# Need some information about sheep...



## GeeseRCool (Sep 20, 2010)

Hello!

I wanted to ask all of the experts on here a few questions about sheep...

1.  What kind of housing is okay for them to use?

2. Are they very likely to be eaten by predators?

3. Is it hard to raise and kill lambs?

4. Is there a market for them?

5. What kind of food do they eat?   Do they eat a lot of grass?

6. Are they over all hard to raise?

7. What kind of tools would you most likely need to do something like that?

If you have any other information then I would love to know it!!!


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## sheep whisperer (Sep 25, 2010)

GeeseRCool said:
			
		

> Hello!
> 
> I wanted to ask all of the experts on here a few questions about sheep...
> 
> ...


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## GeeseRCool (Sep 28, 2010)

Thanks!    I might look into that!


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## patandchickens (Sep 28, 2010)

GeeseRCool said:
			
		

> 1.  What kind of housing is okay for them to use?


Whatever keeps the rain/wind off 'em (when they choose to go in) and is VERY WELL VENTILATED. Closed into a barn is not good, even with windows open.



> 2. Are they very likely to be eaten by predators?


Oh yes. Most especially coyotes and peoples' loose dogs. Big issue in most places.



> 3. Is it hard to raise and kill lambs?


Not sure whether you mean technically hard (no, unless you do dumb things in which case yes) or aesthetically hard (which depends on the person). Most people do not slaughter and process them themselves, rather send them to a processing plant.



> 4. Is there a market for them?


I assume you mean "what price market" not "is there" -- depends MASSIVELY on where you are, what time of year, and what year (fluctuations in meat prices and in ratio of grain cost to meat prices). You need to investigate YOUR area, nobody else's answers are relevant.



> 5. What kind of food do they eat?   Do they eat a lot of grass?


Grass (and some weeds and browse) when pasture is growing, sometimes benefiting from grain as well depending on situation (like, whether pregnant/lactating, and what breed). Good hay as replacement for pasture when it's winter or droughty. So, "it depends".



> 6. Are they over all hard to raise?


Depends what you're comparing them to?



> 7. What kind of tools would you most likely need to do something like that?


Not sure what you mean by tools. You need somewhere to keep them (sheep- and predatorproof fences, some kind of shelter, and preferably some kind of corral/chute/sorting type facility even if it is just something informally knocked together for five sheep). You need a totally reliable source of CLEAN FRESH water (they are remarkably picky). And you need ways of keeping the internal parasite "worm" load down. Plus some emergency-type medical supplies. 

There's some good books, if you are totally in the dark about sheep it would be worth reading as many of them as you can get your hands on (NOT just one or two).

Dunno if that helps any, good luck, have fun,

Pat


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