Hi All.
This is my first post on lsb, but I have been reading topics in the forums on the site for a while now.
I have a couple of lambs that keep escaping from our paddock. We have railed fencing with wire between the ground and bottom rail and the next rail, but they still seem to be able to squeeze through. My neighbour found them in her orchard today which means they've also worked how to cross the cattle stop onto her property. Any ideas?
Are they lambs belonging to their mother, or bottle-raised?
I had a couple once who found the neighbour's garden and wouldn't stop going there until we collared and tethered them! They were a right pain. Eventually, when they joined the rest of the flock, they got the idea that they should stay with the others.
Hi Ruth,
They have a mother, not bottle raised. My flock consists of 9 sheep (7 ewes and 2 wethers) and 6 lambs, but it seems it's only these twins, and sometimes one of the single ones joins them, who obviously think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence!
Bastards! We had some like that one year, kept going through a fence, then the others, who wouldn't otherwise have gone there, followed. There'll be a favourite hole. Find it, fix it or block it and see if you can outwit them. You might have to do it several times.
They arent Gotlands by chance are they, famed for escaping.
My past experience has shown its easier to get rid of the sheep than fix the fencing, they will continue to get out once they have started, makes no difference how much grass they have in their paddock
At various times we have had lambs escape. Every time it’s been under the fence. Lamb size dips in the ground below the bottom wire that they find. Look carefully along that lower wire. Often it’s been a matter of a temporary block off until the lambs grow.
Hi NicolaR, with escaping stock, some are just sneaky ratbags who will always find an escape route. Some push the limits due to lack of feed, some see other stock nearby & want to go visiting. But once they find a way out- it does take a lot to stop them. So my 1st question is- do they have enough good pasture? Is the fence in good order- what size are the gaps between the railings? Is there a 'rub' patch like someone else said, where you can see where they are squeezing through/ under the fence? I came home last week to find a lamb on our loading bank, which I have gates across from the paddock end, so the sheep cannot get onto it. How did it possibly get up there? I had a cuppa & watched from the deck for a few minutes as the lamb jumped down, raced back past the shed, came back around & jumped a 5ft concrete block & onto the loading bank. So, even when you think your paddock is 'escape proof' when there is a will, there is a way lol
I have arapawas. The lambs get to a certain age (usually around 8 weeks?) then they attempt to go wherever they want.
We have our paddocks adult sheep proof but they are not all quite lamb proof yet! We've plugged / blocked gaps where the escaped lambs cause a problem = other wise I dont worry too much - they got back to their Mums when they want the milkbar! (and after a couple of times of getting stuck away from Mum they learn!) I'm a little careful which paddocks I put them in when they are going through this stage - I dont want them in my gardens or out on the road!
Me and hubby and 2 boys, Alpacas, Arapawa sheep, Lowline cattle, lots and lots of chooks and ducks
The pastures are pretty good for this time of year. Especially as our cows are off property. Fences well maintained 8 inch space between ground and 1st rail 8 inch space between 1st and 2nd rail and wire running between these. Not gotlands as previously suggesred by Muri. My husband agrees with you Muri but they just need to put on a few more kilos. Hopefully they will put the weight on our side of the fence.
I put up beautiful 7 wire fences with battens to keep the sheep and lambs in. It didn't work so I put up an 8th wire along the bottom, which worked sometimes. Then we got goats, so that fencing did not work. I've been over all my beautiful fencing with sheep netting to keep the darned things in, which has worked, but might not have worked if the fence was only netting. Just-born lambs can find the tiniest hole to fall through .
As muri says, get rid of those lambs as soon as possible before they teach the other animals.
Try making a triangle out of stiff poly pipe and butterfly bolts to fit over the neck. This will mean that you have to wean the lamb/s, but if they are over 20 weeks or 20 kg that will be fine.
If they are going regularly, they should be wearing an obvious track. Go slowly along the most logical fence lines and if nothing obvious, try the less obvious fence lines.
Did you know, that what you thought I said, was not what I meant :S
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