Rare Breed Sheep

Neddy flanders

Member
BASE UK Member
if anyone ever suggests getting any Hebrideans, Shetlands or any other wild things don't ever listen to them.

They are rare and need to get rarer.

four and a half days ive now spent trying to catch five Shetlands. been feeding them into a pen all winter, fine. then the day I try and close the gate behind them, theyre off.
double height fences and multiple pens all of diminishing sizes etc, cannot stop them. don't respect a dog atall.

Do vets ever come out with Tranquilizer guns?

complete exhaustion.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
if anyone ever suggests getting any Hebrideans, Shetlands or any other wild things don't ever listen to them.

They are rare and need to get rarer.

four and a half days ive now spent trying to catch five Shetlands. been feeding them into a pen all winter, fine. then the day I try and close the gate behind them, theyre off.
double height fences and multiple pens all of diminishing sizes etc, cannot stop them. don't respect a dog atall.

Do vets ever come out with Tranquilizer guns?

complete exhaustion.

I'm lambing 800 Shetland and Shetland X Cheviot ewes this year. Sounds like you need a harder dog...
 

Wink

Member
Location
Hampshire
if anyone ever suggests getting any Hebrideans, Shetlands or any other wild things don't ever listen to them.

They are rare and need to get rarer.

four and a half days ive now spent trying to catch five Shetlands. been feeding them into a pen all winter, fine. then the day I try and close the gate behind them, theyre off.
double height fences and multiple pens all of diminishing sizes etc, cannot stop them. don't respect a dog atall.

Do vets ever come out with Tranquilizer guns?

complete exhaustion.
Beggar - picked up 15 hebs last week. Seem to eat nothing and loiter around a fallen tree. I call them the "Black Army".
 
Currently lambing shetland and shetland x draft ewes, along with welsh, welsh x and a variety of other hill breeds. No problems here, just take a little educating . . . ..

Having said that they defiantly can be a pain in the arse to gather as they dont like to flock, and they are a pain in the arse for escaping. They are best kept on big rough ground with a good fence around it i think! Lambing like a dream though!
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
if anyone ever suggests getting any Hebrideans, Shetlands or any other wild things don't ever listen to them.

They are rare and need to get rarer.

four and a half days ive now spent trying to catch five Shetlands. been feeding them into a pen all winter, fine. then the day I try and close the gate behind them, theyre off.
double height fences and multiple pens all of diminishing sizes etc, cannot stop them. don't respect a dog atall.

Do vets ever come out with Tranquilizer guns?

complete exhaustion.
What are they in lamb to? Can't you let them lamb themselves in the field?
 

delilah

Member
Our hebs aren't too bad, some of the portlands however......

I always thought our Portlands would be the most feral sheep I would ever have to deal with. Then, in a moment of madness, accepted as a freebee a handful of Manx laughton as a rescue job. The leader of the pack can clear a post and wire fence from a standing start and they run through/at you as if you weren't there. Completely mad little fekkers.
 

ilyria

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
wales
I always thought our Portlands would be the most feral sheep I would ever have to deal with. Then, in a moment of madness, accepted as a freebee a handful of Manx laughton as a rescue job. The leader of the pack can clear a post and wire fence from a standing start and they run through/at you as if you weren't there. Completely mad little fekkers.
Manx's are mental lol. I ended up with a bloke's Manx's from 8 miles away with the gits jumping fences. Took 9 months to pen them up successfully and send them home
 

SLA

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
The problem with primitive/hill breeds is they’re MUCH more intelligent than your average sheep, if they don’t respect you/your dog they will literally run rings around you. But they look after themselves, and are generally very healthy and can be very cooperative as long as not left to go feral, I really like my North Ronaldsays and the crosses have proved to be fantastic sheep.
 
I'm not sure Shetlands are that rare a breed as there seem to be a fair few around.

They are a damned hardy little sheep, but are very clever (for a sheep) making them a handful.

I have lambed Shetland and they are pretty much labour free as long as their udders aren't dropped too much.

I have also lambed Cheviot x Shetlands which were a really good ewe to work with.
I can't say enough good things about them.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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