Sheep - would I be mad to....

[AutumnDays]

Welcome to the shitland sheep club! I see you've already experienced the sneaky escapism and wrestling matches electric fencing at the levels their nose goes when they are looking to escape works for us. Get a powerful fencer and drive the earth spike in good! And bucket training makes getting them back easier. Unless you are trying to get them to do something like check feet etc. They will know. And they will ignore you! Also, if you think the gap is too small for them to get through.... It really isn't. Good luck! Sorry, I meant enjoy!!

Edited to add, incase you haven't already found out (or think it'll be easier with more), that primitives don't flock together like other sheep breeds, they scatter. So it adds some extra spice!

 

[rabatsa]

Get them used to being fed in a pen, so when you need to catch them you can shut it up behind them. Practice this manouvere several times before actually needing to catch them, otherwise they will sense that something is up and scarper.

 

[JBM]

They don’t come to nuts in a bucket? Strange little sheep we would be soon knocked over for a bag of nuts by our sheep

 

[teacups]

They look very cute - how did you end up with this breed?

I agree with other posters who mention extra electric fencing. Also, teaching them that something rattling in a bucket is good news will mean they will follow you (or rather the bucket).
We have guest sheep who will eat minty horse treats from your hand. Love having them around, and great for crossgrazing/worm control.

 

[Widgeon]

Get them used to being fed in a pen, so when you need to catch them you can shut it up behind them. Practice this manouvere several times before actually needing to catch them, otherwise they will sense that something is up and scarper.

That's what we're working on - they're feeling much more settled now and the older one (who is bucket trained) is showing the young ones how it's supposed to work. We're still at the stage where I sit very quietly holding the bucket and not moving or they run away, but I reckon within a week or two I'll be able to stroke them while their eating. I've been going in twice a day with the bucket and they've cottoned on very quickly.

 

[Widgeon]

Edited to add, incase you haven't already found out (or think it'll be easier with more), that primitives don't flock together like other sheep breeds, they scatter. So it adds some extra spice!

HA. Yes, I did not know this until yesterday. Now I know. Thankfully primitives are small enough to take on with a well timed rugby tackle.

 

[Widgeon]

electric fencing at the levels their nose goes when they are looking to escape works for us. Get a powerful fencer and drive the earth spike in good!

That's very interesting, I had thought that electric fence would be a complete non starter. But this would be really useful. I'll try it if / when it becomes necessary - so far they've not identified any sufficiently weak spots to actually break out, but I know it's only a matter of time. We need to get the whole paddock properly fenced ASAP so they can have the whole acre to roam around in. They're obviously clever little things and I think they'll get bored after a few more days in the holding paddock.

 

[Widgeon]

They look very cute - how did you end up with this breed?

We wanted some sort of small hardy rare breed, and I found a smallholding very close by that breeds them. So it seemed like a sensible option. I'm glad we went for something small because there's no way we'd have been able to wrestle Suffolks etc to the ground like we did yesterday Can you imagine....we'd have all been hospitalized with concussion.

 

[teacups]

Looked at the link…love the way they have everything Shetland. Who knew there was a Shetland hen?

The ones we have are a smaller type breed too. Electric fencing works for them. One of the sheep is particularly useful as electric fence tester: you’ll know within an hour of setup whether there is a weak spot..

 

[AutumnDays]

@Widgeon, the Suffolk's, while heftier are more docile the shitlands are a bit like mice, if they can get their heads under/through/over, the rest follows. No wool on the muzzle, so the zap from a fencer scores a direct hit, mine don't even bother trying any new fencing anymore, they know I'll have armed it!

 

[Widgeon]

One of the sheep is particularly useful as electric fence tester: you’ll know within an hour of setup whether there is a weak spot..

It's funny you say that because as soon as we'd unloaded them I could see the old girl going round the field testing the fences for weak spots with her nose and her front leg. It was very clear what she was doing!

 

[AutumnDays]

I found a smallholding very close by that breeds them.

Ah I wish I was nearer to these guys, they do the Shetland poultry I'd like! Shetland cattle are also another I'd like to acquire. I'd also like a Shetland pony hoard, but I have been told that's a no for now

 

[Widgeon]

Ah I wish I was nearer to these guys, they do the Shetland poultry I'd like! Shetland cattle are also another I'd like to acquire. I'd also like a Shetland pony hoard, but I have been told that's a no for now

Poultry would be easy to transport - you should come up for a nice weekend away in the spring! With some crates....

 

[AutumnDays]

Poultry would be easy to transport - you should come up for a nice weekend away in the spring! With some crates....

Bit of a spin from Pembrokeshire, but where there's a will and all that...

 

[teacups]

It's funny you say that because as soon as we'd unloaded them I could see the old girl going round the field testing the fences for weak spots with her nose and her front leg. It was very clear what she was doing!

Exactly that!

 

[teacups]

Bit of a spin from Pembrokeshire, but where there's a will and all that...

I’m in North Yorks too, and a friend from Swansea comes over every now and then…we could get them closer to you
Or you could just do a nice mini break in York, with quick detour on the way home to pick up your hens!

 

[AutumnDays]

I’m in North Yorks too, and a friend from Swansea comes over every now and then…we could get them closer to you
Or you could just do a nice mini break in York, with quick detour on the way home to pick up your hens

Ooh you guys are giving me ideas that are going to get me into trouble

 

[Ratface]

Ah I wish I was nearer to these guys, they do the Shetland poultry I'd like! Shetland cattle are also another I'd like to acquire. I'd also like a Shetland pony hoard, but I have been told that's a no for now

Do NOT aquire a Shitland pony. They are not called that for nothing. You think sheep are death-seeking missiles? Wait until you get the pony version. I was on a yard which had one "to keep the dressage rider's 18hh horse company". It didn't.
They had to move it to its' own paddock as it terrified the dressage horse by chasing it round a large field to the extent that it went lame. My then (equally dangerous if annoyed) Arabian gelding ignored it, and did the same when we were riding out on the North Downs and had to pass a Harris hawk which was sitting on a fence post about a metre away from us.
You have been warned!

 

[FestiveG]

Our 3 sheep were born here, two of them by cesarean, so have known me all their little woolly lives. They will mug me for horse treats, and love grass nuts from a bucket, however they need a race building at shearing time, as otherwise they run off! They are texel crosses and a fair size.