[mab]

There's a single sheep appeared on the forestry land on the other side of the stream to me and she(?) keeps bleating and seems to want to come over to be with my sheep. the forestry land was cleared january 2012 and is now rather brambly with 2' tall trees. I thought she was 'velcroed' in so went over to free her and have a look but she pulled free and is quite flighty - won't come to a bucket and I can't see any tags.

trouble is I've asked around all the neighbours abutting the forestry land that I can find but nobody seems to be missing a sheep, and whilst she's not coming to any harm, she is essentially in a big bramble patch and I'm worried she is going to get stuck -she seemed to spend the last  48 hours sat in one spot bleating - to judge by what I've seen when checking my own sheep, but when I go up to see if she's stuck she goes crashing through the brambles so I back off again.

In a way it's a pity she wasn't stuck as I could have grabbed her and heaved her over the fence in with mine where I could keep a better eye on her.

[DartmoorLiz]

How distressing for you and sheep .  She's lucky she has you to keep an eye out - but she does not know it.  If she gets stuck you'll be able to rescue her.  Until then I don't suppose anyone would mind if you left some food for her in order to gain trust, doesn't sound easy though. 

[harmony]

We are surrounded by herdwicks so stray sheep are common here. Sometimes they are on their own and sometimes with others. Anyone with a big flock wont miss the odd one. She is possibly looking for a tup. Possibly she will make her way over to you, then you can check any tags.

[mab]

Actually I do still have the tup running with mine so you may be right - I kind of forgot as he's not shown any interest in them for a while (went in last week of oct) - but where she was sitting for 2 days wasn't by the fence but up the hill a ways. Who knows.

curiously, she's got a dark-grey face and only one of the neighbours I've seen has similar sheep - but they've only got a few and they're sure all theirs are accounted for.

[harmony]

Here the herdwicks have a smit mark  but I have never bothered to learn which belong to which farm. I tell my nearest neighbour if I have a stray and they either say it's theirs or tell me who it belongs to.

[BenBhoy]

Would you really introduce an unknown ewe into.your flock?? Bio security?? She could be riddled with anything & infection your flock.

[Foobar]

There are stray sheep in the forestry in south wales.  The forestry commission even employ shepherds to round them up .


You could call your local forestry commission office and ask if they have a contact number of anyone they use.  Or catch her (!) and call animal health/trading standards (but keep it separate from yours).

[Marches Farmer]

Seems a good cause of action to take.  We generally put the word around the local farmers and someone turns up to claim strays.  We have, however, just been notified of a small flock of pedigree Texels and Suffolks turning up on someone's farm with no tags, so maybe stolen and dumped when the thieves changed their mind.

[Anke]

Yes, definitely wouldn't introduce her to your own flock. Just asking for trouble... as sad as it is, if she is unclaimed, the safest to do would be to get her shot, before she gets stuck in brambles....

[sheeponthebrain]

Yes, definitely wouldn't introduce her to your own flock. Just asking for trouble... as sad as it is, if she is unclaimed, the safest to do would be to get her shot, before she gets stuck in brambles....

just a thought, but would she be any greater a health risk to your flock than sheep bought from a mart?  chances are she's been exposed to far less diseases than your average sheep that is sold at breeding sales or a stock up that has been brought out at the shows?

[Sbom]

I agree.. shes likely to be much less of a risk than anything bought from the market where animals are exposed to all sorts.
Id catch and if not claimed, worm,  vaccinate,  quarantine,  tag and say happy Christmas me!

[mab]

Well thanks for the replies folks    . She's still there and OK.


Putting her in with mine was a thought rather than a considered plan; That said, assuming she's from one of the near fields I wouldn't expect her to be high risk. Catch and quarantine is my preferred plan ATM but I'd probably need to organise a group to catch her - she's not going to starve where she is as long as she doesn't get stuck.


It's not a huge area of forestry and there are only a few adjacent properties (and no public roads, so the dumped stolen sheep scenario seems unlikely), so I'm still hoping she's one of the neighbours', and the message that there's a lost sheep will get through to them.


I do have a number for one of the forestry chaps though - somewhere - so I may give him a call.

[harmony]

I agree.. shes likely to be much less of a risk than anything bought from the market where animals are exposed to all sorts.
Id catch and if not claimed, worm,  vaccinate,  quarantine,  tag and say happy Christmas me!

Round here if someone finds they have someone else's sheep they either take it back or get the owner to collect. It generally maintains better neighbourly relations than the above.

[harmony]

Yes, definitely wouldn't introduce her to your own flock. Just asking for trouble... as sad as it is, if she is unclaimed, the safest to do would be to get her shot, before she gets stuck in brambles....

Ah, then you will find it easier to read the ear tags and let the owner know you have had their sheep shot 

[farmers wife]

'Strapper sheep' on common land is a problem for us. They are usually Welsh and many a time carry scab.   There should be markings or ear tags.  You should always keep strapper sheep away from yours for various reasons and (I know most ignore) its classed as bringing stock on farm hence 7 day rule.  This has been a problem for farmers around common land as these blighters are flighty as hell and impossible to catch you have to round up everything to get them in.


If its not tagged then you can just bring it into the flock but ensure you are not bringing any aliments/disease/worms etc.  Usually sheep on common land have ear nicks if you can find any usually the local big sheep farmer will know ownership.  Not all flocks are local either,  people use tack from around the UK.