The Poultry Keeper

Paula · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 65 Location: Northants

Does anyone know if you need a license or similar to keep one sheep, i had a lamb last year who is now rather big, i am moving my horses from the sheep farm she came from and i don't want to leave her behind, cos i guess i know where she will end up, and as she thinks she is human and not sheep i think she will miss me, so i want to take her with me, but don't want to get myself in trouble. can anyone give me advice on this Very Happy

manic nonie · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:21 pm Post subject:

hi
yes you will need a holding number but not a license, angel7

if you phone DEFRA they will give you a holding number. You don't to have a farm it can be as small as a garage, if you choose to keep her you will need to make sure you have a holding number before she is moved on to your land, and also you will get a flock number. what breed is the ewe?
manic Nonie Surprised

Paula · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 65 Location: Northants

Not got a clue, when i asked the farmer he just said easy care, i guess he don't know either. do you know how long it takes to get a holding number. thanks for the advice Razz

Vivienne · Joined: 26 Sep 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Salisbury Plain

Hi, when you phone DEFRA to get your holding number, ask them at the same time to send you some movement licences. You will need to fill this in to move the sheep from her home to yours. If you get yourself sorted with a holding number and have problems getting a movement licence, let me know, and i will send you one. All it is is a document, there are three copies of it, one for you, one for the haulier, (you presumably) and one to be sent to DEFRA. Its just a method of keeping track of animals. Also, they may require you to put a tag in the animals ear. I am not sure what the requirements are for pet lambs or sheep, but i would guess that you would need a tag in her ear, which i should think the person you will be taking her on from will have done. Regards, Viv. (We have just started lambing and the poor little things have got plastic macs on to keep them warm in the horrible weather!)

Paula · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 65 Location: Northants

ah bless them, don't envy you that job, hope it stays mild. she has not got a tag, to be honest don't recall seeing any sheep with tags in there ears on the farm, but he is very slap dash, thanks for your help, i will try and find the phone number for them and give them a call.

fenwoman · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:19 pm Post subject:

just ou tof interest how will you cope with dipping, dagging , hoof trimming and shearing one sheep.?
I don't think sheep are very happy kept on their own are they? Like goats, they need to have company.

Ben · Moderator Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 1346

debcat · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 4:47 pm Post subject:

I'm sure if you ask the farmer he will happily show you the basics if he hasn't already
My pet sheep is always on her own even when the others are at home she stays the other end of the field. I tried putting her out with the others and she caused havoc trying to get home Rolling Eyes

The only time she goes anywhere now is to visit the ram

Sheep don't have to be dipped, they can be injected instead. Most farm vets will provide an injection for you without a visit. My disabled sheep couldn't go in the dip and was injected instead Very Happy

Dagging is easy enough to do, just messy. I've never had to do any of mine, but I have been shown how and done some of my neighbours. Shearing doesn't have to look pretty, as long as the fleece comes off, it soon grows back and covers the uneven bits. If you wait till it's loose enough it comes off really easily Very Happy

Hoof trimmings the same, some sheep seem to need doing all the time, others hardly at all. Very Happy

HTH
Debs

Bantam Duck · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Bristol Uk

I know lots of friends locally who keep a single sheep with there horses as field companions we had 2 aswel. And my farrier use to do our sheeps feet trimming like Ben Mentioned.

Regards

fenwoman · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:56 pm Post subject:

Perhps it is different in different areas of the country. I know that a couple of people I knew through the smallholders and goat keepers club locally have terrible problems finding someone to shear a couple of sheep. Maybe because the fens aren't traditionally sheep keeping areas. I no longer keep goats (20 years a goat keeper) but kept my hoof shears as nobody else could be found to trim feet so I would volunteer to do it.
I miss my goats a lot but simply can no longer manage the heavy work.
Never kept sheep as I knew people who did and they seemed always to have problems with them compared to goats.

Paula · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 65 Location: Northants

Thanks for all your advice, my sheep does not think she is a sheep, she won't go anywhere near another sheep, we had her from new born, she has always lived with my horses and shares a stable at night with one of them and they get along great. i have had sheep get into my field with her but she stays well away. the farm where they are kept does not dip, they use spot on, that is easy for me to get a single dose of, i can trim her feet myself and if i am in need of anything my friends dad has a sheep farm and is very helpful.as for shearing i am going to take her to my Friends farm when they have the shearers there. she really is a sweaty, comes when called, if she hears my voice she " shouts" at me and she walks on a lead. if i could house train her she would be indoors.we adore her she really is part of the family Very Happy

jooles · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 3:48 pm Post subject:

Paula · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 65 Location: Northants

oops

Lisa · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:33 pm Post subject:

lol!! keyboards are evil with a mind of their own, aren't they Wink

Thanks for giving us a giggle Laughing

Sounds like you've thought through everything with your pet sheep. Hope your move (of horses and sheep) goes smoothly!

rubychik · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:26 pm Post subject: