NEWBIE Bringing sheep home. Lots of questions!

[Briard'nSheep]

any updates on how your sheep and sheepdogs are doing together?

i ready your threat with quite some interest as I am in the same boat. We got sheep very recently to help clear the property and possibly as a job for my Briard. A Briard again works differently as they were used as boundary dogs. They would be considered a live fence.

Our sheep were used to dogs, but not to a herding dog. Right now we only take Felix (our dog) in every few days on a long lead, but he "visits" them every time he goes outside. The sheep still have lots of respect for my big black dog, but keeping Felix at big enough of a distance to keep the sheep from running is work.
Once the sheep are used to him more, i think it'll be easier!

 

[Shepherd wannabe]

Thanks guys. I have been setting up the stall (10x10 covered pen) today. These are hair sheep but i am not sure of the breed. We decided to go with a portable Sheep panel paddock that will lead off of the stall until we are confident moving them with the wild child and her calmer, but equally imposing little brother.

With any luck, we will be getting them this week. they are having a big clinic this weekend , though, so they may want to keep their old boy for one more weekend.

My kids think that I am insane..... I am in town, after all. Luckily our town ordinances allow for animals and bees (except cows and pigs). SOMEDAY when i get a real farm I hope to run Clun forest sheep. Beautiful, wool, great parents and great milk and meat... but until them I can dream and pretend and move sheep around the yard.

Thank you for all the advice and the worming recipe!

Oh!I was wondering how your new sheep were doing with weed and brush removal???

How do you post pictures??? Would love to put some up of my crew.

 

[Shepherd wannabe]

I'm glad I was able to help. I know your pain. I grew up in the city and now have a small little farm so everything is still on the learning curve. I have an Australian Kelpie and a Aussie/BC cross. My kelpie is my go too dog but can be very pushy and one day when I was trying to move the sheep he pushed them past me and they decided to take off down our driveway, down our dirt lane out onto the main road and finally found an alley (that I had never know was there before this point) and finally came to a rest in a horse pasture. It took me about 45 mins. to get them back to my yard and I was absolutely frazzled when all was said and done. My trainer laughed at my story and said she lost her sheep too as a newbie. So my recommendation is be prepared. It seems everyone has a horror story.

HaHaHa. I hope that I am the exception to the rule.... BUT I am sure that you were able to laugh about it afterwards, right? Someday i will take the time to tell my TERRIBLE trial story... good grief. As one of the spectators said "dogs have a knack of totally mortifying you, don't they? "

Seems that they do!

 

[bcnewe2]

You are not considered a true shepherd till you fall flat on your face in the middle of the sheep while your dog pushes sheep over the top of you! Or at least that's what someone told me as I picked myself and my dignity off the ground in the middle of a STD.
I choose to believe it and have been a Real shepherd ever since!

 

[Briard'nSheep]

I'm glad I was able to help. I know your pain. I grew up in the city and now have a small little farm so everything is still on the learning curve. I have an Australian Kelpie and a Aussie/BC cross. My kelpie is my go too dog but can be very pushy and one day when I was trying to move the sheep he pushed them past me and they decided to take off down our driveway, down our dirt lane out onto the main road and finally found an alley (that I had never know was there before this point) and finally came to a rest in a horse pasture. It took me about 45 mins. to get them back to my yard and I was absolutely frazzled when all was said and done. My trainer laughed at my story and said she lost her sheep too as a newbie. So my recommendation is be prepared. It seems everyone has a horror story.

HaHaHa. I hope that I am the exception to the rule.... BUT I am sure that you were able to laugh about it afterwards, right? Someday i will take the time to tell my TERRIBLE trial story... good grief. As one of the spectators said "dogs have a knack of totally mortifying you, don't they? "

Seems that they do!

 

[Briard'nSheep]

Oh!I was wondering how your new sheep were doing with weed and brush removal???

.

before (this is not the same fenced in area, but you get the idea..)

http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Irisimus/media/IMG_1852.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

after
http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Irisimus/media/IMG_1851.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

This is done by 4 Kathadin ewes and 1 kathadin x Dorper lamb

(hopefully those pictures come through, doing this the first time

 

[Shepherd wannabe]

Shoot. I just see little question mark boxes... But I am guessing it went well if you can show before and afters!

 

[Briard'nSheep]

Weird.. I changed it to the link... not sure why it didn't work in the first place!

 

[Shepherd wannabe]

WOW! how long did that take them??? That looks great. I have lots of ivy and Vinca major. I understand that vinca is not good for eating, so i may need to mow it and plant sheep pasture blend in the fall.
But other than that, I think that they could do such a nice job cleaning up AND my neighbors won't have to hear lawn equipment all weekend~

Lauren

 

[Briard'nSheep]

I would say it took them less then 2 weeks (daytime only) to strip everything. First they picked off all their favourites, then seconds, then thirds, etc.. they also have free choice hay 24/7, and some grains whenever we go to pet them. If I am bringing in my dog, I better be their best friend in between

Somewhere I heard that they bring in large flocks of sheep high up into the BC Rockies. They stay all summer long with their shepherd and LDG to clear brush up there. The environment is simple to fragile to bring in large machinery. What a job!!