Can you chain up a sheep

Down under farmer · Mar 21, 2017

Dont go getting all animal liberest on me now. I have an idea to put a sheep on chain to eat the grass around some sheds and such. Can this be done like you would to a calf or goat? I have seen both but never a sheep. Yes shelter n water will be provided but sheep fencing is out of question at moment and this would allow mobile lawn mowing/fatting for freezer

Traditional Farmer · Mar 21, 2017

If you've ever been around sheep you'd understand why you don't see any chained out,about the same as chaining out a cat.

Down under farmer · Mar 21, 2017

Yea not the smartest animals but nore tasty than goats n we got plenty of cattle to chew on

ditchwitch · Mar 21, 2017

never have saw that but whos to say you cant No different than chaining up a dog or a horse just a different critter on the end of the chain. Make a runner for him that way he cold go a little futher and eat more.

Donald Lehman · Mar 21, 2017

When I was a kid we had one sheep. We had it around the farm tied on a rope mowing the lawn. Stupid thing was always tangled up. It ended up hanging itself. So on that very limited basis, I would say no.

Donald Lehman · Mar 21, 2017

Oh yeah. Last summer Jeff bought some barn cleaner parts off a guy. He had a sheep tied up in his yard and that one was all tangled up in his rope, too.

Donald Lehman · Mar 21, 2017

A runner wire, might work. Then again it might not. It is virtually impossible to overestimate the stupidity of a sheep. A sheep is the one farm animal on this planet that makes a cow look smart. Lol!

grandpa Love · Mar 21, 2017

We had goats and sheep when I was a kid. Goats were fine on a chain. Both sheep strangled themselves while chained up.

Bret4207 · Mar 21, 2017

Sheep are herd animals. You pluck one out of a herd and tie it out, it's probably going to panic and things won't go well. Take a bottle lamb that's used to people and is trained to being tied out, that's a whole different ball game. Sheep aren't really stupid, they just tend to react differently than we'd like to see or than we understand. That makes them seem stupid, but their reactions are all based on being prey for millennia and being in the herd and flight from danger. Just have to keep all that in mind. Sheep, like horses, aren't like dogs or cattle. Different mindset.

David G · Mar 21, 2017

I do not think so, but electric fence should work fine.

ditchwitch · Mar 21, 2017

LOL, I didnt know a sheep was that stupid.

ditchwitch · Mar 21, 2017

That cracked me up

Straw Boss · Mar 21, 2017

A sheep's ultimate number 1 ambition in life ?????.......is to die. Chaining him up sounds like a good way to help him succeed. If there's a way for him to tangle himself senseless, he will.
Ever see an old dump rake with the tall steel wheels. A sheep will stick his head through the spokes of the wheel for a few blades of grass and then proceed to hang himself because hes too stupid to simply raise his head and back up. Its a wonder the species has survived to modern times. Maybe thats why they have twins and triplets. Odds are one of the two won't survive to procreate.

kcm.MN · Mar 21, 2017

Our cat went over 10 years before it would even allow us to pick it up and hold it, and even then only on "its" terms! However, have seen lots of pics of cats on a leash in a big city. I think Bret is right - it just takes raising one that doesn't have that "herd mentality" instilled in it.

ChasK · Mar 21, 2017

It CAN be done. However, the sheep MUST be halter broke first. Have been around sheep for 35 years, and will be lambing 52 ewes starting April 1. The ones that I showed or my boys have shown, were tied out daily. I've seen horses and goats tied out that get all tangled up, and sheep will too, but no more so than the others.

If tame, halter broke, and used to being alone the risk is no more so than with any other animal. I've noticed that the thicker the rope (at least 3/4") the less tangle there will be.

Larry EC-OH · Mar 21, 2017

You guys are cracking me up!

LOL

Larry

Farmall plowboy · Mar 21, 2017

Had 2 sheep when I was a kid, tried tying them out, spent alot of time de-tanglem...Craig

RodinNS · Mar 21, 2017

He's still paying the sheep a compliment.... I always say... they have invented at least a thousand different ways to die..

Rod

rlp in Co. · Mar 21, 2017

Someone told me that electric fences don't work for sheep, perhaps because of the thick wool?

