SHEEP?

[randy41]

is there a potential predator problem where you are?

 

[Welshman]

is there a potential predator problem where you are?

Well, I guess there's always a potential. I know there are some coyotes in the general area. My neighbor's beagle occasionally gets loose, but no packs that I'm aware of. We've seen a fair amount of pheasant and turkeys on the property, and no indication (feathers and /or remains) that they've been bothered. But that's why I was thinking of closing the sheep up in the barn at night - just in case.

 

[westcliffe01]

The kill shown above took place this past Sat. I had in fact been practicing some long range target shooting 2 hours prior, just 30 yards from where the kill took place. August is generally an active month, with 4 animals attacked so far this month of which 2 died or had to be euthanized. The ewe in the picture was literally being eaten and torn apart while alive.

You have a smaller lot, but you need a guard dog or lama to offer at least a certain degree of protection while you are not around to deal with predators. By the time you recognize predator activity, you could easily have lost half of your herd , if not immediately then over a few days due to shock and infection.

Its a tough business if you do not have predator proof fences, which are generally a substantial investment and maintenance item.

 

[J35]

10 X14 is plenty big for five sheep, but in 5 month's or less you are going to have three to six more.

Lambing in the dead of winter is no fun.

Most any grain or feed that has no copper in it with work for sheep. Copper is poison to sheep.

-------J

 

[Welshman]

View attachment 387283

The kill shown above took place this past Sat. I had in fact been practicing some long range target shooting 2 hours prior, just 30 yards from where the kill took place. August is generally an active month, with 4 animals attacked so far this month of which 2 died or had to be euthanized. The ewe in the picture was literally being eaten and torn apart while alive.

You have a smaller lot, but you need a guard dog or lama to offer at least a certain degree of protection while you are not around to deal with predators. By the time you recognize predator activity, you could easily have lost half of your herd , if not immediately then over a few days due to shock and infection.

Its a tough business if you do not have predator proof fences, which are generally a substantial investment and maintenance item.

What got her - coyotes?

 

[Welshman]

10 X14 is plenty big for five sheep, but in 5 month's or less you are going to have three to six more.

Lambing in the dead of winter is no fun.

Most any grain or feed that has no copper in it with work for sheep. Copper is poison to sheep.

-------J

Thanks. There won't be any lambing unless by immaculate conception - the males have been castrated. :shocked:

 

[RichZ]

My wife and I have kept sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, horses and many other animals for many years. Sheep need shelter from the elements, and they need to be able to go in and out at will. Most of my sheep come in the barn most nights, but they will often stay outside on warm summer nights. As has been said before they will need to be sheared at least once/year. Some breeds need to be sheared twice/year. We have Icelandics and Shetlands, and we have them sheared in the spring and early fall. At shearing time, we also trim their hooves and worm them with Ivomectin. Typically the 2 wormings per year are all they need unless you see signs of worms, loss of weight (which is very hard to detect in woolie sheep, I work hard to tame my sheep so I can feel under their wool to see if they are losing weight). other signs of worms are diarrhea, and another that you have to be able to handle them to see. We check under their eyelids and the inside of their mouth periodically to see if they are nice and pink, and not white. If the tissue is not pink, they may have anemia due to worms. We firmly believe that over worming them will lead to resistant strains of worms, so it's important to keep a watch for these signs and not just randomly worm them.

To get sheep to come into the barn when you want them, give them feed or treats in the barn and use the same call each time. We use the call; "sheep, sheep" and when we call them, they come running, because they know they'll get treats. Most people think sheep are not very intelligent, but sheep breeds vary greatly in intelligence, some are quite clever. And they all respond well to TLC and can make very loving pets. Our oldest sheep is Gabby, she's a 15 year old Shetland ewe that we've had since she was only a few years old. 15 is ancient for sheep, but Gabby is the first one in the barn for a treat, and she loves hugs and loves to have her back rubbed.. She knows her name and comes running when we call her. As was said earlier, make sure any feed or treats that you give them does not have copper in it, as copper is toxic to sheep.

My wife and I also do livestock rescue, it's nice to hear from someone who wants to give some neglected 4 footed friends a loving home.

Good luck!!!!!!!

 

[Welshman]

My wife and I have kept sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, horses and many other animals for many years. Sheep need shelter from the elements, and they need to be able to go in and out at will. Most of my sheep come in the barn most nights, but they will often stay outside on warm summer nights. As has been said before they will need to be sheared at least once/year. Some breeds need to be sheared twice/year. We have Icelandics and Shetlands, and we have them sheared in the spring and early fall. At shearing time, we also trim their hooves and worm them with Ivomectin. Typically the 2 wormings per year are all they need unless you see signs of worms, loss of weight (which is very hard to detect in woolie sheep, I work hard to tame my sheep so I can feel under their wool to see if they are losing weight). other signs of worms are diarrhea, and another that you have to be able to handle them to see. We check under their eyelids and the inside of their mouth periodically to see if they are nice and pink, and not white. If the tissue is not pink, they may have anemia due to worms. We firmly believe that over worming them will lead to resistant strains of worms, so it's important to keep a watch for these signs and not just randomly worm them.

To get sheep to come into the barn when you want them, give them feed or treats in the barn and use the same call each time. We use the call; "sheep, sheep" and when we call them, they come running, because they know they'll get treats. Most people think sheep are not very intelligent, but sheep breeds vary greatly in intelligence, some are quite clever. And they all respond well to TLC and can make very loving pets. Our oldest sheep is Gabby, she's a 15 year old Shetland ewe that we've had since she was only a few years old. 15 is ancient for sheep, but Gabby is the first one in the barn for a treat, and she loves hugs and loves to have her back rubbed.. She knows her name and comes running when we call her. As was said earlier, make sure any feed or treats that you give them does not have copper in it, as copper is toxic to sheep.

My wife and I also do livestock rescue, it's nice to hear from someone who wants to give some neglected 4 footed friends a loving home.

Good luck!!!!!!!

Thanks, Rich, for the good info and encouragement. I'm still a bit perplexed about reconciling the ability for the sheep to be able to have free access to shelter and also have security from predators.
What do you use for "treats"?

 

[westcliffe01]

2 or 3 coyotes. One holding the neck while the others ripped parts off. You can clearly see where the canines went in the neck. Coyotes have a pretty impressive set of teeth and can do a lot of damage in a very short time. If the sheep struggles and gets free, they just grab another. Thats how one can get 3 or 4 animals die from the same attack, it may just take a few days due to shock and infection. If the lot is small enough, the best bet is to use welded mesh fence with the base buried about a foot and then a multi wire electric fence on the outside like one would use for bear. The wires have to be close enough together and opposite polarity to get something like a coyote and the pulse frequency fast enough that they can't get past it.

You can get an idea of how the teeth work like a scissors for cutting from this picture

 

[RichZ]

Welshman, we use llamas as protectors for our sheep and goats. Llamas will eat what your sheep eat and will bond to them. Llamas hate all predators. When they see a predator (whether it's a wolf, coyote, fox, dog or even a raccoon) they will charge the predator while making a really loud call that we call their "war cry", Predators are intelligent, and when they see a large animal like a llama running at them while screaming, they don't stick around to ask questions, they take off. If a predator is dumb enough to ignore the llama, the llama will KICK with their sharp and strong hooves. I've seen several young coyotes who were killed by llamas.

For treats, we give our sheep, sheep feed. They do well on pasture, and don't need feed, but I give it to them occasionally, just because they're my pals, and to keep them tame and wanting to get more. We put feed in their feeders and call, "Sheep, sheep!!" and they come running into the barn.