[OhLaLa]

As a novice shepherd I'm wondering the best way to go with this:

We have a couple of large fields, nicely stock fenced, and each field has a small sheep shelter in it. Away from the fields we also have an ex open sided (one side) cow barn that has an area fenced off within (using sheep hurdles) 'just in case'.

My question is, unless it snows (?) would the sheep do better outside or brought in? If brought in, when and until when?

Call me soft but I'm concerned about rain, wind (we get a lot of that), and wet feet.

Thanks for any pointers.

[Hermit]

Personally I alternate. My rota is a 2.5 acre field of good grass with running water for lambing time for about four months. Another same sized field meanwhile is left to hay and when that is cut I open the two up for the rest of the summer.Then the sheep go in a 35 hill field for winter with a shelter and burn. This gives the summer grazing time to rest and not get muddy and therefor weedy and crappy. The hill has been rested all summer and has lots of good grazing/ roughage to see through winter. Works well with no crappy spots so far.
Depending on what breed you have depends on hardiness, we have Shetlands so they only go in their shelter when really bad. You do need shelters even if you have natives, if they were wild they would walk miles to a good shelter valley or lea side of a hill. When they are stuck in boundaries they cant and do suffer. When the fleece gets too heavy with rain it can split down the back and let rain in so a shelter is good. The large farmers with the Southern breeds do take their stock in all winter but they have them lamb early as well.

[Fleecewife]

As Hermit says it depends on the breed.  We keep Hebrideans, Soay and Shetlands and they stay outside all year, including to lamb.  They have good sized field shelters and they all make a run for it with the first drops of rain - primitive but not daft    We have also kept, in the past, down-type sheep and we found that where we are it's too wet for them, so their fleeces went pink (local algae - oddly not green).  If your land is wet, make a big pile of rocks for them to play on or an area of concrete hard standing for them - this will help to keep their feet worn down and allow them to be dry.  Black feet (as with Hebs and Soayetc) are a bit harder than white, so stand up to wet better.  Last winter our snow was 2' deep and the sheep stayed outside.  They spent their time between the shelters, the food trough, the hayrack and the willow cuttings we put out for them.  They made narrow paths (which we used too) with little one-way system bypasses to prevent head-on stand-offs - all very clever.  When the snow was less than about 10" deep they could scrape down to the grass but then it became too deep. In my experience, sheep will look out for themsleves very well, as long as you have provided an appropriate amount of feed and shelter - you don't need to fuss over them. Indoors there is a risk of pneumonia and other diseases.  And they love a windy day on the hill

[humphreymctush]

In-wintering sheep is for the benefit of the land, not the sheep. It allows a greater stocking density. If you are overstocked in the winter you might not have enough grass at lambing time. If you keep your sheep in you can turn them out onto good growth.

[lachlanandmarcus]

My Shetlands stay outside all year, including in the 3 months of deep snow and -20+ last year. They also lamb outside, tho as soon as they have lambed they are brought inside the steading for a few hours, or overnight if they need castrating. This is mainly to let them dry off and for me to check they are drinking ok and have bonded.

We have a pig arc shelter but other than that theres just a noughts and crosses shaped windbreak made of pallets :-)
I makes sure with tractor or quad that they always have tracks to and from the hay rack and the water buckets.

Here are a couple of pics last winter.
Curly the ram

Coco the lambie

[morri2]

Sheep like being outside and its good for them provided its not snowing/wet and windy when they will definitely need shelter in one form or another.  If you have field shelters where they can keep out of the prevailing wind and  can all fit in comfortably that should fine.  Even the shelter provided by wooded hillsides or hedges is quite effective.  The main problem is when the sheep are wet and there is a biting cold wind and nowhere to shelter from it.  But there's no real need to keep them indoors all winter and in any event housed sheep contract all kinds of illnesses - they spread like wildfire where sheep are closely confined.