Wife would buy a playpen and we raised them in the house!! We put diapers on them to keep the pen clean!! Had a fortune in diapers and milk replacer. Every lambing we would end up with 3 to 6 orphan lambs. before I put them in a pen next to the house every night. Neighbors dogs killed 11 lambs one night. I made money on them one time in 15 years. I still run Barbdoes, but it is just to let the flock I had to live out their lives. Once good neighbors can become enemies should your Great Pyrenees kill their dog chasing your sheep or you shoot the entire dog pack tearing apart a valuable ewe. Areas where domestic dogs are allowed to run at large can be a real problem. I would advise anyone considering sheep to assess their area's predator situation. Calling a vet during lambing can really take away any profit. If you love your good night's sleep, then sheep ranching isn't for you. One must be experienced in delivering multiple births as well as breech presentations. I would say that good shepherding is about 4 times the work of good beef cattle care. Yes, mineral is very important as FH says. Also, a special barn set up for lambing and shearing time may be necessary. I always had two fenced pastures and I rotated the sheep weekly. Sheep can destroy a pasture fast and in a hurry. Another good idea is a few goats with the sheep. The number one requirement in a large operation for success is a well-trained Great Pyrenees dog. It all depends on your location, pastures, and willingness to add a lot more work to your day. While sheep offers some potential profits, they can also offer some serious loss.
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