# Sheering questions.



## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 2, 2013)

1. whats best, hand sheering or electric sheering? 
I was told that electric sheers can cut and slice open the sheep easier then hand sheers? 

and 2. When is the best time to sheer a sheep? 
I was told April? 

and last 3. Do you know of any good books, or sites that could be helpful for a first time sheerer?


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## SheepGirl (Feb 2, 2013)

1. It really depends. They will both cut sheep if you are not careful. I had my ewes sheared at the fair for a sheep shearing demo, my 2006 ewe was sheared with hand shears and my 2009 ewe was sheared with electric clippers. My 2006 ewe had gotten cut and had a flap of skin just kind of hanging there. My 2009 ewe got nicked, but they were more like little scratches that bled a little. And these nicks/cuts came from a highly respected shearer who even competed in NZ for her hand shearing skills. And personally I like the look of a clipper shearing better than the hand shears. Shearing with hand shears leaves the fleece uneven and about 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch. Electric clippers tend to go right to the skin.

2. You can shear a sheep when ever it is convenient for you. My sheep will be getting sheared in April this year, because that is when she is doing her Maryland clients. I don't know when in April, though. We've had sheep shorn as early as mid March and as late as early June. I like shearing them earlier because the later you do it, the more they pant in the hot May weather. If you have adequate shelter a Feb or March shearing would be okay, too.

3. http://www.premier1supplies.com/img/instruction/41.pdf should give you a basic idea. You can even contact your state sheep association to see if they are holding any shearing clinics. I know the DelMarVa region is holding a sheep shearing school. I may sign up for it, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have the strength to tip half the sheep there!  I can tip my lambs, who are about 80 lbs each, and I can tip sheep that are up to about 120ish, but once they hit the 150 lb mark, uhhh no way lol. They're too big and strong to manipulate onto their butts!


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## Southern by choice (Feb 2, 2013)

Thanks sheepgirl!


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 2, 2013)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> 1. It really depends. They will both cut sheep if you are not careful. I had my ewes sheared at the fair for a sheep shearing demo, my 2006 ewe was sheared with hand shears and my 2009 ewe was sheared with electric clippers. My 2006 ewe had gotten cut and had a flap of skin just kind of hanging there. My 2009 ewe got nicked, but they were more like little scratches that bled a little. And these nicks/cuts came from a highly respected shearer who even competed in NZ for her hand shearing skills. And personally I like the look of a clipper shearing better than the hand shears. Shearing with hand shears leaves the fleece uneven and about 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch. Electric clippers tend to go right to the skin.
> 
> 2. You can shear a sheep when ever it is convenient for you. My sheep will be getting sheared in April this year, because that is when she is doing her Maryland clients. I don't know when in April, though. We've had sheep shorn as early as mid March and as late as early June. I like shearing them earlier because the later you do it, the more they pant in the hot May weather. If you have adequate shelter a Feb or March shearing would be okay, too.
> 
> 3. http://www.premier1supplies.com/img/instruction/41.pdf should give you a basic idea. You can even contact your state sheep association to see if they are holding any shearing clinics. I know the DelMarVa region is holding a sheep shearing school. I may sign up for it, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have the strength to tip half the sheep there!  I can tip my lambs, who are about 80 lbs each, and I can tip sheep that are up to about 120ish, but once they hit the 150 lb mark, uhhh no way lol. They're too big and strong to manipulate onto their butts!


Oh wow that was very helpful! Thank you very much


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## Roving Jacobs (Feb 2, 2013)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> I know the DelMarVa region is holding a sheep shearing school. I may sign up for it, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have the strength to tip half the sheep there!  I can tip my lambs, who are about 80 lbs each, and I can tip sheep that are up to about 120ish, but once they hit the 150 lb mark, uhhh no way lol. They're too big and strong to manipulate onto their butts!


