My lawnmower isn't working.

My lawnmower won't start. Not sure if it's got a spark or not. I didn't bother to check, after I found out it won't hold gas anymore. Figure it needs a fuel line or a primer bulb assembly. But it's hot out there, and I got other stuff to spend money on.

So I bought four cattle panels and some fasteners. Now I sheep tractor.



Can you tell where they've already been?

My next door neighbor mows three or four times a week. Just think how jealous he'll be when he realizes I'm mowing every day!

Yes, and they don't require gas! How long are you leaving them in one place?

Jay Angler wrote:Yes, and they don't require gas! How long are you leaving them in one place?

A day. I'm watching their condition to see if it's enough. Twice a day isn't gonna happen, but a few more panels to double the size is an option, if necessary.

Been racking my brain a couple days. Most of my sheep usually figure ten feet away is close enough. Since I've been tractoring them, the boldest ones will bite me if I stand still for it. Last night it hit me. Just now, I got the free choice loose minerals from the barn and put a little in a tub. They're currently fighting over it, butting each other away. I'll keep that available. I suspect they'll feel better in a day or two and the biting will stop. Looks like another win for seeing your critters often enough to recognize when their behavior is off.

T Melville wrote:Been racking my brain a couple days. Most of my sheep usually figure ten feet away is close enough. Since I've been tractoring them, the boldest ones will bite me if I stand still for it. Last night it hit me. Just now, I got the free choice loose minerals from the barn and put a little in a tub. They're currently fighting over it, butting each other away. I'll keep that available. I suspect they'll feel better in a day or two and the biting will stop. Looks like another win for seeing your critters often enough to recognize when their behavior is off.

I'm sure those sheep were thinking, "Geez, what do we have to do to get that guy to listen!" A hint for others - if there's a problem like that, put several tubs out for the first 24 hours or so, so they all get a chance until the rush is over. After that, one tub will likely be fine.

Our ground isn't level enough to use the panels, that way, and we can't pound in the stakes on the solar electric fence, because of the rocks. So, ours are on tethers that we monitor pretty constantly. But, with the tethers, we end up with wide swaths around our trees, wherever they've spent time, so all of our 'goat-mower' evidence is in circles that sometimes overlap, because of being moved to successive trees, so they look like waves, lol. Kola, specifically is adept at making very well-defined ones.

Carla Burke wrote:Our ground isn't level enough to use the panels, that way, and we can't pound in the stakes on the solar electric fence, because of the rocks. So, ours are on tethers that we monitor pretty constantly...

Is it level enough for a Justin Rhodes' style sheep tractor?



I can't do it that way, because of the added expense, and because I need the extra flexibility. Often when I'm moving it, I have to put it out of square, sometimes even curve one of the panels. My yard isn't as wide open as it would be if I'd set it up to maintain in this way.

Sadly, no. Way too many trees, craters, and steep hills...