are about to get some ex-bat chickens. I am getting to know the sheep but although they are beginning to be a lot easier with us, I am still finding the handling a bit tricky (my wife refers to my antics as 'Sheep Wrestling'). Luckily we only have three so far - they all have names. I have (following reading info on this website) ordered 'The Smallholder's DIY' (Golden Cockeral Series) - because I am thinking that maybe a home-made Sheep Cradle might help reduce the excitement surrounding foot trimming, drenching, Heptovacc etc. I am also building a small sheep shelter - because my three girls (two ewes and a lamb (hog)) do NOT like the rain and it rains a lot on North Dartmoor. I am also thinking that the shelter will be useful for hay storage and as a lambing shed for next year. I would welcome any advice from other Wiltshire Horn owners - I am also looking to sort out a tup - hopefully locally - in the Okehampton (Mid-Devon) area - as I would like to put the Ewes to Ram in November.

jameslindsay · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2010, 07:58:23 pm »

Hello and welcome. I hope the sheep get better behaved for you. I have 2 orphaned sheep that I got as weeks old and they are so, so friendly and tame as we bottle fed them.

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2010, 09:57:04 pm »

Hi and welcome from the Scottish Borders, I have shetland sheep which are pretty small so not quite so hard to woek with.

Mickyork · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2010, 09:59:59 pm »

Hello & welcome from a cold & windy North Yorkshire

piggy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2010, 10:03:46 pm »

Hi and welcome from Suffolk,

We also have some orhpan lambs who follow us around all day,walk in the house, jump in the car and just love being around us but on the other hand we also have some soays who were very wild when we got them but now after alot of hard work we can now touch and handle no problems,just takes time and patience.

JulieS · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2010, 02:05:12 am »

Hello and welcome

Cinderhills · « **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2010, 08:16:11 am »

Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire.

Sharondp · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2010, 08:25:30 am »

Helo from Herefordshire

TenTors · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2010, 08:49:51 am »

Many thanks for the welcomes and replies - the Wiltshires are certainly getting tamer and more used to us. A few Ewe nuts each evening when I get home from work works wonders! They came from a larger (over 100 sheep) flock a couple of months ago and probably were not handled much before coming to us. The lamb is due her second wormer drench this week so wish me luck. She is a good deal easier to handle than the big ones.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2010, 10:26:12 am »

Hi and welcome TenTors. When we had Jacobs, which can be fairly hefty, we bought a cradle (think it might be called a sofa). It had some problems in that it was quite a struggle to get the wretched sheep into it and the round tubing of which the frame was constructed was not as strong as it needed to be, so distorted. Eventually we found that learning the knack - and it is a knack - of tipping the sheep made things much easier, so they sit on their bums and don't wriggle too much. I did see a far posher device which the sheep walked into and it then rotated them upside down - that worked great but was way beyond our league to buy. Our answer was to keep smaller breeds of sheep

Wiltshire horns are lovely though so you will want to persevere. Let us know how you construct your handling device and if it is successful.

Rosemary · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2010, 08:35:49 am »

Hi and welcome from Carnoustie!

TenTors · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2010, 01:55:22 pm »

I have bought a copy of the 'Golden Cockerel' series book - 'The Smallholder's DIY' and am going to have a go at building the Sheep Cradle which looks eminently doable with a few hours work. But I envisage that there may be a problem with executing the instruction 'walk the sheep alongside the cradle and roll her onto it' - although this should be a bit more civilised than out current method (get her down and sit astride her!). It will be a few weeks before this project is completed but I hope to report success.