Sheep

[Regandal]

Anyone on here keep sheep? I’m wondering about number of sheep per acre in particular. Thanks.

 

[rowan666]

It doesn't matter how many acres or how many sheep you have, they will still escape and cause havoc. Sheep are arseholes!.. I have 3 on just shy of 6 acres (because I couldn't keep them contained in a smaller paddock for love nor money)

 

[Patterdale]

It’s 4-7 per acre depending on type of sheep, type of land and wintering arrangements.

 

[I'm Dun]

I have 2 pet sheep. They cause me no bother at all. They tend not to leave "their paddock" even though the whole thing is open to them at the minute. But I will also say they are utterly useless at clearing weeds which is what I thought they would do! They are also fussy little devils and wont eat hay if its on the floor, so they waste lots.

They are good fun though, my oldest girl is mad as a box of frogs but in a really fun way! I'm going to get a couple of lambs next year as I'm worried about one of mine popping its clogs and leaving me with just one on its own

 

[cremedemonthe]

I have 6 on 2 acres, 1 of those is actually mine (Gwen) a pet sheep the rest are my girlfriend's Nephews who farms them. I came out to my field (attached to my house) oneday to find 28 sheep had manifested in there!
Only for a short time though to get the grass right down as it is lush.
I have built Gwen a shelter for the really bad weather, hopefully she's in Lamb for the Spring.
Enjoy your sheep, Oz

 

[canteron]

I have pet sheep and love them. So good for the grass cross grazing with horses.

Obviously, invest in your fencing before getting them and you will have minimal problems - they do live 12 years or so so it’s worth doing properly.

Choose your breed carefully depending on your grazing - some of the super pretty ones need shearing twice a year, and then you have to be really really nice (?) to your shearer.

Once you know all their itchy spots and personalities and they run over just for a cuddle you may find eating lamb difficult (cooked lamb and live sheep smell disconcertingly similar).

Density - depends on the amount of horses you have and quality of the grazing but 1-2 per acre if you don’t want to do much winter supplementary feeding.

If you are on fb look at the ‘sheep as pets group’. - who knew!!

 

[rabatsa]

I have a nice little flock. 10 ewes due to lamb in February, half a dozen ewe lambs and two rams. Three equines and 14.5 acres. We make hay from about 8 acres which feeds the sheep and equines over winter with some to sell most years.

 

[Gloi]

Do not get Herdwicks even if they have cute faces. They are the sheep equivalent of Shitlands .

 

[tatty_v]

We have a little flock of Oxford downs. Aside from them being quite big, they’re pretty docile and easy to keep. Shearing them is a pain though, even for professional shearers, as they are woolly everywhere! We go for a very low stocking density so there’s no need for supplementary feed.

 

[Cob Life]

Do not get Herdwicks even if they have cute faces. They are the sheep equivalent of Shitlands .

I love herdwicks but they are little shits and no matter what fence you use they will likely still find a way out!

Trying to catch a neighbours small flock we got a few of them cornered and they decided to just jump over me! (Admittedly I am only 5 foot but still!)

 

[Cob Life]

I’m quite partial to hardy hill breeds - welsh mountains, shetlands, hebredian in particular

Easycare are very easy with not needing shearing but can jump like goats! And may have a bit of an “I can do it myself I don’t need you” attitude

Suffolk’s can be more prone to foot problems.

We work with 6 sheep per acre on average for native hill breeds, I’d possible go for slightly less for the lowland breeds (depending on which breed), for the larger continental breeds we go for 3-4 sheep per acre

 

[scats]

It doesn't matter how many acres or how many sheep you have, they will still escape and cause havoc. Sheep are arseholes!.. I have 3 on just shy of 6 acres (because I couldn't keep them contained in a smaller paddock for love nor money)

Yep, for the last couple of years we have had sheep move in for winter. I was constantly having to herd an escapee or two back where they belonged. Cute little things but they don’t seem to believe in being contained.
Relieved to see that this year they appear to be on an adjoining field, rather than our land!

 

[Nudibranch]

Herdwicks are fine if you buy from a smallholder who has them coming to the bucket. If you buy the hefted Cumbrian jobs then forget it!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

We have 23 acres and run a flock of easycare, 32 ewes plus two rams and they produce between 50 and 60 lambs per year. Also have two lami prone ponies and a small horse. In the summer we often have too much grass but that feeds them through most of the winter. Field is split into 3, 14 acres, 6 acres and 3 acres with a barn. Gets further subdivided by electric fencing for the ponies. We have a good boundary fence so don't often have one escape. Sheep can be hard work but I find them very rewarding. Yes they can live to a decent age, oldest we have had was 14 but equally they can just drop dead at any age for no apparent reason and they are also brilliant at getting stuck in very inventive ways.

 

[teacups]

Get a smallish sheep breed - much easier to handle!

 

[Hepsibah]

I have just sold the last three of my little flock. I started with bottle babies. Mostly male North Country Mules and some NCM x Texel. The girls sold well as breeding ewes and we grew the wethers on as mutton for our freezer. Since then I've had Swaledale ewes, NCM ewes and various breeds of tup. I like mules very much. Swales are a bit flighty but my favourite sheep ever was a Swaledale cull ewe out of a commercial flock. I bought her for pennies because I felt a bit sorry for her. She was obviously old and a bit thin but I thought she might give some of her experience to my young sheep and show them what's what. She did an excellent job at it and even produced five lambs for me. I gave her extra feed because of her old lady teeth and she became quite trusting and even affectionate. She died this summer. Quietly in the sunshine. I miss her.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

I have pedigree Jacob sheep - they are bucket trained, mostly eat from the hand, keep the paddocks from needing topping and seem to respect our electric fence. They live out all year round with access to a field shelter and hay - which they tell me they need more of. I find the horns make easy handles - not so much fun when shearing. Sheep are obsessive about going next door, going lame and going to heaven but so far my girls have been kind to me.

 

[FestiveG]

We have 3 twelve year old texel crosses ewes, were bottle fed lambs. We also have their 3 five year old accidental lambs(long story about next doors escapee tups). They keep the land sweet, provide me with wool for spinning and don't stray. They come for a bucket and have hay over winter. They do have a very sheltered area out of the wind that we made for them. We have them and two horses on 3 acres and buy hay in.

 

[I'm Dun]

Mine are Shetlands. Probably not what I would have chosen but I inherited them and they seem to be a good starter breed. Pretty tough and generally well behaved!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

The Easycare have a reputation for being flighty and agree they can jump but that is mostly because they don't need as much handling as the wooled breeds so can become pretty feral. If handled from lambs and bucket trained they are as easy as any others with the advantage you don't need to shear them or worry as much about flystrike. Some of mine have become real pets given the chance.

 

[Regandal]

Thank you for all the replies. They are not my sheep, they have been moved into our field as there was too much grass. I don’t want to put anything on a public forum, anyone open to pm’s?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Quite happy for a PM.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Happy for a PM. If you are worried about stocking numbers it could be that the sheep are mob grazing. so short duration and high density but as it is your field this may not be the case.

 

[Parrotperson]

Oh and sheep find a hundred ways to die before breakfast there very good at dying for no reason ?

 

[twiggy2]

Happy for a pm here if you still needing advice

 

[Cob Life]

Thank you for all the replies. They are not my sheep, they have been moved into our field as there was too much grass. I don’t want to put anything on a public forum, anyone open to pm’s?

Quite happy for a pm

 

[Regandal]

Thank you everyone, got some good advice.