You should give it a try! I'm only 5'2" and I was able to handle all the sheep in the shearing school I took part in. Sometimes the big ones are easier to get down than the little scrappy ones!

I've found that I'm too short and my sheep have too many horns to use the NZ method effectively so I use a stand and shear them that way now. My sheep are less stressed, my back hurts less, and I'm able to getter better fleeces for spinning that way. 

I've only ever used electric clippers but no matter what you use you risk cutting your sheep. My shearing teacher said that newbies are less likely to really cut a sheep than experienced people because we go so slow  He said if he wanted to he could butcher a sheep with a set of shears so you really have to be careful about how you're waving them around. 

Shearing time is whenever you want to do it. I like to shear in March, a month before lambing, so that everything is all neat and clean when the babies come. It's a little chilly but the temps are usually warming up then and the sheep adapt quickly to being naked. I know people who are shearing now though and others that won't get around to it until summer. It really depends on you, your sheep, and where you live.

Sheepgirl's premier1 link is awesome! That's how I learned. Finding a class through your local sheep improvement association or extension is a good idea too. Having someone else help you through it a couple times makes it fall together a lot more and they teach you about shearing machine maintenance. You don't want to ruin your machine after spending all that money on one!


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 2, 2013)

#1 - Really a matter of preference and needs. When I shear a sheep I have them on a stand and use hand shears, but that is mostly because I can't run electrics without hurting my right shoulder and I'm not coordinated enough to shear left-handed. 

#2 - Like the others said, whenever you want to. We like to have our girls sheared before they lamb and they are due anytime now so we had them done last weekend.


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## BrownSheep (Feb 3, 2013)

I prefer electric unless you are shear particularly greasy or matted wool. You can give nicks with both but I haven't had major issues.

Tipping sheep can also be affected by height. Physically I can move quite a bit of weight but with my taller sheep I have a hard time leveraging due to my height ( 5'4). Where my sister  can leverage the taller sheep ( 5'10 ).


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## Southern by choice (Feb 3, 2013)

Roving Jacobs said:
			
		

> I've found that I'm too short and my sheep have too many horns to use the NZ method effectively so I use a stand and shear them that way now. My sheep are less stressed, my back hurts less, and I'm able to getter better fleeces for spinning that way.
> 
> I've only ever used electric clippers but no matter what you use you risk cutting your sheep. My shearing teacher said that newbies are less likely to really cut a sheep than experienced people because we go so slow  He said if he wanted to he could butcher a sheep with a set of shears so you really have to be careful about how you're waving them around.
> 
> Shearing time is whenever you want to do it. I like to shear in March, a month before lambing, so that everything is all neat and clean when the babies come. It's a little chilly but the temps are usually warming up then and the sheep adapt quickly to being naked. I know people who are shearing now though and others that won't get around to it until summer. It really depends on you, your sheep, and where you live.


Glad you said that! I did show grooming and then pet grooming for years, and this is how I plan on shearing my little guys. In a stand. I am glad you mentioned the clippers, as I was wondering about whether they would work well for the Jacobs. The wether has a  lot of lanolin. With just two sheep I don't have to be fast. They will come out smooth with no cuts if I table them. The NZ method is cool just so unlike anything I've ever done while using clippers!


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## Four Winds Ranch (Feb 3, 2013)

On weather electric or hand shears are the best, I would think it would largely depend on how many sheep you have to shear!!! We have about 60 head and I could not imagine trying to do that many with the hand shears!!! I am not super experienced with the hand shears, but I found them to be more work and they took quite abit longer to do one sheep! Just my personal opinion though, I am sure there are some people that are very talented with the hand shears!
As for cutting the sheep, They can be easilly cut with the electric shears, ya just have to use caution, don't try to hurry, and don't pull the skin tight when you are shearing! I have seen more sheep sliced up from electric, but most of the sheep I am around are sheared with electric.
We usually shear in March just before they lamb!


