Am I crazy for even considering this?

[jen74145]

We have 3/4ths of an acre, with three big ol' shady pecan tree in the middle and a couple fruit trees in the back. Welded wire fence with a hot wire at the bottom.

So, I'm thinking sheep, a very small herd (perhaps three ewes and a ram, one or two more if I go with Shetlands) to provide a few lambs each year to sell/eat ourselves. But, we have coyotes around here (lots and lots of coyotes) and though I am a homemaker so would be here to protect them, I worry they'd jump the fence and be coyote fodder... just how tall does it need to be to keep my sheep in? Could I keep a ram in this situation, running year round with his ewes?
Silly question... I figure they'd need hay in the winter (what doesn't) but how about grain? Would any of them require it?

Also, do rams get as smelly as goat bucks do during rut?

Thank you all... any suggestions on breed welcome too!

[GrannyG]

Around here, even businesses with fenced yards use sheep to keep the grass down around the oil pipes and such. It is common to have several Barbadoes grazing.

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by GrannyG

Around here, even businesses with fenced yards use sheep to keep the grass down around the oil pipes and such. It is common to have several Barbadoes grazing.

HAIR SHEEP? nooooooooooooooooooo sheep are not sheep if they do not produce wool!

I vote for the Shetlands! They are very easy care, from what I have heard (Check out the sheep and fiber forums).

donsgal

[Linda J]

Sheep aren't hard to keep contained in a fenced area. Goats are escape artists, though.

My ram stays in with the sheep until they give birth, then he goes to a separate area until the lambs are bigger and won't be apt to be hurt by his butting them.

My ram does smell a little, but not as bad as a billy.

I give my sheep alfalfa hay in the winter and sheep pellets. Be sure you buy feed especially for sheep, they can't take the copper in goat feed.

I have dorpers - dorset and persian mix. Very sweet, very personable. I love them.

For predator protection, you might get a guardian animal like a donkey (a jenny) or a dog and you could always run a hotwire.

[willow_girl]

Hair sheep are great! May I recommend Kahtadins? Unless you have a use for the wool, and REALLY enjoy shearing (it's hard on your back)!

Woven wire should work ... electric fence alone doesn't do a great job of keeping sheep in, as their wool insulates them from the shock.

Mine have done great on pasture in the summer, hay in winter. I worm with Tramisol a couple times a year. Feet have to be trimmed occasionally, not as often as goats.

Rams can be difficult to pen, as they like to head-butt things. I have mine out on a dog trolley now, since I couldn't bring his pen back in Michigan along with me ... it was welded up outta well pipe!

If you do get a ram, might be a good idea to find a de-horned one ...
And be careful around him ... mine is 6 years old, has never given me a bit of trouble, and last week decided to butt me and knocked me right off my feet!

Remember the old saying ... "if it has tires or testicles, it's gonna give you trouble"!

[HilltopDaisy]

Keep in mind that if you start with three ewes and a ram you will quickly expand, once lambs start being born. Then, if you want to keep any of the female offspring for breeding, you'll need to add an unrelated ram.

Also, they eat a lot and will nibble grass down to the dirt. Much harder on pasture than goats. I would start small until I saw how many my pasture would support, remembering any lambs will put pressure on the pasture also.

[jen74145]

Great, thank you!
Not sure if I want hair sheep or wool; I think I'm going to go for small sheep, shetlands or soays or something. Thank you all for the advice!

[Maura]

There are coyotes around us, but we've never been bothered. If they can find enough to eat on their regular routes, they don't stray into other territory. A barking dog will keep your sheep safe from coyotes because their barking interrupts the stalking sequence. A donkey will also keep coyotes away. I'd worry more about stray dogs, which like to chase moving objects and can run your sheep to death.

[texican]

I'd say start small too, as they'll soon graze down the area, and then you'll be buying feed (or cutting it yourself off of roadsides or whatnot). With large pecan trees you've got some great shade trees. Haven't got a clue whether sheep like fruit trees or not. Thankfully, our goats haven't wandered up to the unfenced orchard yet.

[mtman]

3/4 acre sheep dont do it not nearly enough property for sheep they will eat the grass to the nub that much land think veggies and not much else

[dcross]

Maybe one or two small ewes if you can take them to a local ram, make sure you can keep them away from the fruit trees!

[Jenn]

I had 4-6 ewes and their lambs later also a ram on THREE acre pasture plus occasionally grazing 3 other acres of lawn and orchard (6 total) in central Texas- Lampasas county- and I think we get more rain than you/ have better grass (maybe I'm confusing you with west Texas though). I would keep only 1 ewe plus lamb(s)- and how would you breed her? However my ewes (grade Rambouillet) never got out of barbwire or chain link, but did go through woman blocking the open gate pretty effectively (head butt OUCH!)

[Ross]

3/4 of an acre isn't really big enough to support more than a couple of bottle lambs in most parts. If you cut it into 4 micro paddocks fertilized and watered regularly maybe it could hold more rotating them every 3 days with supplimental hay/grains. I wonder if it would be worth it.

[sewtlm]

Have to say--

My daughters 4-H (3) lambs ate all the bark off of my apple trees and killed all 5 of them. This area is about 3/4 of an acre we actually had to mow it twice in 3 months but we also feed some cheap hay and feed each day. This year we put the lambs in a pen and let our stallion in the orchard with the baby trees he hasn't damaged them at all.
You will need to figure out some way to protect your trees.