The Cottage Smallholder
stumbling self sufficiency in a small space
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
7:13 pm
Knowledegable
New members
Mon 21-Mar-11
Offline
Ok Ok I know the category is Chickens Ducks Geese Rabbits but there isn't a Sheep Goats Pigs section. 
I need advice on how soon to milk Aggie and what to do with Larry (her lamb) whilst milking her. Larry is 3 months old and since the beginning of this month has been going out with the shepherd (along with the 3 ewes).
If I try to put him in the lambing pen on his own he just breaks the door open. I could put a stronger lock on it but wouldn't his mum just get distressed and refuse to produce if I did that.
No good asking my neighbours because I've already been told Larry is old enough for slaughter – I prefer a bit more meat on my lambs.
Hopefully I'm not the only idiotb on her with sheep. Actually hopefully I am and the other sheep carers know what they are doing.
Failing is not a fault, refusing to try is
8:46 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
Sorry, I know nowt about sheep and all my neighbours only have cows. If no one here has sheep knowledge try googling it. As to a lamb to slaughter, couldn't do it. They would all be pets like my chickens, ducks and rabbit. 
Trying to enjoy life as it is
10:41 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Could you ask the shepherd? 
I'll try that again!
12:22 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 3-Oct-11
Offline
Shepherds probably not to helpful either- one I knew told me the only thing sheep are good at is dying- apparantly they can drop dead with no known cause.
Are we having fun yet? I am!
4:40 am
Knowledegable
New members
Mon 21-Mar-11
Offline
Shepherd no good to ask, he refuses to acknowledge I'm the main sheep carer (not possible being a mere woman), also he's of the view that as Larry is male and can't be milked I'm wasting money feeding him.
Tried googling, will look further and see if I can get past the commercial farming advice. Normally all my answers can be found on here. 
Failing is not a fault, refusing to try is
11:49 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Maybe these two US forums could help. The first one has members from all over the place & it has this particular member from Australia…..you could join the forum & then PM him for help.
Sheep are not that common in the US but there are a few more people who keep them. You can find their posts by going to the forum's search engine & typing sheep management into the first box.
They also have a sister site which has a lot more info on sheep. This second forum can be a bit tough on people if they think you are an amateur; there are some very direct people on there, but I am sure you can handle it.
Hope this will help. Good luck. 
*****PS: 
TRY this link for the first forum & THIS ONE for the second. I hope these work
Yup these links are OK….I don't know what went wrong with the first lot. 
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
7:31 pm
Knowledegable
New members
Mon 21-Mar-11
Offline
Thanks Hattie,
As a rank amateur, had the sheep 2 and half months now, I expect some straight talking but hey we all have to learn somehow.
Failing is not a fault, refusing to try is
6:21 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Here are some other links I found.
1. The sheep info in this one is near the bottom of the page so scroll down as it contains a lot of links that might help.
2. Here
3. Here is a blog by someone starting with sheep (for milking)
If I find anything more I will pass it on. I hope all is well over there with you & the animals etc.
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
7:24 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
Chatting to an English chap yesterday who has a herd of Sheep. There has been a delay with the shearing as the an who travels round doing it has been very busy. One of his girls has rubbed off big areas of fleece and apparently it looks really smooth and neat, no ridges from the shears! She looks like a poodle though he said and there are bits of fleece all over the field plus it means he will be a fleece short. I had never heard about that but it makes sense as there have been a time before man started shearing!
I do love sheep, they look like they are smiling. They also look like the cartoon drawings, fluffy cloud with a leg at each corner 
Trying to enjoy life as it is
9:26 am
Knowledegable
New members
Mon 21-Mar-11
Offline
I agree Aly they are adorable, even when Larry practises his headbutting on. He was licking my ankle last night whilst I was milking Timmy (I didn't name this ewe) 
Hopefully they'll taste great too, being out on the moors all day with the shepherd. 
Failing is not a fault, refusing to try is
7:54 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
I don't know about milking sheep, a friend of mine has goats and separates the goats from kids very early and gives the kids the milk by bottle and yes they do get upset, but they get over it. The nearby sheep farm separates the lambs from the mothers and they do make a lot of noise about it, but not sure how long it takes before they get used to the idea, so yes the mother might and lamb might get distressed but I guess that is one of the problems. I wonder if share milking approach will work on sheep?
6:50 pm
Improver
New members
Sat 2-Nov-13
Offline
I have a problem which I had been hoping I wouldn't encounter. Two wolves have been seen three miles from the village I live in. Further south sheep farmers have a lot of problems with wolves savaging their flocks. I am very lucky that my land is in the Lap reindeer grazing area so there is 0 tolerence when it come to wolves. The district council have been out in the forests to check tracks and today they have had a helicopter up hunting . As an extra precaution I moved a small flock of 20 sheep further into the village. My neighbour who is handicapped and cannot walk helped with his quad bike.
7:19 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
I hope that your flock stays safe from the wolf Renée.
I'll try that again!
7:21 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
I like the pictures, BTW.
I'll try that again!
8:33 pm
Enthusiast
New members
Sun 29-Sep-13
Offline
Renee, your pics remind me of paintings by Joseph Farquharson, particularly Glowed with Tints of Evening Hours and The Sun has Closed the Winters Day.
Morality is temporary, wisdom is permanent.
Most Users Ever Online: 767
Currently Online:
23 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
brightspark: 10532
danast: 10232
Aly: 9516
Sooliz: 8084
Hattie: 6920
Ambersparkle: 6699
JoannaS: 4800
Terrier: 4518
eileen54: 4424
Hannah: 4231
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 10
Members: 16171
Moderators: 2
Admins: 2
Forum Stats:
Groups: 6
Forums: 25
Topics: 2295
Posts: 123081
Newest Members:
Doublesden, naoum, brunorogers, Weismart, renesmith97, KarenFields21Moderators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10
Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516
Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder Our Privacy Policy Advertise on Cottage Smallholder
