Author Topic: new to sheep (Read 2563 times)

Marsbar · « **on:** December 12, 2012, 06:55:07 pm »

Hi all,

I'm wondering if i'm able to have a few(2 or 3) sheep but never looked into it before so i have a few question's.

How much space do they need ?

how long do they take to finish ?

what 'extra's' do they need ?

Cheers

Richard

smiley bucket · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2012, 08:16:02 pm »

I'm wondering if i'm able to have a few(2 or 3) sheep but never looked into it before so i have a few question's.

How much space do they need ? Keep 'em tight, if you give them room to turn round you'll soon know about
it.

how long do they take to finish ? You will usually finish before them.

what 'extra's' do they need ? Some say they like it when you nibble their ears .

Sorry only joking, someone sensible will be along soon to help you out

Sylvia · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2012, 08:36:35 pm »

How much room depends on whether you have little primitives or huge mules. I would say, to get the best from them, five little ones or three big ones to the acre.
Do you mean to breed them? If lambs are born in April they will fatten on good grass and go away in October/November. If you buy in weaned lambs in, say August, they will be ready to go without any supplementary feed at about the same time.
The only extras they will need is a digestive biscuit a day to keep them used to human contact. Not only does this make them unafraid when they go to slaughter but it keeps them close so that you can keep a good eye on them.
Smiley bucket needs a good old slap

SteveHants · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2012, 10:34:20 pm »

All depends on what you want to do.

I keep 3/ac (plus lambs) in summer and 1.5/ac in winter, but I dont feed. Any more than that and you will need to.

smee2012 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2012, 10:54:12 pm »

We have two paddocks of 1 acre each and kept four lambs in each over the summer. The four boys went off to slaughter this week and so there will be just the four girls left. We will cycle the two paddocks over the winter and we do give a couple of handfuls of ewe nuts each day now because the ground is so wet and is looking a bit sparse on grass.