[Black Raven]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section on here.
Has anyone ever set up or been part of a co-op owning and rearing livestock?
I'd really like to have some sheep, but I would find it hard to do all the necessary work on my own and I'd quite like someone elses input into owning them.
How would you go about setting it up and finding willing 'victims' as mad as me? 

[RUSTYME]

Hello  BR , you could try getting the sheep , and offering x amount of lamb/mutton/wool ,  for y amount of help at the required times . No help = no meat/wool etc . That would work ok for a few sheep . 
( by the  way , the pork was fantastic ,many thanks  xxx)

cheers Russ

[Sylvia]

That's a really good idea BR. I have the land, sheep, pigs, poultry,veggies, but could do so much more with it all if I had a like-minded person to share it all with. The OH is very good but is not a country person and has no instinct with livestock.
I think the only problem would be to find someone genuinely keen and not a dreamer who thinks it's all leaning on a gate and watching things grow We all know it's hard work, mud, early risings and out in ALL weathers
So, where to find someone? It would be awkward to take someone on, think, oh, this will be o.k. only to find a few months down the road that they would prefer to stay in bed in the mornings and let you do the lion's share of the work. How would you get rid of them? (unless Robert lived next door )
Anyone in the Newton Abbot, Devon area keen to come in??

[waterhouse]

Look at Share farming.  This came top of the list on a google search
http://www.ddc-wales.co.uk/client_files/share_farming_booklet1.pdf

[jaykay]

Raven, I've just ended up on my own and, having swapped breeds, so that now I have some sheep small enough to handle by myself, am not finding it difficult to look after them myself.

Advice for would-be solo shepherdess:
1. Get a small, hardy breed (I have Shetlands now) and don't have too many to start with
2. Join that breed society and also get to know some local sheep farmers, of whatever breed
3. Train your sheep to come to a bucket
4. Work out the best place to gather them and make this handling area work for you (this is the bit I don't have sorted out as well as I'd like yet)

You can get people in to shear them - most folk do. Other than that, it's dosing and feet clipping, neither is hard, and lambing -  again, if you get a hardy breed they'll mainly manage that themselves.

You're very welcome to come over here and see how things are arranged if you'd like.

I'd go for it 

[plumseverywhere]

Hi Black Raven

we are part of a co-op. we provide the land, water, I feed them and others put in the financials' and help as and when needed. Message me if you would like to know more.  It has advantages and disadvantages for all concerned but I'm more than happy to have a chat 

[Black Raven]

Look at Share farming.  This came top of the list on a google search
http://www.ddc-wales.co.uk/client_files/share_farming_booklet1.pdf

I will peruse that later thank you for putting it up. Thanks for all the replies, I was a bit hesitant at first, but I always remind myself everyone had to start somewhere.  I will say that I never just jump in and get an animal on a whim though, I see too many poor animals that are impulse purchases with the rescue we run.
Does everyone agree that re:sheep they are a good animal  to start with? I do have a little bit of experience as I used to help out with a friends Herdies and his fab goats when he had them. Plus I helped the shepherdess  who I lodged with when I lived near Stokenchurch Bucks. The estate had about 3000 sheep and I loved lambing time. Hard work, but amazing.
My short list would be Shetland, Hebridean or Boreray. Any plus /minus points for these breeds?
I'm lucky to have quite a few farming neighbours, one of them has just put my new chicken fencing up, so I know I'd be able to call on professional help if I needed it. Another  has a small flock of Manx

Hi Black Raven

we are part of a co-op. we provide the land, water, I feed them and others put in the financials' and help as and when needed. Message me if you would like to know more.  It has advantages and disadvantages for all concerned but I'm more than happy to have a chat 

I'd like to know more about the pros and cons plumseverywhere. Do you have sheep?
Jaykay don't invite me up you may find an unwanted lodger in your outbuildings

[plumseverywhere]

Hi BR

yes its sheep in the co-op. have PM'd you with how we do it.  I also keep goats and chickens of my own. Sheep have been a steep learning curve but they've done a great job keeping our orchard grass down bless them! 

[waterhouse]

We got half a dozen commercial sheep for lawn mowing purposes and learned from there, admittedly from already having horses, dogs, cats, chickens and bees.