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## Roving Jacobs (Feb 3, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> Glad you said that! I did show grooming and then pet grooming for years, and this is how I plan on shearing my little guys. In a stand. I am glad you mentioned the clippers, as I was wondering about whether they would work well for the Jacobs. The wether has a  lot of lanolin. With just two sheep I don't have to be fast. They will come out smooth with no cuts if I table them. The NZ method is cool just so unlike anything I've ever done while using clippers!


Just be aware that young Jacobs can be jumping beans and might try to leap out of the stand! Its mostly just the really wild ones that do that though and they give up once they realize they're stuck. I like the stand though. It makes it so much easier for me keep the different sections separate. The poo-y bits get tossed, the greasy seconds and short cuts get sent off to someone who felts pet toys out of them and the nice blanket stays here to get processed into yarn and stuff.

The NZ method feels like trying to dance with a sack of potatoes to me. I am so impressed with people who do it well. They make it look so easy.


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 3, 2013)

So it sounds like electric clippers would be best, even if I will only end up have the three.
Now for my next question, what kind of clipper would be best?


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## SheepGirl (Feb 3, 2013)

I've never used electric clippers myself and I don't know what kind of shears my shearer uses. My friend has these, though: http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=537&cat_id=38 and she also has these http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=livestock&cid=964&scid=0&pid=6436

And when you do shop around for sheep shears, make sure that they say it is a shearing machine--not a clipping machine. Clippers (like for horses or dogs) do not have the power to cut through thick wool & lanolin. I've tried that lol, in 2010 when one of my ewes didn't get sheared, I tried to shear her with our clippers my mom uses to give our dogs & my brothers & dad haircuts with--didn't work AT ALL! And because our hand shears were dull, I ended up using a brand new pair of scissors on her and it worked great. She looked awful and ended up dying shortly after, but she was finally sheared.

Other than the shearing/clipping difference--I, to be honest, have no idea what the difference is between electric shears.


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 11, 2013)

So, with my own research and your guys help I chose the electric shears, though I will be getting some hand shears also just so I can learn them both. 
I am used to grooming dogs, so this was very diferent with HUGE shears, but at least I knew what I was doing 

Before: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




And
...
AFTER!!









I am officially dead...and my little lamb Rose, officially hates me.
I NICKED her twice, and got her really good under her neck, but thankfully nothing serious and no blood. Woot! I still felt bad T_T
So, what do you think? 
Not bad for a first timer, now I need to focus on how to shear off the wool in one giant piece so I can spin it


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## Roving Jacobs (Feb 11, 2013)

Good job! Don't worry about cutting her, it happens to everyone.

Just for future reference it looks like your tension on the blades wasn't quite right. There's still quite a bit of fleece on her which happens to me when the tension is too loose and pulls the wool more than cutting it cleanly. It's really hard to figure out and takes practice but now I can hear when it needs to be tightened. You may have also just been nervous and not gotten as close as you could have. Don't be afraid to go right along the skin like you were shaving a poodle face and get a nice clean cut. All in all your first sheep looks way better than mine though!


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 11, 2013)

Roving Jacobs said:
			
		

> Good job! Don't worry about cutting her, it happens to everyone.
> 
> Just for future reference it looks like your tension on the blades wasn't quite right. There's still quite a bit of fleece on her which happens to me when the tension is too loose and pulls the wool more than cutting it cleanly. It's really hard to figure out and takes practice but now I can hear when it needs to be tightened. You may have also just been nervous and not gotten as close as you could have. Don't be afraid to go right along the skin like you were shaving a poodle face and get a nice clean cut. All in all your first sheep looks way better than mine though!