RodinNS · Mar 21, 2017

It can be done... we used to tie them to a few concrete blocks or an old steel wheel. Something they can sort of drag but not run with. That way it seemed like they got tangled less often... A stake in the ground will have them wound up within the hour. Keep them clear of other stuff they can get entangled in too...
If you can get flexi-net, any way at all... that will probably make life easier for you.

Rod

ditchwitch · Mar 21, 2017

Thats so funny .I really didnt know all this about sheep

Harold Melius · Mar 21, 2017

My son has 2 of those ugly bald looking sheep. (Look more like big goats to me) He sometimes lets them in the yard to graze. He ties one to a stake and lets the other one go loose. They stay together and the loose one doesn't run off.

Hoofer B · Mar 21, 2017

A lot of mean comments here about sheep. Next thing you guys are going to do is start calling them liars too. Is there something you guys aren't telling us? LOL

ss55 · Mar 21, 2017

You can try, but be prepared to find the sheep injured or dead from trying to escape. It might work with a young lamb. A chain will damage the wool, look for a soft collar.

4520BW · Mar 21, 2017

I know in some southern states you can be arrested for prostitution for doing that to sheep. Do you what you call a person from ( insert favorite southern state) with a sheep under each arm? Pimp.

farmerwithmutt · Mar 21, 2017

I tried to stake calves out with tires and it worked sort of remember to put a swivel on the end. I ended up using electric fence best way ever to mow lawn . But first build what i call a breaking pen 4 good solid fences than a hot wire across the middle make sure you buy good quality fence equipment it will pay then turn them out after it rains or wet the ground down good that way the first shock they know you mean business . Also a good tape with lots of wires in it some cheap ones will pull the strands apart and no shock twist the tape slightly so it will flutter and they can see it my aunt would hang tin can lids on for added attraction. It sounds like work but once you get your crew mowing you only wish you had done it sooner.
I rotated my crew to different sections of the lawn with polywire it easy and they also have net wire for sheep

SweetFeet · Mar 21, 2017

Guessing that one can... however the sheep is likely to think it's a baaaa-d idea at first.

RLA · Mar 21, 2017

You can do anything you want to a Sheep, But a Pig Will squeal on ya..

RN · Mar 21, 2017

Halter broke 4H or FFA project sheep have been rope or chain tied as lawnmowers, ditch cleaners in some cases, no real problems IF they have been halter broke for leading, used to the head stall and lead. Some training includes stand to heel and a command to relax, allowance to graze on informal walks. Friendly Shetland ram was brought in with halter, hand fed garden weeds and was left on lawn with rope tied to fence post, cleaned up in circle no problems. Young milk goat got caught in fence many times, wire cutters and leather gloves needed every 3 or 4 days so electric fencing needed for most of goats- with the exception of older milker that had been shown in ring couple times, could be staked out a couple hours before getting messed up and bellering started. Couple Jacobs bottle lambs were put in dog harness by buyers for lawnmower duty, taken for walks and seemed to have been no problem staked out until fencing, gates put up for 'free range' on lawn. another question might be: can you chain up a human 'want to wander in traffic' rug rat without police hassles? RN

300jk · Mar 21, 2017

Had one growing up. I was maybe 10. We got it as a lamb pretty small. She had a collar and was on a long rope with a large metal ring on the end. Took her out in the morning, pounded in a 4 foot concrete form pin and slid the ring over it. That simple. Moved to different locations every few days. Went in barn at night. We always made sure she had water and some shade. If let loose she would just follow you around the farm. Good pet ! Probably 4 or five when we got rid of her !

tom stalker · Mar 21, 2017

Had sheep as a kid. Put a calf collar on them & tied them out around all the barns. Better than any weed whacker. Rotated positions daily and back to the sheep pen at night

cjunrau · Mar 21, 2017

yes you can , must have a swivel , be tamed as a lamb. slowly work on it and keep an i on it and it will be fine

Bret4207 · Mar 22, 2017

(quoted from post at 10:43:42 03/21/17) I do not think so, but electric fence should work fine.

No, it won't. You have to train sheep to electric fence, electro-net is better, and if you just take one out of the herd and stick behind a fence it's going to go through the fence. Trust me. You want a lawn mower sheep, you HAVE to train it and get it used to what you want it to do.

Can you chain up a sheep

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