SHEEP ESCAPED, UPDATE

[patandchickens]

*All* livestock chargers pulse, not just low impedence. Sheep may require a stronger shock than horses because they are woolly, but in any case you want a stronger shock to keep PREDATORS out as well... the usual recommendation is 4-5,000 V (2500-3000 is more usual for horses).

Rather than getting a bigger charger, it may be more useful to just temporarily disconnect some of the existing fence (less load on charger = larger shock) or if that's not possible then to buy a SECOND midsize charger.

Also if you are going to have livestock you really ought to get a good DIGITAL fence tester (not one of the five-neon-light thingies which are notoriously unreliable). If your fence is truly only at 2500-3000 volts *now*, in a wet autumn, you may have trouble keeping the horses in come wintertime when the charge on the fence will drop significantly (snow, and frozen ground) and the horses will be hairier and perhaps blanketed). So you may need a stronger charge on the HORSE fence too. OTOH maybe the sheep just didn't see or understand the electric fence and the charge is sufficient. Only a tester will tell you.

Usually when introducing new animals to an electric-fenced field it is a good idea to TRAIN them to the fence (bait it or entice them over, til they get zapped on the nosie) and also to make it EXTRA VISIBLE, using extra posts, wider tape or whatever, and/or flags. If it's a big field, confine them to just one portion of it while they're new. THis is especially true if the animals were not kept in electric before, but even if they were, they may not realize that yours *is* until it's too late and they've gone thru it already.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I think the fencer is just too weak for them, we have a weaker fencer because we have woodrail in the horse pasture, we're going to get a plug in fencer that is stronger, and more visible fencing. I think it's likely that a) they didn't see it, and b) were scared out of their pants. We still haven't found the second ewe, but we keep hearing a lot of shouting like one of the neighbors is trying to wrangle something up, possibly a cow, but also possibly a sheep, more likely a cow though! There isn't a whole lot we can do now that she's missing, and has been missing overnight, she may have already been shot by a hunter, she went missing about an hour before deer-time.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Heidi came over to me for a few seconds today, I was sitting in the tackroom holding some hay and she came over, and sniffed it, and took a small nibble, so she's getting closer and more comfortable around us. I think time will tell, it doesn't help that her first day here was a total nightmare! ... When I get the halter on her, It'll help for catching her, but until then she's going to be in the stall and I'll just come in and scoop it out, feed, etc. Tomorrow we're getting a second fencer, some t-posts, and more visible fencing, and we're going to try and salvage some of the old paige wire from the old fencing on the outsides of our new wood fencing, so we'll wire up paige wire panels to the t-posts, and then string 6 lines of electric on the inside, so at least if she tests the fence, she's not going to go ANYWHERE. I'm just going to set up the fencing so it comes off the barn, fencing on 3 sides, that means I can just open the barn door and she can come and go as she pleases.

Any foods sheep can't resist? We're going to look for a donkey for her, rather than a second sheep, just something to keep her company.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Did you find your "ewe" yet? (Sorry! I just had to use that.

) I'm hoping that someone has brought her home or that she has turned up at your place.

 

[Dodgegal79]

For the future, when you bring sheep home, house them in the barn or a very strong corral or the first day or so so they can calm down and feel comfortable with the place. They are very sensitive and will bolt liek your did, for home. I have had it happen, but a bucket of grain enticed them back in the yard so I could get them in somewhere secure.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

We have NOT found her yet, and since this is the second night I highly doubt she survived out there by herself, and if she did she could have mixed into the sheep farm on the next concession, but we won't know, and neither will the people since their sheep aren't marked, and they're all the same colour, at least she'll be safe if she's with them and can have a happy life with that flock. We'll be going to the sale barn sometime soon to look for a donkey for Heidi, until then we'll be trying to get her used to us.

Thanks guys, and yes next time they'll be going straight into the barn.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Well darn... So sorry she never showed back up. My fingers are crossed that by some miracle, she will surprise you.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

We'll see I suppose! Nothing we can do about it now, if she does she does, if not then life has to go on, and we have to find Heidi a friend at the sale.