[Jacob-list] ram pens

[Penelope]

Hi Folks,
	We're finally looking at getting our own ram, and I have questions for any
of the rest of you who care to chime in.  :-)  First and foremost is where
do you keep your rams?  We don't want to breed our ewe lamb, so we can't
put the ram in with everyone else.  Our first choice for where to build a
ram yard is a rectangular piece of land that would share a fence with the
ewes.  This is not something I would do with a buck goat, because either
the buck or the does would be over the fence in a few heart beats once
someone came in to heat.   But I don't know how it is with Jacob Sheep.
Can we put the ram where he'll have only field fencing (plus a strand of
electric to keep him off the fence) between him and ewes, or do we need him
further away than that?  With our first breeding last year with a borrowed
ram, he seemed quite content to stay by himself, and only show interest in
the ewes once they were in with him.  Is this nonchalant attitude the norm?
 We have a couple of other not-so-prime spots we could fence, but neither
of us is sure what to do.  

	In addition we'd like to find someone (somesheep) to put with the ram,
once we get him, so he won't be lonely.  We have one weather, and it was
supposed to be his job to be a ram companion, but he's become a real pet,
and I don't think I can bring myself to start treating him like any old
sheep.  :-)  I'm soft, I know.  I like the wether in with the ewes, he gets
along with them and the goats, he comes when called, he talks to us -- he's
definitely a pet.  So I need an alternative sheep to be the ram's
companion.  John would love it if we could afford two rams, but this just
doesn't seem like the year for that.  Our second choice is a wether with
decent fiber, and we've been talking about a nice moort shetland wether.
Do any of you have experience with putting shetlands in with Jacob Sheep?
Will a shetland be a sufficient companion?   While I'm at it, do any of you
in the Oregon area have a nice moort shetland wether that you want to find
a good home for?  I don't know many shetland breeders yet.  :-)

I look forward to seeing your comments -- thanks!

penny
--
"...Shine my life like a light..." (the indigo girls)
Penelope Jacob pcj at efn.org  in the hills of Yoncalla, Oregon 
CCA / Birth Doula (CEF), birth activist and all around birth radical...
The circle is open but unbroken. 

Working on baby #1 - due for birth at home in September or October 00