[NethertonSH]

Morning all,

We are just getting started with our small flock ( of 12 Shetlands) and having spent yesterday morning in the rain trying to re-arrange my sheep into the right fields, i.e ewes and tups, and ewe lamps, I am now questioning whether I want my sheep to be tame or not. When we bought our first 5 they were fairly tame but after having to tip one a couple times to sort out a foot issue and give her a couple jabs of antibiotic she has lost all trust. So now they are somewhere between tame and not tame i.e. they're not tame enough to follow me with a bucket to the right field but are neither scared enough of me to be herded to the right field.   

Whats peoples thoughts? Do they have to be very tame or not tame at all to make life easier?

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I find that if sheep are tame, I:E pet lambs for example, they don't fear humans so much which can be a positive and also a negative. If sheep are too tame, pet lambs, they don't always like to do what you want them to do, they like to go their own way, which can be and is sometimes a problem. My sheep are not too tame, they do come up for cake, but I do have to run to catch them, mind you mine is a big flock. You can have problems either way. I prefer semi tamed sheep, I have semi tamed sheep.  Semi tamed sheep are the best to have in my opinion, although you will need a dog. Personally I would go with semi tamed sheep, try to spend some time with them an get them used to a routine, remember there has to be trust between a shepherd and his sheep, they have to trust you.There are of course many advantages and disadvantages with any sheep, whether tamed or non tamed or even semi tamed. Semi tamed are the best in my opinion, not too friendly in that they will run after you all the time, but not too wild so that you can catch them. This is just my opinion, the question is what are you happy with?

[roddycm]

You want them tame enough to follow a bucket. You'll be thankful if you find yourself having to do something with them on your own.

[sabrina]

I prefer tame as much easier to move about and handle. We have hebs at the moment Who only have to see me in the field and there off.

[Fleecewife]

I wouldn't say tame so much as relaxed with humans around.  I don't like my sheep to scatter when we walk into the field, but if they all crowd round to try to get something out of our pockets, that's OTT.  I love it though when we call them and they all come running towards us, then stand in a line a short distance away to see if there's anything tasty on offer.

Yes, overly tame sheep, such as bottle lambs, become a right pita, wanting to follow you everywhere, and bawling their heads off if you're not around. We don't like to raise lambs on the bottle, and any orphans in the past have been fostered onto a ewe.

Getting them relaxed in your company takes time and involves walking amongst them every day until they stop treating you like the predator we all are.  We would chase a sheep only if absolutely nothing else was going to work - except nowadays neither of us can chase a sheep. We have a consistent way of bringing the sheep in, so now they know what's expected of them.  Our terrier tells them what's about to happen and they seem resigned to just doing it.  We handle them gently, and try not to grab at them.
Our sheep have been here a long time, most have been born here, and any new purchases learn from the old crew. 

[SallyintNorth]

Same as FW - tame but cautious is best.  So they'll follow you and a bucket mostly, but have enough respect-not-fear to move away if you shoosh/clap or whatever.

Same with the dog.  The sheep need to be not so bothered by the dog/s that they just run for the hills, but respectful enough to move away when the dog tells them.

[NethertonSH]

So it seems being reasonably tame is preferred as opposed to having them scatter when you go in the field. To be honest prior to having to look at their feet they were pretty good, and getting them penned up for the vet was easy. I'll think I'll just have to spend some time building the trust back up with them.

Thanks for the reply's.

[Marches Farmer]

I agree with FW.  Just moving quietly amongst them each day and, if they get jumpy, stopping and moving back from their flight zone works wonders in quite a short time.  The ones I don't want too tame are rams - they can seek to dominate, especially at tupping time, so a little bit of mistrust is quite acceptable as far as they're concerned.

[Me]

Its a PIA if there are some tame and some wild, best if they all react in the same way which ever way you go

[Timothy5]

Tame works for me, every time. I'm far too long in the tooth to go running around after them. That only serves to get them even more stirred up, and more stressed.

Same things with my pigs, I'd much rather just call them to me, and let them follow to where they need to be.

I don't keep sheepdogs, mine are Deerhounds and Greyhounds, so not a herding dog at all, although they do serve admirably as guards as well.

[NethertonSH]

Its a PIA if there are some tame and some wild, best if they all react in the same way which ever way you go

I think that was exactly the problem I had, they were all following the bucket nicely except the one that had stopped trusting me after the issue with its foot which was then putting doubt in the others minds when it wasn't following. 

[Foobar]

You will always get some that sometimes lose trust in you, it just takes time to rebuild that trust (usually via food).


What's worse is when your ewes are beautifully trained to go you whereever you want them to but their lambs (usually by about 4 months old) have a mind of there own and b*gger off in the opposite direction ....

[shotblastuk]

I would say this depends alot on the size of flock. 10-40 ewes tamed up makes life easier rather than harder. 100+ ewes charging towards you and a bucket with no intentions of stopping is another matter!!! Like MF said tamed Rams are a serious hazard at certain times of the year especially the larger or horned breeds. I found out the hard way that a rams head is basically a concrete block on legs!!

[Marches Farmer]

6 times as thick as a human skull and on legs that can sprint at 30 mph!

[Hellybee]

I've found at the Molly/ Cade lambs are so tame, when it comes to tipping them and stuff they're pretty naughty to do, the wilder ones are much easier.   So I'd go with what WBF says.