Okay okay just a couple more questions

[kelsey2017]

I went to visit my sheep one last time before they come home. I had agreed to take them before I found this forum so I know relatively nothing the first time I went to check them out since then you all have taught me a great deal, so first a big THANK YOU! I know they are not in the hands of a sheep person so they have been fed and looked out for well, but nothing else. The mama ewe has probably never been shorn in her life ditto for her ewe lamb and it appears they have had no hoof care. I brought my hoof nippers and hoof pick and set out to make some head way on their feet. They are very over grown and I got a start and was able to ascertain that they were just very long, not in anyway rotten or worrysome. I will post pics once I get them home because I don't know how to deal with the very long hard tips of the hoof. I just trimmed the folded over portions to see that they were healthy inside. The wool of the mother is most likely not going to be good for spinning but could possibly be felted for some other purpose.

The other thing I need help with is that they seem very fat. They get all the hay they want and it really shows. When I flipped them over to do their feet they could not get up even from their sides! Once they were on their bellies they were able to but that should make shearing them easy! My question is, how do I determine how much they weigh? I assume there is a weight tape for sheep but how do you measure around all that wool? Seriously there is a LOT of wool. I want to know how to figure out their diet, how much hay to give them. For my horses I feed about 3.5% of their body weight, can you follow a formula like that for sheep, and what is it? I think it is unhealthy for animals to be obese. Other wise they seem really healthy, both have very nice teeth and bright healthy eyes. Soon I will have pictures! Thanks again!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Congrats on getting your first sheep!

As far as hoof trimming goes, there are several good websites that explain how to do it, and you could probably find pictures of this as well. I also did a blog post about trimming hooves...it's here .

What area of the country are you in? If it's warm enough then you can have them shorn now, as long as they have protection from the wind and rain if it's too chilly. If it's too cold where you are to shear them now, I'd wait until spring.

Do they just look fat, or have you been able to feel them? If you think they just look fat I'd hold of putting them on a diet until you can actually see or feel them. If you feel them and they are indeed fat, then you can just feed them a grass hay until they slim down a bit. If they've truly got as much fleece on them as you say, chances are good that they just look fat and aren't actually.

 

[kelsey2017]

I did trim what I could off their feet with the crummy hoof clippers I bought. It was tough because their feet were actually very hard and dry, they have been in this ladies barn all winter I believe with hay, thick, and very soft, so the feet don't wear down at all on their own. It is very clean in their stall, but the never leave it because she is afraid that her dogs will chase and her fence options are limited to horse paddocks and there are many horses but no budget for sheep fence. She took them in to help out someone who was moving suddenly and didn't have time to try to sell. She is happy that I will take them, I have a disabled daughter who will really like them, and good green earth for them to trod upon. They are so tiny they are perfectly proportioned to her little size, DD is also a peanut. The feet will be fine for now; I know they will start to soften up and be healthier with some turn out time and I will not push 'training' sessions right now. A little time of handling on a regular basis and those feet will be good as new. I really need some good felco trimmers, the ones I picked up at fleet farm were really not built for that. It is still very much winter here on the North Shore (of Lake Superior), so shearing will have to wait till warmer times. It was -20 below plus windchill last week and supposed to be 40 the day after tomorrow. That lake has serious moodswings when it comes to affecting the weather. It will just all of a sudden be spring one day, we aren't privy to when it will happen though!
Oh and they Feel fat! I know they have a lot of fleece on them but they are squishy fat. I stuck my hand down to the skin and any where I could get a peek at the skin and I couldn't feel anything bony. How can I put them on a diet when I am actually going to be having them on better hay than their used to? They are eating fine horse hay, timothy pretty much through and through, nothing special. I feed my TB's an alfalfa/orchard grass mix, and that is what they will be getting after a transition period of a month, maybe thats too cautious, I know it will be good for them but I don't think they need free choice hay though. I had thought about getting a hay net made with the little tiny holes in it to keep the hay out of their fleece, I don;t think they are active enough to get into trouble with it. Any one else feed from a hay net?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I'm sure once they're in a larger area and can run around and exercise the weight will begin to come off them. Also, trimming hooves can be much easier if you wait until after a good rain. Their hooves will be much softer!

They don't really *need* free choice hay as long as they're getting enough hay. I'd start with a flake per day per sheep (as long as it's not a super skinny or lightweight flake) and see how they do on that. Would it be possible for you to get a plain grass hay for them? Maybe a first cut grass hay? If not, then try limiting them and see how they do.

I just bought one of those "slow feeding" hay nets to try w/ my sheep, and I just took it out of the pen because it was TOO slow feeding! I tried using it in the stall in the barn, not the main pasture. My preggo ewe is in the stall right now, and I don't want to limit her, so I had to put a regular hay feeder in there with her. I may put the bag in there again so she has something to do once she eats all of the hay in her regular feeder. So far I've never had anyone get caught in a net, and I think it would be especially hard with the small-holes in the slow feeding sort. I would keep an eye on them anyways though...make sure you check them just in case.

 

[goodhors]

If you have a local hay auction, you might look for some first cutting junk hay, that won't have excess calories like your horse hay. Sheep have something to work on, but not much gain in feed values. My sheep preferred the rougher hay if given a choice.

If you have horses, maybe you can get a used rasp from the Farrier, and take off hoof horn with that. You do want to get the soles leveled, for comfortable walking. You will need to remove the extra length, grass or dirt is not going to take it off for you. Too soft. Do you have a limestone driveway? Really rough surface of stone might help a little, but you still will need trimmers and a rasp.

Good luck with the sheeps, they sound very cute. In planning diet, it is better to feed TINY amounts, because those little breeds are designed to survive on air. If the DD will be caring for them, find a no-calories treat she can use, because kids ALWAYS over-treat. Plain oats are nice and rough for the digestive system, not huge in calories. MEASURE the daily amounts. Like ONLY a quarter cup daily for a TOTAL of treats.

DD might enjoy showmanship in 4-H after you get the sheeps shorn and more fit. Taking them for daily walks is good exercise for both child and sheep. Mine walked her lambs around the fenceline of biggest horse pasture (no horses in there) for a couple circuts each day to get them fit. Some years it was quite the parade, with dog, old horse on lead, one of the lambs being lead, other loose to follow, and one small, determined little girl getting all of them their mileage every day!!

 

[kelsey2017]

HI everyone! My sheep are doing well. I got over my nervousness and just went to town on their feet. The horn is much softer now that they have been turned out. The older ewes hind feet were like 6 inches long! I didn't know if the quick would be where it should be so I cut cautiously until I got to a normal looking hoof. They seem way happier and much more sound. The younger ewe was instantly better, she looked quite lame before and would even go down if she mis-stepped, now she was even trotting around. As far as the fatness goes I think the turn out is (or will be) helping, they have more energy and seem very happy. I posted some pictures in my post 'getting some free sheep' if you want a good laugh. I can't wait for warmer weather so I can clip those itchy little buggers. The first thing the little black one does when I turn her out is head straight for the post to scratch.
One more question I have is what do you guys use for bedding? I quickly discovered that shavings is not a really good idea. Straw would probably be better, but I suppose it all gets in their fleece.

 

[kabri]

Your sheep are lucky to have found you! Get that wool off them soon. It has gotten down to almost freezing here after we sheared, and only in the 40's during the day, and sheep have been just fine, no shivering or indication they are cold. And, if your sheep are fat, they for sure won't get cold, and will be more likely to seek shelter without their wool. Good job on doing their feet! it's not hard and it's essential for their health!