So, I live out on the Cornish moors surrounded by unfenced common land. There are free range cows, ponies and sheep wandering around. Over the last week / ten days, a group of militant sheep have started breaking into my garden. It's more sheltered than the surrounding land and because I have failed as a gardener I guess it's better grazing than the open moor.
At first there were just a couple chowing down but over the last few days, they have invited their mates and there can be up to a dozen mooching about doing sheep stuff. They leave when it gets dark but by mid morning they are back again.
The thing is, I don't mind them at all and they are noticeably eating their way through the undergrowth so they are doing me a solid favour by being there.
Question is, should I shoo them away and mend the fence or should I ignore them and let them get on with it?
by dwair
28 comments
No harm, no foul, eh?
You’re not trapping them, they’re free to leave. You’re getting a free gardening service while they get some much-needed fresh grazing in the middle of winter. I’d say it’s a win-win situation, I’d love to have sheep visiting.
Just don’t count them while operating heavy machinery.
Tbh I’d let them be, if the farmer is happy with their sheep wandering around and you’re happy to have them on your land…Sounds like a win-win for everyone.
As long as you’re happy with everything getting eaten, you’re on to a winner!
It’s all good during winter, but imagine how you’ll feel in July, having a BBQ on your patio with a sheep staring sadly at you as you tuck into a delicious leg of lamb, fresh off the grill.
What a great garden – What great gardeners. I say the latter.
As long as they leave once in a while. There may be some obscure squatting laws about letting other people’s animals live on your land. I know there are such rules in France at least as my mate almost came a cropper letting a local farmer leave his donkey in his field for too long.
We need a sheep lawyer for this, or at least someone with a BAA in land law.
As long as the owner doesn’t try to charge you for the organic lawncare service – wouldn’t want you getting fleeced
I think the only thing to check would be if there’s anything growing there that might be toxic to them? 🤔 I know with horses, common weeds like ragwort are extremely toxic, not sure if there’s anything like that for sheep.
As long as they’re helping and not driving you Baaaaarmy
I’m loving the idea of militant sheep ❤️
Leave them alone until you’re preparing a large sunday roast.
Just phone the farmer and let him know they’re there.
Just leave them if anyone mentions it like the farmer for instance just claim ignorance that you didn’t notice them.
I’d love visiting sheep to my garden. Most I have seen is a squirrel not even a visiting muntjac and they get everywhere!
The sheep get fed, you get your garden cleared, and the farmer get’s them back later, I can’t really see a downside to this.
You’re all good here but I would suggest spraying a stencil onto one of the sheep to make some poor farmer spit his coffee out. Be creative.
I think the main thing is that you haven’t tried to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes, so you should be OK.
Depends if you want free lawn mowers or not? It’s not like you’re actively rounding them up and locking them in your garden, the sheep are there by their own volition.
Just don’t start shouting ‘Mint sauce, Mint sauce ‘
If anyone is looking for a more “organic” approach to clearing gardens etc. I believe goats are the best option. I have seen a number of goats who were tethered out in an overgrown garden clearing outwards in circles. Our curiosity was overwhelming so we did ask the owner of the garden, who said they’d hired the goats and they were tethered to keep them away from certain plants/areas of the garden. Unfortunately I don’t own any goats or have the contact details of anyone who does.
As long as you’re both bothered then I’d leave them be for now. It’s been a bloody hard winter so far and they’re probably starting to struggle to find decent stuff to eat on the moors. They’re all in lamb too most likely so you may find the farmer takes them back to the farm soon to lamb out anyway.
Those sheep are part of someone’s livelihood, they might be worried if they aren’t in their usual grazing spot. Worth a call to the farmer.
Those sheep are tagged and marked. They are owned by someone and it is their responsibility to retrieve them in England and Wales. If you can get close enough the ear tag numbers would be enough to locate the farm. If you contact them they will probably come and get them, it’s their profits in a few months
A bucket shaken with rocks in it or a large white bag and a shout of sheep is usually all you need to get them over to you
I live in a simlar situation and we frequently have sheep in the front garden as we don’t have a gate on it. To be honest, as long as there’s nothing dangerous and they can’t get trapped in there I don’t see the issue.
We’ve got an AITAH in Casual UK, it’s gone all 8 out of 10 cats does countdown.
Sheep I’ve encountered seem to be very stubborn so I don’t think they’d move even if you asked them nicely.
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