# Catching escaped sheep



## Mike22 (Oct 17, 2014)

My wife and I are new to sheep. We had a disaster yesterday with our newly purchased katahdin ewe, her nursing ewe lamb, and a third weaned ewe lamb. We have 23 acres with multi strand barbed wire perimeter fencing. I have an acre paddock, and plans for more, fenced in four strands of electric wire. I asked the man I purchased them from if I should pen them up in something smaller for a while at first, but he said he thought the electric paddock would be fine for our initial introduction to the property. Well, I backed up to the paddock gate and opened the trailer door. They bolted through the electric fencing. We spent about 20 minutes trying to push them back to the paddock. They were much flightier than we expected. I guess they were not handled much previously. We soon lost them through the perimeter fence into heavy cover.

I was able to track them on field roads today in several hundred acres of sorghum fields lined with divisional cover. It looks like they did a lot of random wandering, back tracking many times, but I never saw them. We have no other sheep on our property, but our neighbors have goats. I am afraid they may be lost for good.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to trap them our lure them back to our property? They spent no appreciable time on our property other than when they were in flight mode.

I


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

Ah, I feel your pain and wish I had better advice but.. Once upon a time I brought home two bred ewes in a Honda. lol

The fattest of the two (I kid you not) jumped through the half closed back window into freedom. I was shocked and amazed, to be sure.

Now, at the time I had little experience catching sheep on the loose and had no dog to assist me. Thee humans on foot (and sometimes in a car) tracked her back and forth up steep hills, down roads and once on to someone's back porch. We were losing hope really, and in the end I think only her exhaustion and God hearing our prayers made her lay down in the woods long enough to grab her. 

If I had that same situation today I would have definitely gotten a tasty snack for her and done more luring and less chasing. I don't know your particular situation or how far they've gotten to but food is the way to a sheep's heart it seems. Perhaps you can set up a pen trap and put down food bait for them in the vicinity you suspect them to be.


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## hastyreply (Nov 10, 2012)

I have a friend whose first experience with sheep was unloading them with a friend at the stable they used for their horses. The sheep took off running to the back of the pasture and were never seen again. 

Good fences are a must. If the sheep are really tame you can use food to keep them close (tame equals food driven). They may be with neighboring livestock. Sheep from flock situations don't really appreciate being alone. Ask you neighbors.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

I'd suggest contacting the previous owner and finding out what they used as "treats". If the sheep don't recognize it as such they aren't likely to be attracted to it.


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## Double C Acres (Nov 25, 2011)

That's a tough one! Do you know someone with trained sheep herding dogs who could help you? Maybe someone with lassoo experience?:shrug:


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I had similar experiences when I first got sheep. However, they didn&#8217;t escape for days.

The sheep probably did not recognize the electric fence as something to avoid. Even if they did understand what it was, if sheep are sufficiently scared they will run through it.

They will usually respond to the sound of grain in a bucket. Use oats. At some point you will locate them. Have someone (preferable two or three) on one side, and you on the other. Walk slowly toward them. When they alert on you STOP. Shake the bucket. Give them a minute, shake again and again. Take a couple of steps closer, stop. Shake bucket. You may have to drop some on the ground, a handful, and step away from the sheep. If they come toward the dropped oats, continue to lure them. 

The walkers should keep a distance from the sheep or they will bolt. You just want them choosing to follow you rather than go back. Get them to the pasture or pen as quickly as possible, even if you have to cut the fencing. You can fix it later. Once they are in, shake the bucket to get them centered in the pasture or pen and put some more oats down. Leave the area. One walker should stand near the gate to shut it if they make it there before you do. If you cut the fence, a walker should stand near the opening so they don&#8217;t bolt out. Fix fence right away.


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## Bytheyard (Mar 6, 2015)

Check with your local feed stores to see if anyway has came in talking about seeing some loose sheep and also hang a flyer in there. Also call your animal shelter and report it. I used to work at an animal shelter and some of the calls we would get would surprise you.


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## Bytheyard (Mar 6, 2015)

Oh yeah! Something else I learned when I brought home some flighty goats (that aren't here anymore). From now on when I get sheep or goats I put a collar and a bell on them so if they get loose I can hear them and have something to grab on to until they get used to the fence and me.


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

Bytheyard said:


> Oh yeah! Something else I learned when I brought home some flighty goats (that aren't here anymore). From now on when I get sheep or goats I put a collar and a bell on them so if they get loose I can hear them and have something to grab on to until they get used to the fence and me.


I used to have collars on all my goats until one came home without hers and I found it stuck in a bramble thicket later. Now I'm afraid of one hanging itself.


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## Bytheyard (Mar 6, 2015)

So did you ever find the sheep??


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## Mike22 (Oct 17, 2014)

Well, first, thanks for all of the replies. They did turn up in my neighbor's goat pasture a few days later. They were happy with the goats, and the plan was to let them settle for a while there, then cut the fence and let goats and sheep make their way on to my property as they pleased and let them acclimate themselves over a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, my neighbor tried to move them to an adjacent pasture after about a week, and the sheep spooked and blew through her fence again. They have been gone again for about a week now. We are losing hope that they will return at this point. They seem wild as deer.


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## hastyreply (Nov 10, 2012)

Sorry to hear that. Using the goats to settle them and give them something to follow was a good idea. Its frustrating when people change the plan and don't realize their plan won't work.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

If you can locate them again you might try to find someone in your area who either utilizes sheepdogs or trains them for trials. One good handler with one good dog is a sight to see. A handler that can control a couple of dogs working together could probably drive sheep through downtown Chicago without losing any. A few years back they held the national trials on a farm not far from us. Almost magical.


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## hastyreply (Nov 10, 2012)

Usually the sheep used in trials have been worked by dogs just a little to give each competitor an even chance. Just like in roping the calves and steers have been run through the chute and roped a time or two. 

It makes a big difference if sheep have been previously worked with dogs. Sheep who have never been worked will scatter and run much like your sheep have done when pressure is put on them. (dogs are just pressure). Lambs can be the worst. That's why I try and work my lambs a time or two while they are still with they mamas or right after weaning when I have a couple of older sheep in with them. They learn really quickly how they are suppose to behave when a dog is there.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Sheep have to be trained to electric fences, preferably at a young age.

You do that by building a fence that will contain them, such as woven wire field fence or electronet around a small area, and then letting them learn that it hurts to touch.

I also know you will need more than 4 wires if you expect to keep them in and predators out.

You can easily add more wires to your fence, making sure most are at or below their eye level.

They won't often jump a fence without a good reason, but will go under or through fairly easily

Use the most powerful charger you can, and install several deep ground rods

I like a minimum of 4000 volts on the weakest parts of my fence


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