Q. Can sheep live outdoors year 'round, or do they need a shelter? I'm worried that they'll be too hot/cold in the summer/winter.
A. Are the sheep living in British Columbia or Mexico? We use those extremes to illustrate that again no one answer fits every case. But regardless, any sheep will benefit greatly from some sort of protection from driving wind/snow/rain and shade from the hot sun. It doesn't need to be elaborate, and it should NOT be heated! It definitely needs adequate ventilation!! A run-in type shelter, as is used commonly for horses, or something similar for the sheep will work just fine. And, of course, no sheep will object to the fanciest of barns!
Again, we stress the need for ventilation. It's very common for first-time shepherds to worry that their sheep are too cold, especially after shearing or during cold winter weather. Often the impulse is to close all the doors and windows in the barn to eliminate "drafts". Then the new shepherd frets because he/she didn't do an adequate job because the sheep got sick. Next the shepherd redoubles efforts to exclude all fresh air, and even installs a heat lamp. This ends up being a very self-defeating effort as what the animals needed was fresh air, not warm air.
If you find this hard to believe, try this: get down at sheep level and try breathing there. If you have a barn or shed that's enclosed livestock for more than a few days or weeks - especially a small barn or a smallish pen - your eyes will probably start to water from the ammonia buildup from the urine. Now imagine what it's like living - eating, drinking, sleeping - in that environment for an extended time, and you'll understand why the ventilation is so important! Added to the ammonia buildup is the moisture accumulation in a tightly closed barn from the sheep's breath and bodies. It's the perfect conditions for breeding pneumonia germs! Open the windows and leave them that way.
