[Jacob-list] gates & smart sheep

[Neal and Louise Grose]

Your best bet is probably to use two gates a little more than a car length apart and with fencing connecting the two. I see them where people need to make sure to keep dogs in a yard. 

Drive through the first gate. Shew the sheep out and close the first gate. Open the second gate and drive out.

Neal
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Penelope 
  To: Jacob Sheep List 
  Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 6:59 PM
  Subject: [Jacob-list] gates & smart sheep


  The sheep are too smart this year.  The driveway goes from the road over a stream (bridged by one of those open grill type cow guards, which stops the sheep, or they humor us) and then on up through the pasture to a gate to our house.  Half a dozen or so of the Ewes have discovered that the grass is greener.  No one's been grazing it all winter in the yard after all.  They watch and listen for a car or a delivery vehicle to come, and go through the gate with the vehicle.  For everyone but Spouse, they scatter after that so they can't simply be shooed out.   I think Spouse hasn't encountered them when they don't want to leave since he is the last one home at night nine times out of ten.

  Leaving the gate open would just lead to all the rest in the yard too.  They leave again with the next car, if they're thirsty, or at feeding time.  

  So far they're only eating grass, but I know from past years with fence problems that they'll move on to plants I don't want eaten.  If they'd stick to the grass I'd let them stay.

  I don't have a long term alternate pasture for them, or I'd move them.  Locking them in the barn will only last so long.  I tried to frighten them with the car horn this morning and only succeeded in calling more ewes to the gate while the first two stood looking at me.  I tried to bribe them with the sheep cookies I carry in the car -- they left the cookies to go through the gate as soon as it was open and I was back in the car.  And my companion in the car is only seven and can't drive, but is a little small to out bluff a 150lb ewe (one is mostly Romany -- here because she outsmarted the former owner of the property.  We get some nice wool cross breeds,)  or the more bossy Jacob ewes.  I also think they'd just dodge her and come in anyway.

  So how do I sheep proof my gate and still leave it so that vehicles can go through?  Someone must have done this before!

  --


  "...Shine my life like a light..." (the indigo girls)

  "Perhaps the biggest change will come
  When we don't have to change much at all.
  When maniacs holler "grow, grow, grow"
  We can choose to be small." (Pete Seeger)

  Penelope Jacob mailto:pcj at efn.org or mailto:penelope at dreamsandbones.net

  The circle is open but unbroken. 

  http://www.dreamsandbones.net/blog



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