Herdwick sheep

[Moobli]

I just love my Herdys. I have wanted some for years and finally got five ewe lambs and a wether lamb last year. I am hoping to rent some land locally and keep more, so looking forward to a trip to Cockermouth and Broughton marts later this year Who else has Herdys?

They have such characters. It was my son's idea to introduce his toy "Little Herdys" to the real thing

And a little video of taking them in for clipping. They are not used to being worked by a dog or being moved from one place to another so it was ... erm, interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqGO-lHMvjM

 

[Apercrumbie]

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I hear that they're a right pain to keep contained though.

 

[Moobli]

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I hear that they're a right pain to keep contained though.

You do need good fences. My hubby bought some for the Estate a good few years ago and they kept escaping and making their way to the Shooting Lodge garden ... so they had to go They were bought straight off a Lakeland fell though so were hefted to the ground and probably wanted to keep making their way south and home My little gang weren't brought from a hefted flock and I haven't had any problems at all with them trying to escape. They do have around 60 acres of hill ground and rough grazing to go at, so think they are happy. Might be a different scenario when I buy more.

 

[sjb10]

They are lovely looking sheep, and seem to have lots of character! I do love watching sheep dogs work, it is amazing to see how yours reacted to the sheep.

 

[ycbm]

Friend has a flock of seventy Hers are a very dark brown, almost black, before they go grey. I use the black wool in my arena surface.

 

[Nudibranch]

Gorgeous! Sadly my Herdy flock only consists of mugs and Baby NBs toy one at the moment but I WILL get some real ones when he's a bit older. I was offered some when I was pregnant and stupidly turned them down...too much to do I said...what was I thinking?!

 

[ponyparty]

OH wow, lucky you! I LOVE this breed! Every time I go to the Lake District I can't help but point them out excitedly. I don't think OH realised I'm a closet sheep fanatic until our recent holiday he's probably already steeling himself to say no to a little flock haha!
I thought I'd read somewhere that they shed their wool naturally and therefore don't need shearing - perhaps my source was out though (or my memory!).
I just love the colour of them, and how when you see them grazing on the fells from afar you sometimes can't tell if it's a rock or a sheep! Truly part of the land up there.

 

[texas]

aww, they're really rather cute! Thanks for sharing.

 

[tatty_v]

I love herdies, those pictures are fab. Still can't persuade my husband to let us have some though so I have to make do with our Oxford Downs! I do have a herdy mattress, a mini herdy and a herdy mug though

 

[ester]

We had some 'foster herdies' a couple of years ago. The only person who liked this was the old dear in the village who got excited about having a fleece.
They only lasted that one year and from a small paddock, several humans and a dog loading was erm interesting . (ETA, yes watched your video now and you have much better/more experienced dogs!)

There's a couple of partbred ewes as a result of them and you can guarantee they will be the ones that end up the wrong side of the ditch/hedge or otherwise climbing ontop of bonfire stacks and causing trouble.

 

[Moobli]

Thanks everyone. They have got to win the award for cutest sheep breed

 

[ester]

I'm a sucker for a badger face.

The herdwicks do look so much smaller/less bolshy post trim!