Shearing sheep (relavent honestly) HELP!

[blitznbobs]

Can you shear a sheep with horse clippers? If so what size blades do people suggest . We have one sheep (very tame) and it needs sheering but no one will come and do one sheep so was thinking of 'clipping' it any advice gratefully received!

 

[FfionWinnie]

Yes you can and for one sheep, unless it's got a horrendous fleece you can probably just use the blades that are on it. You want to wait until there is a "rise" in the fleece which means the old one is breaking away at the skin from the new growth. Usually you can see this as their neck opens up like a v neck and it starts peeling away there and at their tails. Bit early yet tho. Anyway the rise is the bit you clip through and it's like thin threads against the skin so it's not hard to do.

 

[PorkChop]

Be prepared to get the blades re sharpened though!

Other option is to get some hand shearers, they take a wee bit of practice.

I am debating whether to do my own this year, husband thinks its a great idea, me not so much!

 

[Gift Horse]

We used to do ours (only 4!) with a pair of hand shears.

 

[rabatsa]

If your clippers are Lister ones they do Wizard blades for sheep. If you decide to hand shear get a pair of Jakoti hand shears they are ace.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Agree jakoti hand shears are excellent however any hand shears are a lethal weapon in the hands of a novice shearer so be very careful.

 

[jrp204]

You probably can but they will get clogged up with lanolin. If you are going to do it wait for a nice hot day so the lanolin is up in the fleece, if you part the wool and it is really yellow by the skin it will be horrible to shear. Wash your blades with boiling water to remove the lanolin.
Jakotis are brilliant but will take an ear off! Personally, I would put the sheep in the trailer and take it to a local sheep farmer.

 

[twiggy2]

You probably can but they will get clogged up with lanolin. If you are going to do it wait for a nice hot day so the lanolin is up in the fleece, if you part the wool and it is really yellow by the skin it will be horrible to shear. Wash your blades with boiling water to remove the lanolin.
Jakotis are brilliant but will take an ear off! Personally, I would put the sheep in the trailer and take it to a local sheep farmer.

This

 

[Orangehorse]

I am right in thinking that you should starve sheep for a few hours before shearing?

I seem to remember one Young Farmer saying he had been asked to shear some pet sheep and unfortunately some of them died and he thought it was because they were full of grass and being handled for shearing had been enough to finish them off.

 

[indiat]

Yes you can and for one sheep, unless it's got a horrendous fleece you can probably just use the blades that are on it. You want to wait until there is a "rise" in the fleece which means the old one is breaking away at the skin from the new growth. Usually you can see this as their neck opens up like a v neck and it starts peeling away there and at their tails. Bit early yet tho. Anyway the rise is the bit you clip through and it's like thin threads against the skin so it's not hard to do.

I didn't know this! Thanks for that bit of advice, we have three pet sheep to clip this year and I am dreading it! I think I will use hand clippers though. One is very tame and will happily stand about all day as long as you feed him grapes, the other two are feral.

 

[Cecile]

Sheep are easier to shear if not full of feed/hay or grass as they sit quieter, although no-one has ever explained that concept to my sheep

Idea's if you have one sheep or just a few for shearing

If you have an agricultural college nearby (Like Sparsholt in Winchester) they will find you someone to come and shear
Check out local agricultural shops there are usually postcards offering shearing services or put up your own postcard asking for a shearer to contact you
The small shepherds club have a list of shearers and may know of someone in your area
http://smallshepherdsclub.org.uk/

 

[honetpot]

I tried to shear 3 sheep last year, I borrowed the right clippers but it was still hard work. Today I burnt the fleece because I could not give it away, and its classed as waste so can not go in the bin. Next time I am getting shedding sheep and this year I am borrowing two lambs.

 

[rabatsa]

I tried to shear 3 sheep last year, I borrowed the right clippers but it was still hard work. Today I burnt the fleece because I could not give it away, and its classed as waste so can not go in the bin. Next time I am getting shedding sheep and this year I am borrowing two lambs.

I have gardeners queueing up for my waste fleece and skirtings. Try your local guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers for giving it away, I sold 5 zwartbles fleeces to mine last year.

 

[loz9]

We use this guy for our 2 sheep. Travels most the country doing small holdings.

http://www.singingshearer.co.uk/

Attempted to do ours the first year (& managed), but tbh it's worth the extra expense to us of getting this guy in.

 

[Rupertthebear]

I would try and borrow some sharpened sheep blades, the blades are considerably different. It will make more a better clipping experience all round!! Or if you have skill and patience used the shears There is nothing worse than clipping something with something designed for something else!