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Author Topic: Jumping sheep!  (Read 6643 times)

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Jumping sheep!
« on: September 28, 2012, 10:54:17 pm »
Hi!

New around here, but you all seem to be a mine of information, so hope someone can help...

I have 10 well grown lambs and one or two in particular have started making a hobby of jumping over the fences and dry stone walls into my neighbour's field.  I seem to remember being told about some method of shackling two troublesome sheep together by an elderly farmer many years ago. 

The idea is obviously to make it too hard for the sheep to co-ordinate the jumping effort and they have to potter around in unison, grazing with each other etc.  It sounds a good idea and I have seen it in action, but have no idea of the length of tether needed between two sheep to be comfortable but not likely to become a hazard.

Has anyone got any knowledge or thoughts on this please?

bangbang

  • Guest
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2012, 11:11:44 pm »
Raise your fence and sort your wall.

Moleskins

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • England
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2012, 11:13:36 pm »
Don't know about the tying together bit, but when my sheep have gone 'over the wall' it's generally due to a lack of grass. Have they got enough to go at? Also what breed are they?
In the past I've had to do a bit of wall top fence to keep some in.
Time flies like an arrow but fruit flies like a banana.

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2012, 11:33:50 pm »
They're Nothern Mule wethers.

I think I may well have to put a top fence on the wall, at least as a temporary measure.  Grass is getting a bit short - they were due to go to market this Wednesday past but didn't due to the awful weather and flooding - but they've been jumping perfectly good fences for months, turning them into battered messes by half climbing in the process.  Up to now, it has been within my boundry so I've just fixed it up and carried on, but they are going onto someone else's land now, so rather more serious.  I'm not certain that the boundry fence isn't the neighbour's responsibility, but that isn't really the issue here.

tizaala

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Dolau, Llandrindod Wells,Powys
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2012, 07:57:32 am »
Catch the two trouble makers and keep them penned up till market time,  :fc:

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2012, 11:38:34 am »
Feed them....if they are becoming a mess and losing weight jumping out its simple feed them....and attend to your fences....dosent matter who owns the boundaries of your ground the sheep should not be escaping.....
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2012, 12:38:09 pm »
SELL first chance you get especially if grass is getting short,then repair and heighten your fences so you don't get a repeat next year .   You are now in a war, if sheep have been escaping for a day or two and you stop them then the odds favour you , but escaping for months, they now consider this normal and every repair you do they will try to find another way out, the odds are on their side :farmer:

colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2012, 06:21:02 pm »
Eat them, feed the others up and mend the fences :thumbsup:


In my experience once they know how to get out they will carry on and show the others too ;)
We'll turn the dust to soil,
Turn the rust of hate back into passion.
It's not water into wine
But it's here, and it's happening.
Massive,
but passive.


Bring the peace back

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2012, 10:46:08 pm »
Thanks.  They aren't losing condition: things aren't that grim yet! It's the fences that are battered messes, not the lambs! But they aren't "fat" yet either so not ready to slaughter.  I'm feeding them course mix and took them a bale of hay today in case they are feeling deprived of fibre.  I've got a private buyer coming to view my gimmers tomorrow - I think I'll try to persuade him that some nice big (strong) store lambs would be useful as well.

Meanwhile, I'm checking the marts for the next suitable sale as I really do need them gone.

I have got another 7 acres of good lush grass to move them onto if absolutely necessary (once I've fixed up a bit of shabby fence) but I think it is probably too rich for 10 half grown lambs.   :thinking:

So, no one knows about coupling up sheep then?
« Last Edit: September 29, 2012, 11:50:20 pm by Hevxxx99 »

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2012, 11:11:59 pm »
Here's an example of two tups chained together to stop them fighting.  I've seen the same with flighty ewes. Mine have no horns and I've no idea about length of chain or whether it would be unwise on youngsters though.



Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2012, 11:55:43 pm »
These are my reprobates


colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2012, 09:39:51 pm »
I have heard of tying them together, but then I have heard of training a sheepdog pup by tying it to a trained one.
Personally it just doesn't sit right with me :-\  I think fixing the fences will be a more humane option myself ;)
We'll turn the dust to soil,
Turn the rust of hate back into passion.
It's not water into wine
But it's here, and it's happening.
Massive,
but passive.


Bring the peace back

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2012, 09:15:16 pm »
Yes, long term, the fences need to be raised and strengthened. I was looking for short term solution to stop the jumping until they were fixed.  If I had a barn, I'd shut them in, but sadly I don't.  I think I agree that tying them together could be risky though, but possibly less so than tethering which was my other thought.

I hope that the lambs will be gone this time next week so that'll give me the winter to fix the fences before I get the next lot.  I don't think I'll get mules again though: the Texel crosses are far more amenable!

Moleskins

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • England
Re: Jumping sheep!
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2012, 10:17:55 pm »
Having seen the suicidal tendencies of mine with a long bramble, the last thing I'd give a sheep is a length of rope ;D ;D
Time flies like an arrow but fruit flies like a banana.

 

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