Everyone has their view on sheep breeds.  Small ones are less to wrestle but are able to jump higher.  It doesn't matter what you start with, though, because you just need to get the basics sorted out.  Ours have all been bucket trained so no dog needed, just good fences and lots and lots of hurdles.  Plus a vet.

[Anke]

I think it all depends on how much and what kind of land you have got. If only an acre or two, breeding sheep would be quite difficult, but you could rear a couple of lambs for the freezer quite easily, then rest the field until next summer. If you want longterm sheep (and are interested in the fleece/wool), then having a couple of adults (preferably wethers) would give you lawn mowing plus wool, but would need winter care (hay, feed etc etc).

Also before you decide on the breed think exactly what you want from your sheep - if you are only interested in meat than a sheep that doesn't need shearing is obviously a good idea.

Shetlands are great (mine have yet to try and jump the fence), and there are quite a few small flocks around the country, so sourcing good stock should not be a problem. Hebs and Borerays may be quite difficult to get hold off, unless you know of a local breeder. Shetlands are also a good breed for someone keeping them on their own, I can up-end my Shetland tup quite easily, haven't tried the Texel yet... (and he is only a tup lamb...)

I have a small flock of  white pedigree shetland (I like to play around with natural dyes) for wool and meat for our own use, plus now a flock of commercial ewes plus texel tup to pay for my non-profit smallholding animals/hobbies.

We currently have an agreement with a friend/colleague and we are rearing two weaners and he will buy one of them at the point of slaughter. Means that I have an outlet for my goatsmilk and we only need one pig for our own needs. Not sure I would want a fully-fledged Co-op, as I like to keep my options open....

[mab]

From my own (very limited) experience, keeping (shetland) sheep is very easy; most of the time they look after themselves (as long as they've got grazing, water, lick and a bit of shelter), and it's just a matter of looking them over once or twice every day to see that they're happy and heathy. Feet and shearing can be scheduled at your convenience, and it's only if they develop a problem that it gets difficult - but not much more difficult than any other species.

They can jump over standard sheep netting, but my ewes seem to only do so when provoked (like leaving chicken/sheep feed in view on the other side).

They seem to be able to figure out for themselves what plants are poisonous and leave them alone.

Just bucket train them and devise a way to corral them for when you need it (being bucket trained is very handy for this).

[princesspiggy]

i agree with choosing the right breed. we changed from hebridean to boreray and find them much much easier to handle on my own. we keep 6 or 7 to the acre. our 1st sheep (inherited with farm) were big mules, and too big to turn - i do like handles horns....lol 

how do ur sheep co-ops work? we do a "buy-a-piglet scheme" so am curious to see how that translates to sheep.

[SallyintNorth]

Also before you decide on the breed think exactly what you want from your sheep - if you are only interested in meat than a sheep that doesn't need shearing is obviously a good idea.

I guess you mean a self-rooing one, Anke - you being in Scotland and Black Raven in The Lakes, a fleeceless one would not be the best option!  :brrrr: !

[Black Raven]

Also before you decide on the breed think exactly what you want from your sheep - if you are only interested in meat than a sheep that doesn't need shearing is obviously a good idea.

I guess you mean a self-rooing one, Anke - you being in Scotland and Black Raven in The Lakes, a fleeceless one would not be the best option!  :brrrr: !

Don't panic I have an afore mentioned sister (the who wants me to get an Alpaca) who knits! 
Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I'm going to see who is out there who may be interested and also have a good think and see what local land is available.
I  would prefer a rare breed of sheep, so the Shetland and Hebridean are definately worth a look. We have someone near by who breeds Hebrideans, so may not be too hard to source. Not mad on Texels, love Rough fells, but oh too much hair  and Herdies are naughty!! I'm thinking a couple of different breeds may be a good way to start. That's pretty much what I did with the hens until I decided on the Blue Orpingtons and Pekins. 

[princesspiggy]

I guess you mean a self-rooing one, Anke - you being in Scotland and Black Raven in The Lakes, a fleeceless one would not be the best option!  :brrrr: !

soay are a good scottish breed that dont need shearing.

I'm thinking a couple of different breeds may be a good way to start. That's pretty much what I did with the hens until I decided on the Blue Orpingtons and Pekins. 

we started off with a mixed batch of rarebreed sheep from someone who was going to set up a farm park but changed their mind. we had wensleydale, soay, herdwick and hebridean then choose to narrow it down to the hebrideans. choose what u like best and what suits your land.