Please share your thoughts on sheep giving birth in the forest or field

Bossroo

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Thanks for the great advice Boss. I will have to try one of those shepherd's crooks! Have you any suggestions on where to purchase one?
The closest " shepherd's leg crook " that I can find on the internet is from Premier 1. It is all aluminum. What I had was steel head shaped like a flattened fish hook ( similar to the leg hook head shown but longer hook) mounted on a sturdy rake handle. Mine was about 7+ feet long. You would want a longer handle to catch the more flighty sheep. Such is progress from the days when you could buy quality tools at any feed store that actually worked great before the new and improved ones came along. NOT !!!
 

secuono

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2-3 days, some need to stay longer, about a week. They get too restless any longer than that.
I let them out after 2 days and watch. Sometimes they're good to go and other times I bring them right back in and try again in a day or two.
 

Bossroo

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Bruce -- those crooks are for use on the neck to catch a sheep. The ones that I used is used on the hind leg to catch the sheep. It has a much narrower space between the shaft and crook and has been the tool of choice to catch a sheep or goat.
 

babsbag

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If I heard him right, I think he said the LGD jumped out of a truck at our tiny local store and mauled the heck out of him. So if I heard him correctly, it did not occur out in a field.

That is even stranger. Most working LGDs never leave the farm, not something you would expect to see at a grocery store. These are big powerful dogs and could certainly do some damage but mine are such sweethearts to everyone I certainly hope no one ever tries to steal a goat as they might just let a 2 legged predator in. At lease when I am around the are sweet; who knows when I am not home.

I think I would be safe in saying that the number one reason an adult LGD is rehomed is because they challenge fences. If you ever see an adult dog for sale or free make sure it isn't a fence jumper. An electric fence can help with that but better if they don't already have that habit.
 

soarwitheagles

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Babs,

Thanks for the great info, a fence jumper would be a total bummer as there are lots of SSS people here in our neck of the woods. One neighbor even warned everyone of legal consequences if any of our neighborhood dogs messed with her livestock. The large majority of our neighbors are super nice and helpful. But there is a lady who, according to many others, rides a broomstick. So I am very careful in my interactions with others here.

Yes, I will have to ask the boy that was mauled for more details.

I hope I am not allowing fear to control my thinking in relation to LGD's! The scars and stitches are very real on his head and so is the large monetary gain he recently experienced!
 

Latestarter

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It's rather amazing how much damage one or two bad apples can do to the bunch. Justsayin...
 

Mike CHS

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Now I'm curious about how many other people use the crooks? We use a crowd pen and haven't had a need for one yet. It might be something to have on hand but we so far we find the sheep almost want to be in our laps when one or both of the dogs are staring at them. :)
 
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