# Considering Finnsheep - anyone have an opinion



## parjackson (Aug 16, 2009)

DH and I are going to look at some Finnsheep this afternoon.  Our goal is 2-3 ewes/wethers for mowing and wool for hand spinning.  We like the fact that they are naturally polled and don't require tail docking, plus they are on the small side.  Does anyone out there have any experience/knowledge/advice about this breed?


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## big brown horse (Aug 17, 2009)

Sorry I don't have experience with finnsheep.


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## parjackson (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks for responding, anyway!  I went ahead and bought two.  One for a pet (she's too small to be bred) and the other for possible breeding in the future.  They will be arriving on Thursday evening and I am very excited!


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## big brown horse (Aug 18, 2009)

Congradulations!  Do you have photos yet?  I would love to see them!  I never regretted getting my two sheep.

Have fun!


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## Beekissed (Aug 18, 2009)

Aren't they the breed known for multiple births...like 3-4 lambs each time?  I've read they are great sheep for a homestead situation and good mothers.


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## parjackson (Aug 18, 2009)

Yes, they are known for multiples.  They have beautiful wool for handspinning, too.  

Here's the website (I hope the link works!)  My girls are at the very bottom  right side of the page (Thumbelina and the one right above her, ET#109)

The best part is that the breeder is only about 20 minutes from my house and she has promised all kinds of help if we need it (Thumbelina was her "baby", so she wants to keep tabs on her )  

http://www.eldoradofinns.com/LAMBS.html

Tell me what you think!


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## big brown horse (Aug 18, 2009)

Thumbelina is soo cute!!  I love her hourglass blaze on her face.  She is adorable!


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## parjackson (Aug 19, 2009)

Thank you!  I am so excited.  Now I just have to get through the next 31 hours!


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## username taken (Aug 19, 2009)

highly fertile, and highly fecund. 

yes, you will have big litters, and I dont mean just 3 - 4.  5 and 6 is common also. The most I ever had was 7.


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## parjackson (Aug 20, 2009)

Seven?!!! Oh my goodness!  Maybe we won't breed the white one when she's old enough...two is a nice number.   


11 more hours!  keeping busy all day (which is not hard for me to do - 5 children age 6 and under)


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## jhm47 (Aug 20, 2009)

Finns are pretty good sheep.  If you cross them with a "meat" breed, like Hampshire of Suffolk, you will get nice, meaty lambs.  However, I read that you feel that you don't need to dock tails on them.  If we tried that here, we'd have a terrible maggot infestation.  If you've never seen a maggot infestation in sheep, you're lucky.  It's a terrible, cruel, and often fatal condition.  If I were you, and you get some lambs, I'd be sure to dock their tails.

I've been out of the sheep business for several years now (since our last child graduated from 4-H), but still have fond memories of sheep.  We raised Columbias and showed them extensively.


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## Freeholder (Nov 21, 2009)

Finnsheep are one of the short-tailed breeds, and don't need docked (others that I know of are Shetlands, Icelandics, and Romanovs).  I've had Shetland and crosses, and hope to either get some more Shetlands someday, or some Icelandics.

Kathleen


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## big brown horse (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi Kathleen!  Welcome to the herd!


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## bibliophile birds (Nov 24, 2009)

ok, gotta have some of these. my list of MUST HAVES is getting a tad long... must. stop. getting. on. these. forums!


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