Away in the manger

[soarwitheagles]

Happy New Year to all!

Our ewes are preparing to lamb and we are so excited [our first time trying ranching/sheeping].

There was an existing structure, so we simply installed some 2x6 perimeter wall boards, cut and installed some plywood walls, supported the old garage door roof with some eucalyptus branches, built up the floor area with yards of soil, threw in some hay, and this is it.

I will hang a couple of 2x6 joists, then remove the eucalyptus supporting branches. I also removed the temporary light due to fire hazard, and installed a permanent light.

Oh, I also installed two high definition IP 3MB cameras.

The floor measures 10'x12' and they equals 120 sq. ft.

Is this large enough for our flock of 10 pregnant American Blackbellies, on ram, and two small dorper lambs?

 

[Bossroo]

Since that area is a MAJOR termite area... You will have the walls being held up by the termites holding hands in fairly short order. Hay + manure + soil = adobe brick. that 120 sq. ft. is fine for open sheep for a short period of time, but when the lambs arive , not so much. What about ventilation from amonia fumes ? I think that you would be much happier with the Dorpers as they are MUCH MORE easier to handle as well as produce MUCH MORE MEAT than the Blackbellies ever would.

 

[soarwitheagles]

Since that area is a MAJOR termite area... You will have the walls being held up by the termites holding hands in fairly short order. Hay + manure + soil = adobe brick. that 120 sq. ft. is fine for open sheep for a short period of time, but when the lambs arive , not so much. What about ventilation from amonia fumes ? I think that you would be much happier with the Dorpers as they are MUCH MORE easier to handle as well as produce MUCH MORE MEAT than the Blackbellies ever would.

Thanks Bossroo for your reply.

No sign of termites, and even if we see signs of termites, I have the Termidor for both termites and ants...extremely deadly, and can inject inside the wood or ground, keeping it away from the sheep.

We can expand the manger to double the size if/when need be. Only would take a few minutes as we have some old garage panels for the roofing.

Dorpers, at the present time are too expensive. All the reading I did indicated that American Blackbelly are some of the lowest maintenance sheep to start with, that is why we went that route. Oh, also a local rancher gave us a great deal on the blackbellies.

 

[Bossroo]

I'm sure that you are aware that the thing that counts is the bottom line to achieve profit. The IRS, due to the demands of Congress and the President wants you to have a profit. You have to show a profit if you want to take your operating expenses off your income tax return. With cheap in , one has to add more time and labor, then get cheap return at auction and / or meat in one's freezer. Go to your local livestock auction and stay the entire time from start to finish while you sit on your hands to see for yourself. A real eye opening edcation of real life economics.