# Pen size?



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

I'm planning the materials trip for my sheep pen and I'm not sure how big it should be. I have a babydoll/soay cross ram-1 yr old. I'm also going to house the soay ewe and lamb in this same pen and shed. This should keep Ramsey from going crazy with boredom. Hoping to add a wether as soon as I can get one.

Do sheep need a shed for sleeping in? Nothing I can find online seems geared to educate a person who suddenly finds themselves the proud owner of a sheep! Most of it assumes that you went into the idea fully educated. Since I have to educate myself post haste and house my sheep, I'm hoping that folks here will steer me in the right direction. 

Also, aside from grass, what do sheep eat? I'll be getting the vet records from the previous owner, but I need to lay in feed for the winter, so I'd better start now. 

I'm really in over my head here, and I want to make a success of this, if only to show my husband that I can. Advice, suggestions, direct orders, are all welcomed. 

I've checked the stickys above, but they don't seem to go where I need them either. Assume that I know absolutely nothing about sheep and you won't be too far off the mark. Start there, please. (already put in a book request at the library, lol)


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Have you seen this site?

http://www.sheep101.info/


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

I would order the "Story's Guide to Raising Sheep" by Paula Simons or you can find it used sometimes called "Raising Sheep the Modern Way". Also, here is a book online that is good:

http://hem.bredband.net/ronpar/tsb.html


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Ninn said:


> I'm planning the materials trip for my sheep pen and I'm not sure how big it should be. I have a babydoll/soay cross ram-1 yr old. I'm also going to house the soay ewe and lamb in this same pen and shed. This should keep Ramsey from going crazy with boredom. Hoping to add a wether as soon as I can get one.
> 
> Do sheep need a shed for sleeping in? Nothing I can find online seems geared to educate a person who suddenly finds themselves the proud owner of a sheep! Most of it assumes that you went into the idea fully educated. Since I have to educate myself post haste and house my sheep, I'm hoping that folks here will steer me in the right direction.
> 
> ...


Sheep need a shelter of some kind to get out of the weather. A lean-to is good enough.
They dont have to go in to sleep. Most prefer to stay outside.

They need just pasture when its available and when winter comes, a good grassy mix hay and maybe some grain for just the pg ewes.
They need minerals for sheep all the time.

Their pen should be a large as possible. My 4 sheep have a pen, with 2 lean-to shelters, thats about 100 ft by 150 ft and opens to a big pasture.

Housing a ram with ewes will result in unplanned lambs possibly at the wrong time of year and you wont know due dates and thus wont know when to start keeping an eye on your ewes. The ram will also try to breed the ewes right after they birth.


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