[Pundyburn Lynn]

Hello folks,


I am looking to keep sheep on a hobby basis, and wondered what the smallest breed of sheep is?


Lynn

[Ladygrey]

I'm pretty sure its the ouessant sheep, there are people on this forum who keep them I dont know anything about them apart from that they are tiny!!

[Young Ed]

meat, wool, both or just for the fun of keeping sheep or for lawn mowing or what?
Cheers Ed

[Rosemary]

You also get babydoll Southdowns http://www.oldeenglishbabydollregistry.com/

[kanisha]

would have to agree you need to look at what you intend to keep sheep for to help decide on which breed might suit you best. 
To answer your question the Ouessant sheep is the smallest european breed there are others who might compete for the title overall.

[goosepimple]

Shetlands are wee and everybody seems to like keeping them, we have rare breeds which are worth a look at too - soay are good, self shearing, easy lambers, usual sheep problems don't seem to affect them, hardy, if you get lambs they would learn to come to the bucket.

[in the hills]

Soay are small. My daughter, now 12, can easily handle them and has done for several years now. Ours are bucket trained and will come running across several fields if you give them a shout. 

As others have said it depends what you want from them really.

[Pundyburn Lynn]

Thanks for the many replies!
The pressing need for sheep is to keep the 45 degree lawn in shape.  However, we do plan to smallhold at some point and are well used to having livestock, veggies and chickens.  Since looking at photos of ouessants I am somewhat transfixed by their size!
My new question to the ouessant keepers is... How easy are they to keep?  Being new to sheep I'm not clear if I need to have a holding number, ear tags, etc.  Is there a concise introduction to sheep keeping?
Lynn

[Marches Farmer]

You also get babydoll Southdowns http://www.oldeenglishbabydollregistry.com/

These are US versions of the Southdown, bred using the "tiddlers" that no-one in the UK (in their right mind) would use for breeding.  They're supposed to be close to the "original" Southdown - presumably they're talking about before John Ellman of Glynde in Sussex started to selectively breed for improved shape, wool and prolificacy around 1780. 

[kanisha]

Ouessants were originally a dual purpose breed both meat and wool. The meat was high value as it was pré-salé and considered very good eating. Today they have a number of uses but it is always good to keep in mind their original purpose, the breed  has never been miniaturised. I do use mine amongst other things to keep the lawn down about 20,000 m2 of lawn.... They require as little or as much care as most breeds of sheep including being shorn once a year, wormed vaccinated tagged declared etc. Do not assume because they are small they fall outside the livestock bracket on any count. However they are very easy to keep because handling is so much easier even an adult ram isn't going to go much past 18 kgs.  I thoroughly enjoy exploring using their fleece and that alone is more than enough to keep me occupied but there is plenty more to the breed, and they are a little bit cute

[Rosemary]

Have a look here Lynn http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/