Author Topic: sheep feet and deckchairs! (Read 4331 times)

pikilily · « **on:** January 30, 2009, 12:18:00 pm »

thought that would catch your attention!!!

Ok I need to learn how to trim my sheep's feet. what do you use - a knife or those clipper things? pros and cons of each?

Also - this is the deckchair bit- i have seen those sheep seats on e-bay. they sort of look like deckchairs for our wooly friends. Are they any use? these one are less than £20. sounds reasonable. Am I daft or will they help me...i would be able to work by myself....without killing my back.
cheers Emma

kaz · « **Reply #1 on:** January 30, 2009, 01:13:27 pm »

We use the deckchair for trimming our lambs feet until they are big enough to go into the turnover crate. We have in the past used them on the sheep, you basically walk them backwards into them.
I personally use foot shears a lot less dangerous.

BadgerFace · « **Reply #2 on:** January 30, 2009, 01:32:04 pm »

£20 sounds a bargain price, I've seen them for about £60 on Ascot (I think). Handy to have if you are trimming on your own without a crate. When I had Charollais, the rams were too big and heavy for me to turn, so I trimmed them standing up like a horse !! Amazing what you can do when their heads in a bucket of nuts. As Kaz said, foot shears are less dangerous and much easier than a knife - do you have a local shepherd that can give you quick trimming lesson ?

pikilily · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2009, 05:49:16 pm »

yes i will getting a bit of training from my local sheep friend. Its good to hear different opinions though. I like the sound of the deck chairs for the solo shepherd. bought some shears this afternoon along with heaps of other lambing stuff.
cheers emma

garden cottage · « **Reply #4 on:** January 30, 2009, 06:23:35 pm »

Hi, regarding foot trimming we have found pruning shears but with long straight edge not curved are easier to use especially for fiddly feet rather than the traditional ones

Rosemary · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2009, 07:43:08 pm »

We use foot shears - just make sure they're sharp and don't assume new ones are. A friend of ours bought new shears and they were quite blunt.

We turn ours - or at least Dan does, but I was talking to Jinx the other day, bent over and picked up her hoof like a horse. So tomorrow, I'm going to try it that way.

kaz · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2009, 10:58:11 am »

We always do our very pregnant sheep like a horses hoof. Less stress for them in their final stages as their feet grow like mad when they are pregnant.