[Tracy mayoh]

Who can help with my list of what sheep can snack on
For example can they eat bread crumbs mixed in with there grain
Can they eat carrots ??
What else is safe for them
Neighbours chikdrenkeep wanting to bring the kitchen scraps such as cabbage etc

[harmony]

Feeding kitchen scraps to animals isn't recommended and for some animals, pigs and chickens, it is illegal. It is around disease control. I'm afraid I'm not a believer in treats and snacks for any animal unless it serves a purpose and then it should be in moderation. They can snack all day on grass in the field.


Training sheep to come to a bucket is however a very useful thing when you need to catch them. Having them thinking every time they see you they may get something to eat is not especially as they get bigger.

[in the hills]

Ours have a 'treat' of a tiny amount of sheep coarse mix.

It keeps them 'tame' and bucket trained.

I call them and pour it into the feed trough. Good to get them up close and check their health, for fly strike, etc

It's a tiny amount, third of a handful each maybe!

Not sure what else would be healthy or beneficial to give a sheep.

[Tracy mayoh]

So the rest of time are yours just on grass

[in the hills]

We only have 7 Soay sheep (small primitives) and haven't bred from them for the last 3 years. I use their fleece in craft work.

They are on a couple of acres of hilly Welsh land at about 800 ft.

They have plenty of grass during the Summer months. We start feeding ad lib hay around the end of October. We stop feeding hay once the grass starts growing in the Spring.

The coarse mix is a treat though we give a bit extra if the weather is hard in the Winter.

If you're not breeding from your sheep, you'll probably follow a similar pattern, depending on your land and location.

[twizzel]

My sheep get a few nuts every now and then to keep them bucket tame but apart from that don't get treats... they have no need for treats and the last thing you want is fat sheep mobbing you every time you go in the field 

[Anke]

When I first got sheep I also got given a couple of oldies (11 and 12 yo Shetland ewes). They both came to the "rustle of a plastic bag with toast in it" and then you would feed the toast by hand to them... very useful if you want to check on oldies in particular and there is no need to get the whole flock coming to you... the rest (and also these two girls) also came to the bucket, so they would come in easily.

My goats go crazy (and come galloping to you) for the rustle of the plastic wrapper of oat cakes... another useful treat option. But you have to rustle it!

[harmony]

So the rest of time are yours just on grass

Yes. They are only fed anything else in winter when there is no grass or little in it. Then they would get hay. They only get hard food if they are breeding sheep and need extra or a bit thin or been finished for the sale ring for example. There are bucket licks out there to make sure they are getting enough minerals and vitamins and you can give them a mineral drench.


Did I read somewhere they are Rylands in which case I believe they get fat on fresh air?

[kanisha]

windfall apples in quantity .... they would rot on the ground otherwise. same for cherries plums and pears. I will feed dried apricots by hand to individual sheep keeps them tame. I have found feeding wholemeal bread useful as a top up to individual sheep as said it helps to be able to supplement individually and this works well in a group of sheep where those who are already low aren't able to fight their corner for extra rations.

[Gunestone]

On occasion I have been know to give our hebrideans a digestive biscuit.  Not very healthy but oh do they love them!

[Backinwellies]

Ryeland's get fat just looking at food (hmm must be related to me  ).  ....   Grass is more than enough.  To keep tame a very few lamb nuts occasionally.

[pharnorth]

My Ryelands get the occasional horse treat if they are obliging enough to get on the trimming stand. They love them.

[CarolineJ]

On occasion I have been know to give our hebrideans a digestive biscuit.  Not very healthy but oh do they love them!

One of my neighbours still reminisces about the time he took his lambs in to sell at Thurso mart and the auctioneer bent down to say, 'Good-looking lambs, John.  What have you been feeding them on?'  John didn't realise that the auctioneer's microphone would pick up his reply, and 'Digestive biscuits and cheese,' boomed round the ring, causing general hysteria.  He got the last laugh, his lambs topped the sale!

[Marches Farmer]

Ryeland's get fat just looking at food.   Grass is more than enough.  To keep tame a very few lamb nuts occasionally.

I agree.  Maybe the neighbour's children could start a compost heap? 

[laurelrus]

We do give our Ouessant sheep treats occasionally, they come running when they see the goats getting a treat - carrots, apple, cabbage, chard....