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Author Topic: sheep licks  (Read 5614 times)

Fieldfare

  • Joined Feb 2011
sheep licks
« on: December 17, 2011, 07:52:02 pm »
Hi all- does anyone know of a good and economical brand of sheep lick? I have 5 primitive shearlings looking in the pink of health feeding on plentiful green grass and 'varied weeds' with a couple of handfuls of sheep nuts every day at the moment (fortunately no snow!)  I hope they will all now be in lamb. I am assuming that I can get a one-lick-for-all? (without having to test my forage?).

Many thanks  :sheep:

waterhouse

  • Guest

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2011, 08:46:55 pm »
I use the yellow Rockies, they come in a pack of 2 and the sheep like them; no mollasses so they dont wolf it too quickly, Have never had any lamb/lambing probs with the sheep using them, the sheep are Shetlands

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2011, 09:40:54 pm »
If they have still plenty of grass and a wee bit of concnetrate, they shouldn't need any additional feed until about 6 to 8 weeks before they are due (plenty of hay after Christmas, especially if snow on the ground) I don't feed any licks until February, but mine are now on hay (not ad lib) and a very small amount of concentrate, as I need them to come into a pen every day for a check ony limping ones. (I have been battling lots of scald attacks). We have now also snow on the ground.

humphreymctush

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • orkney
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2011, 09:52:08 pm »
I too use yellow rockies. I stopped using the feed buckets after I found they caused wear on the incissors.
I recently got some plastic holders for the rockies. I have bolted them to a fence post. I use the red rockies for my ponies and cows so I can just swap them when I rotate the animals.

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2011, 08:55:12 am »
This is good advice, thank you all too. Having swapped from guzzling Rough Fells who used to love crystalyx molassed buckets, i did wonder about the Shetlands and what they'd need.
My goats have red Rockies, so I'll get some yellow ones for the sheep. Do you have to put them somewhere dry....?
One small problem - the regular supply of empty lick buckets has kept this holding functioning for years - now what will i do  :D

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2011, 10:37:32 am »
One small problem - the regular supply of empty lick buckets has kept this holding functioning for years - now what will i do  :D
You have been to our place, right?  How many gazillion did you want?!  ;) :D
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2011, 11:06:23 am »
The rockies seem to cope quite well with the wet, altho they do get a puddle where the sheep makes those sweet muzzle sized dents in the top!. The holders are good as it keeps them off the muddy ground. They are a cheapish way of just making sure they have the vits and mins without putting any extra weight on.

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2011, 11:44:11 am »
Thanks Lachlan  :)
Quote
You have been to our place, right?  How many gazillion did you want?!  
  :D well, I'm ok for them at the moment, but when my current cat litter/milking stool/fire ash/weeding/feed and water buckets start to break, I'd be glad to be able to beg some more  :)

humphreymctush

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • orkney
Re: sheep licks
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2011, 05:54:20 pm »
they dont need keeping dry but if you put them under a drip they soon wash away

 

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