Premier deck chair for sheep

[btrent]

Has anyone used the Premier deck chair for sheep?

 

http://www.premier1supplies.com/

 

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php...p;cat_id=0&

 

We have a small sheep flock just for dog training (usually 20-30 head) and change pastures so that we don't have much infrastructure. This thing looks like a back saver for foot trimming, etc., and is on sale for $80.

 

We have a regular squeeze chute but it takes at least 3 people to properly operate, and preferably 4, to load sheep thru the race into the squeeze. We are all middle aged humans with real jobs and always looking for an easier way...and now the race is installed at a pasture we can no longer use due to a coyote problem. I guess I am looking for something more portable.

 

thanks,

 

--Billy

btrent@sonic.net

Northern California

[bexie]

If you do some searching, you'll find a discussion of it from not too long ago. Some people gave experiences with it.

 

The real question is what you want to use it for--you've got to get the sheep into it so it might not save you much for easy tasks.

[Pipedream Farm]

From my experience with the chair, it might be easier than flipping sheep if you have katahdins or perhaps cheviots.

 

Mark

[C Crocker]

Billy,

 

We have this chair and it is great for our use. We use it when we want to trim hooves mostly, versus deworming shots, etc.

 

We still have two people there, one to keep it steady in the chair while the other trims, but I bet in a pinch one could do it alone. If they are put in correctly they are balanced so that it is difficult but not impossible for them to get out without a boost from you.

 

We have North Country Cheviots, Dorpers and crosses of those two breeds. We even put the -+250 # mature North Country ram in there if needed. It will take a bit of practive to tip them into the chair, but it's more leverage needed than brute strength.

 

Carolyn

[Bill Fosher]

I suppose if you're reconciled to the idea that trimming feet is a two-person job, the chair might not be such a bad idea. But if you learn how to tip sheep, it's a one-person job. As Carolyn points out, you need leverage more than brute force. In fact, trimming feet became much easier once I stopped using brute force. Only two of my rams approach 250 lbs, but once they're on their butts in the first shearing position, it's not too difficult to control them.

 

I think I would probably spend more time getting sheep into and out of the deck chair than actually trimming their feet. In the case of a particularly ornery ram, a length of rope is usually all that's required.

[btrent]

Thanks to all for your input. We would use it for trimming feet I think, mainly.

The sheep we have are of various sizes and breeds/crosses; there are a couple of large wethers who are ram-like in size and a couple of ewes who are just as independent. :>

 

I'll keep checking and will try to sift thru archived posts to see if I can find anything.

 

 

thanks,

 

--Billy

[C Crocker]

Bill,

 

 

I mentioned the two person deal for me because I have a partner in my sheep which live at my ranch. I do the daily feeding/watering/doctoring/checking,etc but when it comes to hoof trimming , vaccinations, worming, which I suppose I could do alone, I prefer to have the partner there to do it as well which of course she always is. Mostly because sadly I am not getting any younger and even sadder I have a chronic very injured shoulder which greatly lessens my reach ability and strength. I don't believe the chair needs a two person team, I do, if possible. The chair is a good system and it's really not difficult to get the sheep into or out of the chair. I am fairly handy around the sheep, probably because I have had to Dr. etc., horses for 50 years, alone alot of the time, so I can get around the animals pretty well. I am just more careful than I used to be because of my shoulder and definately more limited physically, which is a never ending source of irritation ( mentally and physically) to me.

 

I know Billy, and while she is younger than I and seemingly not as crippled as I , I still think the chair could be of some use in lessening her need for muscle.

 

It was my sheep partner who bought the chair ( I think so I wouldn't wear out so fast) and I am glad she did, even if we only use it for trimming feet.

 

Carolyn

[Eileen Stein]

Billy, if your sheep are not fairly uniform in size, the chair becomes a lot less helpful, because you have to adjust the width so often. That would make the difference for me in whether it was worth using or not. It's only loosening and tightening a couple of screws, but the time it takes to do it repeatedly adds a lot percentage-wize to the time needed overall for the job.

[C Crocker]

Billy, if your sheep are not fairly uniform in size, the chair becomes a lot less helpful, because you have to adjust the width so often. That would make the difference for me in whether it was worth using or not. It's only loosening and tightening a couple of screws, but the time it takes to do it repeatedly adds a lot percentage-wize to the time needed overall for the job.

 

 

I'll have to look at that chair again. I didn't even know it could be changed in size! It seemed to be ok as is, but our breeding ewes are fairly uniform in size to one another, and our lambs the same to one another. I guess our's maybe could be fitting in there better, but it seems to do ok as is. For trimming, for me anyway, it's the only way I can reach far enough these days to get to the hind feet when they are flipped into position .

 

Carolyn