[mab]

Well I have four easycare sheep arrived today; they come from a big herd and are not bucket trained - if I approach them with a bucket they move away without waiting to see what I've got.

Any tips for getting them started? (I hoped my last shetland (Elfie) would set an example - which she did; she was all over me -  but I think these new sheep are not sure about Elfie yet (apparently they've never seen a black sheep before) and they won't approach her even when she's stuffing her face from the bucket and I'm 20 yds away.

[bazzais]

Put the bucket down - put arms behind back - look at floor.

[Fleecewife]

Or put some in a trough then retreat.  If they haven't had that kind of feed before they won't even eat it at first.  Give them time to sample it for a while then eventually they will be happy to approach the trough before you have put the food out.  Ideally keep the other sheep away or there will be none left for them to try.  Once they recognise that the bucket contains the food then they will follow you anywhere.

[mab]

thanks - fortunately separating elfie isn't a problem - thay still don't trust her (though she can get nearer than me).

[Bionic]

[quote author=Fleecewife link=topic=37178.msg368343#msg368343 date=.  Once they recognise that the bucket contains the food then they will follow you anywhere.

Once they recognise the bucket you will get a stamped 

[Foobar]

Once they recognise the bucket, or the bucket shake, include a verbal call in with it as well.  Eventually you will be able to ditch the bucket and just call them.  I've found being able to call my sheep from the other end of the field very handy indeed!! (okay it's taken about three years but they have finally got the message!)

[in the hills]

Our Soay ewe lambs were like that when they first arrived. They had had little human contact and no concentrate.


We left the bucket in the field and went back in the house. They came to have a look once we were out of sight.    Gradually over the next week we "hung around" ..... at first in the next field and then a little closer each day. We did this 2-3 times each day but only a handful of food and in 2 or 3 buckets and didn't take any notice of them but made ourselves "busy" with other stuff. We shout a come here call ..... in not very good Welsh ..... hee hee. They know the call and come running across 3 fields when shouted .... it's like a stampede. Also know the sound of the metal bin lid that contains the food and come running to that as well 


Within a couple of weeks they were straight over and several of them hand feeding not long after that.


Enjoy them 

[bigchicken]

Hee hee brilliant    so funny, I shout mine in with the words kiledy kiledy and when folks ask what that means I tell them it's shetland for here here. The reason is even more obscure my partners granny us to shout the cows in with the words kiledy kiledy you porridge is ready. So you could say that I am carrying on an old family tradition. It can take a wee while to bucked train them but it can make penning easy.

[mab]

Good advice all - One of them has cottoned on and is cautiously approaching when I come out with the bucket - trouble is at lease one of the others is oblivious so the bucket is empty when she finally wanders over (only using tiny amounts of ewe nuts - little & often). Oh and Rosie the pony has cottoned on to the bucket too, and I'm not sure the electric fence is much of a deterrent where food is concerned.


I'm a bit concerned I won't be able to get them in in a hurry, as two seem to have developed mucky bums since they arrived - I have put them on long grass which they may not be used to (they were wormed before they came) - and one is limping (I'm hoping it's just a minor strain from being manhandled into a trailer, worming, sorting etc, but it's not cleared up yet).


I think I've been spoilt by the calm trusting behaviour of my shetlands (even estell -who was the wary one - would let me stroke the end of her nose).


I always 'baa' to call my (old) sheep - just seemed logical.

[Fleecewife]

I shout 'Come o-o-on sheep'    The tups ignore me totally though, but the ewes come running, and the lambs learn soon enough too.
 
For the hens for some reason I call 'hen-loos'. 
 
It's more the intonation I suspect, although many of the sheep do answer to their names.
 
Daft 

[in the hills]

"Peck-peck" for my hens    .... well it's what my dad always shouted 

[devonlad]

when we took delivery of our first sheep- 3 just weaned ewes about 5 years ago they were completely and utterly gfvbscatty. one of them tried to jump a stock fence and got hung up just moments after arrival when we tried to herd them out into the main field. now our flock is somewhat bigger and certainly know now exactly what a bucket looks like. from the very start i would whistle to them every time i fed them, so instead of training our spaniel i trained the sheep instead. They will follow me anywhere and if i stand at the back door whistling for the dogs what usually happens is that the sheep  drop whatever they're doing and come haring up to the fence. My friend who also runs a few sheep has a lovely collie who is keen (but rubbish!!!) . on occasions we run our sheep together to rest grazing and if we are due to move them the OH and i tend to nip out first thing and whistle them along the lane and into the new field before Madge and her owner arrive. if we dont do it in time we can guaranteee it will take far far longer, with sheep being chased in all directions and general stress for everyone. for the chickens it's "chook chook"

[SallyintNorth]

I always used "Bok Bok" for my hens, but BH uses "Chook chook", so now ours are bilingual!

My fleece sheep know "Come oooooo-ooon sheep" - that's if they aren't already at the gate having heard the door squeak where I keep their feed.

The Jerseys each know their own name, and also understand, "Just Hillie" (Plenty stays back, etc).

The pigs have usually cottoned on by the time I get to them, but if not it's "PigPigPigPigPigPig PIIIIIG!!"  And "Meeee-eeee----e-eeegPig!"

In truth if any of my lot hears any of the above, they know I'm about and will get to them soon, so they start to call each other - and me - and congregate.

My sheep can detect an empty bucket at 20 paces  .  But generally, as long as there is actual cake in the bucket, they'll follow me to wherever I want them.  It's a big help to have someone in hiding waiting to close the final gate, though - several times I've lost them at the last moment, as the wily ones (usually the Manxes) realise I am about to pen them up as I turn back for the gate!

[mab]

well I've now got 1 sheep who comes quick, 2 sheep cautiously approaching, and 'limpy' who seems a bit timid & submissive and won't approach the bucket until the others have emptied it (her limp is less but still there - which concerns me a bit).


Am a bit annoyed with the chap i got them off as he told me he was going to worm them before he brought them (he delivered them for me), but today when I talked to him on the phone he admitted he forgot and that they ought to be wormed - I don't mid that he forgot, but i wish I'd known before letting them out into the paddock with Elfie.

[shygirl]

once winter sets in and they are hungry, keep a routine of feeding them and they will soon learn. make the bucket rattle, its part of the association training.