Laura Swinson

With the weather warming up I'm finding small fly like bugs in my donkey's ears. I'm wondering if they are fleas. Anyone know a natural way to deter them?

What is a good breed of sheep to raise in central Texas?  I'm looking for a low maintenance animal. I won't be selling them or using them for meat, milk, or wool.  If I had to pick one I would want meat for my own personal use.  I would also prefer something fairly docile.

The area can get up 100 degrees in the summer and down to the 20s or teens occasionally in the winter.  Not much rain. The land is rocky and hilly with a bunch of cedar and some native grasses in low areas.

Hello all,

I have 29 acres and plan to get 6-12 sheep in order to qualify for an open space tax exemption.  The perimeter of the place is fenced.  There is a house right in the middle of the property on about 3-4 acres with a wild grass yard and established live oak trees.  There is also a swimming pool.  The rest of the property is cedar and pretty scrubby with some wild grass here and there.

My question is do you think I need another fence that would surround the 3-4 acres where the house is to keep the sheep out?  I am worried that since there is more grass up near the house the sheep would be attracted to that area.  What is the likelihood of damage to the house or trees, or that a sheep would fall in the pool and drown?

In order to exempt all the land I need the sheep to have free access to most of the acreage.  So fencing in a smaller portion, say 5 acres in one corner of the land, is not an option.