Re: Advice on sheep

Giles wrote: 
All this bad news is not all that encouraging!!  Clearly having a
couple of cats and a dog does not set you up for looking after a flock
of sheep.

Like the idea of the neighbour route.  Perhaps a moving in gift to them
of "here's some sheep" might be a good idea.  That said, if they are
disease ridden, I dont suppose they will be too pleased.

I'm thinking of some hens - is this a better idea (dare I ask)???

Well I think hens are easier to start with but Jill is the expert in chickens and, I am sure, will be along shortly.

One piece of advice that I was given when I started, several years ago, was to avoid buying livestock until you know your land. Once you are happy that the land is in good order (the grass is their food), then you can learn a bit about the animals you wish to keep and make the necessary contacts. You can then select the breed that you are happiest with (visit a few agricultural shows and speak to the various breed societies) and finally buy your animals, happy that you have done as much as possible to give them a good home. Then you really start learning.

--
Howard Neil
.

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