Thinking of sheep.

[TheOLDNewChick]

Hey guys! Well, I've been wanting sheep for the past couple of years, now, not for anything in particular, just to have them. I was wondering if anyone on here has sheep? If so, what're the purposes? How much do they cost? What about fencing/housing? Feed? So on and so forth.



Thanks!

 

[wynedot55]

i dont have sheep but i can answer some of your qs.the best fence is a woven wire fence.that is the only fence that will keep emm in.youll need a donkey or a guard dog with them.dogs an yotes wll kill them.youll have to sheer them once a year.an thats before they lamb.im not sure of the cost.you can prolly get some ewes for $200hd or a little more.

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

What goes as far as housing and general care?

 

[wynedot55]

youll need a shed for them to lamb in.an stalls to put them in for lambing.as well as a place for them to get out of the weather if need be.the lambing shed an serve for that as well.youll need to worm them.an drench them for over eating diease.as well as worm them.an trim their feet as needed.as well as dr them when they get sick.youll also have to feed an hay them in the winter.

 

[AppleCrisp]

I don'y have sheep... but I do want them one day too.

I was reading the thread and was reading about the gaurd animals... I noticed have a donkey or guard dog was said but I know you can get a guard llama/ or alpaca

 

[line-rat]

Hello, I have sheep not a lot but some sheep. I have columbia sheep. I am going to barbados or katahden sheep. these are hair sheep. They are very resistant to most illness related to sheep. you don't have to shear them. the winter coat sheads out in spring.
you should have seen 3 grown men trying to shear 5 sheep. it was ariot . trying to catch them. my SD recorded it and has shown it to every one she knows. they all got a big kick out of it.

 

[beefy]

i dont like the way they smell and the lanoline! the lanoline gets all over you!

plus you have to shear them.

and you have to trim their feet.

worms.

predators.

etc.

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

Thank you, dearest Beefybert, for being so darned supportive!:|

 

[beefy]

wouldnt you rather have a nice, clean, cuddly pet rock?

 

[greyfields]

I love having sheep. I was never really interested until I started travelling a lot in England, then eventually marrying a lass from North Yorkshire. I grew up eating lamb and never really thought anything of it. Then seeing them on a field, I really found something enjoyable how it sounded to hear sheep bleating in the distance.

I have 10 ewes (1/2 to 7/8 Texel) and a registered Texel ram. Depending on your area, you'll get a lot of different recommendations on breeds. It matters little. Just raise what your neighbors have, it makes everything easier in the long run.

Costs can be very reasonable with sheep.:

- I have bought ewes with a single lamb at their foot for $150 (yearling ewes, too).

- They can live entirely on grass + mineral supplement for whatever your soils lack.

- I cut my own hay, but our grass grows pretty well in the winter and they usually eat very little of it. So you can run an entirely grass fed/grass finished operation, which will be the highest quality lamb you can produce and people will actively seek to buy from you.

Other costs: vaccinations, deworming, shearing ($3 per head this year for me), hoof trimming, foot bath... nothing as costly as cows, though

Fencing: High tensile or woven wire works well. Coyotes will take your lambs and smaller ewes. They are very predator prone unless you grow very large flocks. I have guard llamas and good fencing and still sometime lose animals.

Other Revenue: We are sending our fleeces off to be milled into yarn and blankets this year. It's a high up front cost for shipping and milling, but it looks like I could make up to $2k profit per year off the wool from just my 15 or so sheep. Most people just throw wool in the dumpster and don't take the time to look for niche markets.

In general, I really like having sheep. They're just easy. Llambing time is so exciting. Sheep are excellent natural mothers, it's so amazing to watch their instincts take over... and lamb antics are endless entertaining as well. If not for my beloved geese and ducks, the sheep would be our favorite.