# Boarding someone sheep - how much to charge?



## Michael & Donna (Sep 12, 2016)

There is a lady who is in the process of moving, has 6 sheep that she needs to board for a month or two until she gets their new pen ready.  How much is fair to charge her to board on our farm? Our animals pretty much free graze/range and they get some feed as a treat at night.


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## Baymule (Sep 12, 2016)

If you don't have to buy feed for them and all they do is graze, then all you are out $$$ wise is the grass they are eating that could go to your animals. If this is a friend and you are trying to help out, then I'd charge somewhere between $10 to $20 per month for each one. You will still have to water the sheep and check on their well being, thus taking your time daily.


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## Baymule (Sep 12, 2016)

Oh, I wouldn't make it so cheap that it's better for her to leave them with you, rather than get their pen built and take them home.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 12, 2016)

I'm just curious if they will be living with your animals or have a separate area? Sorry I don't remember what kind of animals you have.  If they will be living with yours you should find out what diseases can be passed between sheep and critters you own. Wouldn't want yours to get sick in the process! 

And assuming every one is healthy,  it depends on what work/money you will have into it.


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## Michael & Donna (Sep 12, 2016)

We don't know her. She's moving to our area. We have goats and a turkey in that area. We are in the process of fencing off another section so we could separate them if we need too.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 12, 2016)

Goats and sheep could pass all kinds of things to each other I believe.  I would separate them if possible...  But I don't know as much about sheep.


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## Goat Whisperer (Sep 12, 2016)

I would have them tested for Johne's, OPP, & CL before you let them step foot on your property. Also ask about soremouth, this is the reason why I won't get any lambs to raise for the freezer. Its just not a risk I'm willing to take and most breeders around here think its not a big deal. 

Be sure fecals have been checked on all the sheep as well. They could be dumping parasites and cocci all overs your new pastures. 
Remember that they will have a "bloom" and that it will be dumped on your land as well. 

http://iiad.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Meat-Goat-and-Sheep-Part-2-English.pdf

CAE and OPP are very similar and goats can get CAE from OPP+ sheep and vice versa.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 12, 2016)

See that's what I was waiting for...  Thanks.  OK so I know someone who had sore mouth on their farm and told us it was "no big deal"  but it sounded like maybe a bigger deal than they thought?


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## Southern by choice (Sep 12, 2016)

Goat Whisperer said:


> I would have them tested for Johne's, OPP, & CL before you let them step foot on your property. Also ask about soremouth, this is the reason why I won't get any lambs to raise for the freezer. Its just not a risk I'm willing to take and most breeders around here think its not a big deal.
> 
> Be sure fecals have been checked on all the sheep as well. They could be dumping parasites and cocci all overs your new pastures.
> Remember that they will have a "bloom" and that it will be dumped on your land as well.
> ...



X 2

also when "arguing" for hierarchy sheep RAM goats BUTT.
If your goats are pregnant and a sheep rams her on the side she could abort.

We had sheep and we had to separate them for this issue. 

If for one month, and you had a REAL dry lot that gets swept and cleaned that may be different.


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## Michael & Donna (Sep 12, 2016)

Thanks everyone. We may pass. We have 6 pregnant does.


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## Baymule (Sep 12, 2016)

NH homesteader said:


> See that's what I was waiting for...  Thanks.  OK so I know someone who had sore mouth on their farm and told us it was "no big deal"  but it sounded like maybe a bigger deal than they thought?


It would be a big deal to me-people can catch it. My sheep do not have orf.


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## NH homesteader (Sep 12, 2016)

That's what freaked me out! Of course they told me after touching their goats. I had never heard of it before then, so I went home and Googled it and obsessed about it for a few days.  Haha!


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## purplequeenvt (Sep 14, 2016)

NH homesteader said:


> That's what freaked me out! Of course they told me after touching their goats. I had never heard of it before then, so I went home and Googled it and obsessed about it for a few days.  Haha!



You won't get sore mouth from touching an animal that doesn't have an active infection. Generally speaking, sore mouth is NO BIG DEAL. It really depends on the strain though. There are some strains that are so strong/bad that they cause a significant amount of pain/damage. 

I will say though that in the 16 years of raising sheep that none of us have ever caught sore mouth from the sheep. Usually the lambs will get it at a certain point in the spring and then never again. Occasionally, if you show or expose your sheep to other sheep, they can pick up a new strain and have another outbreak, but it's usually milder. My personal opinion is that I would not refuse to purchase an animal that came from a flock with SM. I would however never purchase an animal with an ACTIVE outbreak. 

As for the potential boarding situation, do it only if you are completely comfortable with the people you will be dealing with as well as the health of the animals and you have the space for it without shorting your own animals. Like others have mentioned, you don't want to introduce disease or parasites if you can help it.

We have a neighbor who charges $1.50 day per animal for WINTER care, including feed.


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## Sheepshape (Sep 15, 2016)

We have sheep/cattle for our neighbour. We charge him a small annual retainer to use about 10 acres, whilst he will fertilise, mend fences etc. in addition. He is a very experienced farmer who has 200 plus acres himself (he hires our land as we have a field or two which bisects his two areas of land), so we don't have any real issues with disease importation. A stranger with animals who may have or may be incubating a variety of diseases are an entirely different issue.....but pregnant does and sheep....not at all advisable.

Just seen purplequeenvt's post. I have had orf from my own sheep.It gave me a VERY sore finger which discharged pus for weeks and a rash called erythema multiforme which covered my body with very itchy rings with an area in the centre which formed a scab (I hadn't any immune compromise, so the rash wasn't dangerous). It was NOT the nicest experience I have ever had and took about 4 weeks in all to resolve. It's a good idea to wear gloves when drenching sheep (advice I really should take!)


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