I would suggest you get a holding pen built ASAP! We built ours out of 5' tall panels (like pig panels, but taller) and put the posts about 3' apart. Thus far, none have gone over it - although I did have one once jump into a old cow feeder and then jump over the field fence + barbwire (about 4' tall) - I've since moved the feeders farther away from the edges of the fence.
Anyway - the other suggestion I have, if you haven't already thought of it, is within your holding area, you need to be able to make smaller and smaller areas within it. We used pipe gates with the panel wire on them to make areas that can be closed off small or opened large by just opening or closing a gate. You can use the gate to 'herd' them from one area to another by swinging it different directions. It's hard to describe, but works great!! The best way I've found to catch one is to get so many into a small area that they CAN'T JUMP so you can just walk in and grab the one you want. They need to be comfortable going into the area you build - or you need to build some kind of 'funnel' with your fence to herd them into it. We feed ours in the holding pen, so they are used to going in there every day - their water is also in there. Trying to catch one in the open field is difficult, as you already know - before we added the gates to our holding pen to make smaller areas, we had to catch them with a lasso even in there and most of my sheep are pretty tame, but once you start catching them, that all changes! Sorry - no great advice other than get a lasso (if you don't already have one), get a LOT of people and use several of those stiff panels to work the sheep into a corner (I've had to do this before when trying to catch a sheep at our neighbor's house who didn't have a holding pen), get your holding area built quick . . . Maybe someone else will have more ideas . . . good luck! Onalee (no dogs herding my sheep) In a message dated 7/7/2004 9:18:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Being new at this sheep caper, I don't have much in the way of dheep handling facilities. I've got one that needs some attention, and I may as well be trying to catch the wind. We tried setting up some "traps", but they were waaay too savvy for that. One of them can fly through the air with the greatest of ease. I'm feeling a bit stressed at the moment, to put it lightly, and wondering if I've made a big mistake. I have a plan drawn out for a small sorting/handling area, but jeez, I'm afraid if it's not roofed, they'll just go over the top of anything I erect. Anybody care to share ideas about snagging the little devils? Should I have bought a sheep dog before I even thought about getting these things? Thanks. I need some encouragement. Barb Lee =============================================== This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly To search the archives, go to http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
