I have a small flock Shetland sheep for wool, and occasionally meat. With these and other small breed sheep it will take at least a year, maybe two, to get a decent sized carcass off of these little buggers, so it's a slow way to get meat (and a lot of work, from what you describe). My Shetland lambs are 8 months old now and still probably not more than 50 pounds, most of that in the gut (rumen!). If you're looking to raise meat, you might be better off with
rabbits. I have a wether that will be two this April who's finally getting a decent size for the freezer.
The sheep will love the grasses and weeds (my Shetlands LOVE buttercup - it no longer resides in my pasture and when I moved in here it was taking over), and they love browse - blackberry, salmonberry, etc.- but they will. not. touch. the
nettle. I've had some goat people tell me their animals will eat them, but then others confirm even goats won't touch nettle. I don't know if it's the sting or the flavor (my sheep will munch on Devil's club, so my guess is the flavor). They will decimate most vegetables (won't eat squash plant leaves, but will eat the fruit), many herbs (love comfrey and horseradish), and many ornamental/landscape plants (fruit tree leaves/low branches, including the bark), so if they get loose, or you let them out to graze the
lawn, etc., you have to be sure they can't get to anything you want. Basically anything a
deer will eat, a sheep will eat, in spades.
Soays are small and very wild; the horns make good handles, though I'm not a fan of horns in general (Shetland ewes are polled/hornless and only intact rams are fully horned), they're really convenient on a wild breed like this. With just a few of them they would perhaps tame a bit - I don't have any experience with them personally. My Shetland sheep run the gamut of doglike friendliness to nearly feral (but even those two will come running when you shake the grain
bucket) - you just have to know how to move them, how much pressure they can take. Mine are pretty good with dogs - most of my adult ewes will turn around and butt at my Rottweiler when she comes in to "herd" them (they're not a flocking breed, so not easy for dogs to herd), despite the fact that she's larger than all but 3 or 4 of them.
With Soays you might be able to get away with the electronet; in general it can be tricky, as the wool insulates against direct zaps. They are usually respectful of barriers, but when sufficiently frightened will go right through a
fence (or try, depending on the
fence - I use woven wire and have been glad it's secure more than once). The fence
should be at least 40" tall; they're not climbers like goats, but can jump high with
enough incentive. Check out some
local shepherds/farms, or go to area fairs to see the breeds you're interested in and talk with the shepherds. Above all, make it easy on yourself, especially with 6 months of rain and mud (which seems like it will never end).
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