Soay sheep for sale

Our conservation flock of Soay sheep came to Longbourn in 2008 – my husband’s penchant as a historian led him to the traditional Soay breed which came to inhabit the Isle of St Kilda’s - it is thought with the Norsk some 4000 years ago. All today’s primitive domestic Soay sheep worldwide are descended from feral sheep found on the Island of Soay – old Norse meaning “Island of Sheep” in the St Kilda archipelago off the west coast of Scotland where populations still remain today.

These sheep are unlike any commercial flock - they are much hardier, half the size, nimble footed and similar to Mediterranean Mouflon. Rams are two-horned and the horns are strong and ewes are either two-horned, scurred or polled.

Fascinated by humans and totally endearing the Soay are excellent grazers, being content on either a hillside, in woodland or fields – the Longbourn flock have the benefit of three fields surrounded by bramble hedges on which they happily munch – there has been many a day when we’ve thought they’d escaped only to discover them totally camouflaged against the hedge. They are partial to any woody stemmed plants – tree bark being a speciality! Their fine bones, prominent withers and short thin tail add to their health and agility - our flock enjoy jumping in and out of a large old tractor tyre and when either tired or ready to ruminate, can been seen basking on mounds of limestone rocks.

Their coloured fleece – fawn, fawn and cream, black and dark brown is sought after by craft folk and the texture of their fleece, which is shed naturally, can vary, from soft fine fibres to coarse.Soay sheep are classified as "vulnerable" on the Rare Breed Survival Trust “RBST” survival watch list.

If you are interested in any of the poultry we have for sale, please contact us and we will be delighted to help.

Soay sheep for sale from Over the Stile, a smallholding in Sussex.