[myrandaandkids]

ok someone near me was moving and had to get rid of her animals she called me to see if i wanted her goat because she knew i had them, what she didnt tell me till i got there was that the goat she was giving me had been raised from birth with a sheep and they were inseperable, so when i took the goat the sheep began crying the most pitiful cry and struggling to get out so much that the owner was afraid shed hurt herself so i kinda got guilted into taking this sheep, now the lady kept them as pets and knew nothing about them, now this sheep is a female, it has never been bred and is 3 years old, does this make her too old to breed? she has only been sheared once in her life and burnt up an electric clipper i tryed and dulled 4 pair of scizzors and after 2hours and only getting the first layer off the mid portion of her back i gave up, is there an easier way for a coat this out of control or should i leave it till next spring? is it safe for her to eat goat feed? my husband has always wanted sheep so id like to learn more about properly caring for her and if all works out perhaps getting a few more. is there anything else i should know here in the beggining? are there any websites yall would recommend for a newbie? :help:

 

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

"is it safe for her to eat goat feed?"

NO - TOO much copper.

 

[frazzlehead]

Don't worry, sheep are cool. So are goats!

You can shear her easily enough with a pair of proper hand shears - sounds like she's willing to stand still for you, but you'll need proper shears. You can buy them online at several places, if your local ag store hasn't got any. You can always try Canadian Cooperative Woolgrowers if you get stuck - I know for SURE they carry them! You don't need expensive ones, but do get the longer blades.

Your goat & sheep will both want hay and shelter from bad weather. They don't need anything too impressive for shelter, but they need to be dry if it's raining, and out of the wind. Your goat will be more sensitive to cold than the sheep, but since they're used to being together they probably help keep each other warm.

They are pets so probably already people friendly, but it's good if they know you bring a bit of grain in a bucket - then if they get loose, you can shake grain in a bucket & they'll come following right away. That's the best trick for any goat/sheep owner! Get them used to a bit of grain in the bucket - just a snack, not too much, but enough that they know you bring the yummy stuff.

You might try alfalfa pellets if those are easy to come by and not too pricey instead of 'goat feed' - and you'll need to supplement each with the appropriate minerals - the sheep can't have copper and the goat needs some, so that'll be tricky.

They need good fences to keep them in and keep coyotes out. They get UNDER everything, so be sure the bottoms are nice & tight.

Fresh clean water, access to pasture now in the summer and good fresh not-moldy hay in winter, with a bit of grain for supplement and maybe some alfalfa pellets to bump up their nutrition if the hay isn't so good, and you should be good to go.

Oh, don't suddenly change feed, or let them gorge on grain (i.e. LOCK THE GRAIN BIN) - they can overeat and die from bloat.

There are vaccinations they need annually, and deworming, and hooves need trimmed, but we'll tackle one thing at a time.

Ask us anything, we're here for ya!

 

[SilverVista]

If you take the wool off in layers, you will dull your tools no matter what you use. Whether the shearing is done with scissors, hand shears or electric shears, you want to cut the wool that is warm and greasy, right next to the skin. Since you've already started to work on the back, pick one spot that's easy to reach, and cut carefully within the 1/2" closest to the skin, then once you've opened a path, continue cutting around and down the sides underneath all the matted and dirty wool. I know it seems harder than working down the fleece layer by layer, but once you get started, it's much easier.

With goats, it's recommended to breed them young so the pelvic bones will spread wide enough for easy birth before the bones harden. Sheep don't seem to have as much of a problem with this. However, if they're not bred, it's easier for them to become fat, and then it's harder to get them bred later. If your sheep is in good condition and not overly fat, then you shouldn't have any problems with her breeding and giving birth.

Everyone else is giving good information about feed and health care. Since you already have goats, you'll find sheep fairly easy to get used to.