[Jacob-list] pens for rams

[Linda]

On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 07:27:37 -0400, iseespots  wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I am in NC and have had ewes settled with twins in early August mid-
>90's
>weather and the high humidity levels we usually experience during 
the
>summer.

I'm in Georgia and sheep are already breeding here.  Lambs start 
arriving in January all over  the state.  I haven't put mine together 
yet, but the old ram is busy chasing the young rams around and the 
ewes are fighting, so I'd say they are ready.

>
>I personally do not agree with separating out sheep and leaving them
>without
>a buddy of some sort at any point in time.  They are a flock
>creature and do
>not seem to handle being by themselves well at all.  I have not been
>impressed by the rams I have seen put in pens by themselves, but
>that is a
>personal opinion.

I'll agree with Mary Ellen that keeping rams separate is not the 
preferred method but sometimes that's what you gotta do.  If they are 
within eyesight of other sheep it works a little better.  And some 
rams will tolerate it without any problems and some won't. I had to 
keep an adult ram alone for a few months this summer (and a few 
months last summer) and he did fine.  Of course, he was alot happier 
when he got to back out with the young rams and he is a lazy sort of 
guy.

>Rams also seem to like to go through 2Xwhatever boards.  I have
>personally
>been lucky and had no real problems with rammy rams beating in my
>fencing or
>gates.  I also have most of my areas wooded and the rams pick out a
>couple
>favorite trees to beat their heads against for the pleasure of
>shaking the
>trees.

I've found that rams are much more likely to charge wood than wire.  
I doubt I could keep rams in a board fence.  I usually keep the rams 
in the woods, as Mary Ellen says, but due to the neighbor children 
climbing over the fence, we had to bring the rams closer.  Trees are 
a wonderful outlet for ram behaviour!

Linda




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