Author Topic: when to shear our sheep? (Read 3883 times)

laurelrus · « **on:** April 15, 2015, 09:42:27 am »

We have some lovely Ouessants who we've had since last summer (they're just pets/lawnmowers) so this is the first year we've needed to shear them.
When is the right time?
Thanks very much.

Melmarsh · « **Reply #1 on:** April 15, 2015, 10:09:50 am »

When I had a few pet sheep I got them done anytime from the beginning of May to help prevent fly strike. It's different if they have lambed although having said that I still had them shorn in May whenever my shearer was in my area. First you have to find a shearer willing to do just three then it will probably be when you can be fitted in, I'd find a shearer and work it out from there, if he can't get to you until later then think about preventative treatment for fly strike as it's not nice !!!

kanisha · « **Reply #2 on:** April 15, 2015, 10:10:16 am »

They are primitives and will have a break in the fleece, do not be tempted to shear too early ( a common fault) as then you are left with ends from the moult that felt nicely into the new growth. Depending on where you are you may need to adjust the timing ( not to mention if you intend to use a shearer you may not have a huge amount of choice) I rarely start mine before June by which time they will have often started to lose their belly hair, it comes off much more easily if roo'd by hand than if you try to shear through a sticky mess. Often they will have started to lose fleece from their poll and possibly also neck this is a good indicator that the fleece is ready to come off.

devonlady · « **Reply #3 on:** April 15, 2015, 10:23:36 am »

Shear them in May, you'll shear them away, I was always told. If you're worried get them crutched and put Crovect or similar on them. The days are warm enough for flies but the nights are still cold.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** April 15, 2015, 10:43:06 am »

Just to mention... if you were planning on selling the fleeces to handspinners, you will need to be very careful about using Crovect. Just Crovect the areas that are high risk, and then make sure you skirt these off before selling the fleece - Fleecewife has written up what she does with her Hebs somewhere; she makes up a Crovect solution and uses a squirty bottle to apply. If you have used Crovect and are passing fleeces to handspinners, please tell them, even if you think you have skirted it all off, so that they can either pass the fleece up or at least wash the fleece accordingly.

Hellybee · « **Reply #5 on:** April 15, 2015, 11:18:45 am »

We shear at start of July, when saps risen. Clikzen has a shorter action than crovect.

Anke · « **Reply #6 on:** April 15, 2015, 11:23:09 am »

With three ouessants - smallish sheep I gather? - I would just load them in the back of the car(estate) and bring to a shearer(or nearest farm when they are clipping theirs), if you have someone nearby who is retired they will probably not mind doing three in an evening. It is absolutely not worth for a professional to set up for three sheep, it would take him less than 5 minutes!

Or get some handshears, watch some utube and have a go yourself!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #7 on:** April 15, 2015, 12:05:30 pm »

It does seem a waste to get a shearer for three little sheep. As Kanisha says, they are primitives so will have a fleece rise which is so easy to cut through, or you can roo them ie gently pull the fleece off lock by lock, while bracing the skin with your other hand. You'll have them for many years, so it's worth doing it yourself. Just choose a nice sunny day, sit out in the sun and take your time, either hand shearing or roo'ing. There's no rush. Sometimes when you roo, only part of the fleece is ready to come off, so you leave the rest, usually in the form of 'pantaloons'

for another couple of weeks.
For fly strike, there is a danger period from May until they are ready to be shorn, but with only three you can keep a very close eye on them - backsides, under the tail, up in the crutch and behind the shoulders. Check them daily and at the very first signs of an egg or maggot problem, deal with it. The fleece can be sacrificed for the welfare of the sheep.

laurelrus · « **Reply #8 on:** April 15, 2015, 12:16:28 pm »

Thanks very much for all the advice.
I do have electric dog clippers that I use to groom my dogs. Would these work on fleece? The Ouessants are small and quite happy to be handled and trimmed (I just did their rear ends to keep flies away in this hot weather).
Thanks again

kanisha · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2015, 02:54:31 pm »

You can use dog clippers if you have good blades and clean them regularly during shearing. I do all mine that don't roo with an oster A5 with 8.5 blade on. That said it isn't fast in comparison to a sheep blade( if only oster would realise and make a different blade !!) but as fleecewife says theres no rush I like to do mine of an evening when the heat has gone out of the day but its still in the fleece so nice and easy to shear. You will get covered in lanolin an added bonus