[JMB]

Hello.
Having downsized we are left with just a handful of sheep. We don't have alot of land, so although we won't be lambing next year, we did consider housing the sheep over the winter to let the ground rest.
We have stables we could adapt.
We could either put them inside all winter, or put them in the area with the stable open door open so they  could go in, but have an outside yard area of hard standing they could walk about in as well.
They haven't been housed before so I'm not sure which would be less stressful
I have a head full of pros and cons but can't decide.
Any advice helpful
Thank you
Joanne xxxxx

[Bramblecot]

Due to waterlogged ground, we had to house some of ours last winter for about 2 months. 

I pinned back the doors on 2 stables and made a pen across the front with 6 hurdles.  The hayrack and water were in one stable and we hung hazel and willow branches in the other.  The feed troughs hung on the hurdles.  It worked really well and the sheep mooched from one stable to the other and around the pen seeing what was on offer.  They calmed down quite quickly.
They all tended to sleep in one stable (the one without food) and that needed cleaning more often. 

Their feet were in really good nick by the end of the winter - much better than the sheep in the fields -  and they had no respiratory problems.
As the weather improved we made another hurdle pen over grass (in the garden) and they went out there for the day and came in at night.
It all seemed very empty  when they went back out in Spring.

[shygirl]

ours never really took to staying in and refused to eat very much hay at all. depends on their temperment or breed i expect.

[SteveHants]

Also - housing sheep has its own disease risks, and transfer of disease between sheep is likely to be faster indoors.

[JMB]

Bramblecot, your stables found like a luxury pad!
I think we could fix something like that up fairly easily.
Did you shut them in at night or just leave it open? I wondered if they'd feel more nervous with one option or the other?
Our sheep are a bit timid and won't like it, but I was hoping they'd get used to it.
Anyway, thank you for your advice and comments.
Joanne xxxx

[Bionic]

We have only had our sheep for a year and um'd and ah'd about them having a shelter last year. We didn't get round to it in the end but I noticed, given half a chance, they would shelter in the overhang for the stable. They were also quite keen on getting into the stable when the door was open but maybe that's because that's where their food is kept. They aren't daft 

[Bramblecot]

I should have added that the stable doors were open all the time so they had free access and could stay in or out.  There is a overhang to the stables.  They were most unhappy and stressed if I shut the stable doors and I would not recommend that.  And cramped conditions must surely massively increase the spread of any infection.
As I said, we only brought them in because the fields were waterlogged and that caused even more problems.

[firther]

Personally I'd leave them out, even in that heavy snow this year ours were trying to get out lol. Last thing you want is phenomena etc.

[shep53]

As some one who has inwintered large numbers of sheep for 35 yrs, plus outwintering even longer i find little difference in feet problems or pneumonia,outside sheep eat more but inside ones use straw.  Inside but running outside uses more bedding and has slightly more foot problems as the sheep get wet and bring the damp inside ,  The shed needs to be the same temp as outside with a large air flow above sheep height

[shygirl]

As some one who has inwintered large numbers of sheep for 35 yrs, plus outwintering even longer i find little difference in feet problems or pneumonia,outside sheep eat more but inside ones use straw.  Inside but running outside uses more bedding and has slightly more foot problems as the sheep get wet and bring the damp inside ,  The shed needs to be the same temp as outside with a large air flow above sheep height

is there an ideal size of barn / flock? iv seen lovely sheep barns at least 20mx60m, with a good size flock in them, lots of ventilation etc
however when i tried to keep mine in (was actually for lambing,it was 5 ewes in a stable 14"x14". they really didint want to be there and were losing weight but luckily lambed quickly and were back out again.

[shep53]

Reccomendation for commercial x ewe is approx 1.5sq m ,with lambs approx 2sq m so your shed 18.5 sq m is more than double for 5 ewes .  I house ewes that may be 6yrs old straight of a hill but must at some point in their life have eaten silage  and nuts or they would lose weight rapidly before learning to eat