In all honesty I got really up and close to the skin by her neck when I first started, but after I sliced her I was very cautious and highly nervous X_X i'll check the tension but I really think it was my nerves.
Really?  Well I am very glad to hear that! I mean, well, im sure your first time wasn't so bad but I was so proud of myself!
I did her all my myself without anyone home to help


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## Royd Wood (Feb 11, 2013)

Roving Jacobs said:
			
		

> Good job!
> 
> There's still quite a bit of fleece on her


 yes there is - My white sheep are pink when we're finished 

What a great job though - good effort


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 11, 2013)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> Roving Jacobs said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 At least I tried! 
and with how cold it is a little bit of wool wont hurt her right now. I will try again closer to spring  Hopefully then I will have a little pink sheepy!


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## SheepGirl (Feb 11, 2013)

Good job


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## Bridgemoof (Feb 13, 2013)

You did great for your first time, especially doing it by yourself! Good thing she still has some woolies covering her too. Winter is not over!


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## goodolboy (Feb 13, 2013)

Good job for the first one. What clippers and blades did you use? Some are easier to use than others.


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## Shelly May (Feb 13, 2013)

Did you have her up on a shearing stand? it really helps also, If they are higher off the ground and makes you feel more comfortable when doing it, backs and sides seem easy, but when doing area's like the throat, little scarier, you will learn things like when to go downward instead of upward, ect... then you will pick up the when to pull the skin tight with one hand and use the shears with the other as you are keeping skin pulled tight, with lots of practice it will come easy one day. You really did great for the first time  you can apply iodine on the small cuts.......


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 13, 2013)

goodolboy said:
			
		

> Good job for the first one. What clippers and blades did you use? Some are easier to use than others.


This one






I'll go check the box for the name but I happened to have a picture of the massive clippers to show off to my dog show friends.


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 13, 2013)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> You did great for your first time, especially doing it by yourself! Good thing she still has some woolies covering her too. Winter is not over!


Yeah that was an after thought lol
And thank you


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## goodolboy (Feb 13, 2013)

Yea, that looks like the comb and cutter I use. So that tells me all you need is practice. Just make sure to use alot of oil on them, and you don't want noise and vibration.


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 13, 2013)

Shelly May said:
			
		

> Did you have her up on a shearing stand? it really helps also, If they are higher off the ground and makes you feel more comfortable when doing it, backs and sides seem easy, but when doing area's like the throat, little scarier, you will learn things like when to go downward instead of upward, ect... then you will pick up the when to pull the skin tight with one hand and use the shears with the other as you are keeping skin pulled tight, with lots of practice it will come easy one day. You really did great for the first time  you can apply iodine on the small cuts.......


Nope, I read my books and online sources and pretty much wung it. Plopped her like I was supposed to, sat her on her rump, twisted, fanangled, and every now and then let her up to burp 
I figured out half way threw shearing that going up was a very bad idea, X_X 
But, the more I work at it the better I will get! 
And thank you! I am actually very proud of myself even if there is a lot of wool left


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 13, 2013)

goodolboy said:
			
		

> Yea, that looks like the comb and cutter I use. So that tells me all you need is practice. Just make sure to use alot of oil on them, and you don't want noise and vibration.


Got it! 
Anything else I should keep an eye out for with this clipper?


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## goodolboy (Feb 13, 2013)

Just clean them good, and oil everything down before storing them. Rust is not good.


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 13, 2013)

goodolboy said:
			
		

> Just clean them good, and oil everything down before storing them. Rust is not good.


How do you clean them?
I have tried two different cleaners so far and the grime is still stuck to the edges of the clipper? is there a specific type of cleaner I should try?


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## goodolboy (Feb 13, 2013)

Warm water and Dawn dishwashing liquid. If the lanilan is bad on the cutters, you can use hot water. just dry them on a paper towel before you oil them down. Don't get water in the motor. Use a old tooth brush to get the hard to reach spots.


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## BlueMoonFarms (Feb 13, 2013)

goodolboy said:
			
		

> Warm water and Dawn dishwashing liquid. If the lanilan is bad on the cutters, you can use hot water. just dry them on a paper towel before you oil them down. Don't get water in the motor. Use a old tooth brush to get the hard to reach spots.


Excellent, thank you!


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