[Jacob-list] (no subject)

[Mary Hansson]

Hi,

The issues that Sue talks about are the same ones I have observed over
the years.  I don't like bringing home one sheep at a time primarily for
this reason and the experiences I have observed.  

I bought a ewe from Wayne and Edie one fall.  She took one look at a
particular ram, and HE was it for her.  She never even bonded with
another ewe in my flock.  Once she had a ewe lamb, they stayed together.
This is the only situation where I saw this "isolated flock within my
flock" remain after another baby was born.  Mother and daughters and
grandson all stayed bonded---and exclusive of the flock they lived in
and ate with.

It hasn't taken more than 3-4 hours when I put my rams together for them
to come out all smelling the same and the fighting to be over.  An 8'
square pen is absolutely too large for 4 rams to be put into at the same
time.  The analogy used with me was "a phone booth".  Basically, CRAM
your rams together in a tiny area and leave them alone.  I know of
people who put them in a small trailer and ride them around for an hour
or so and they come out so glad to be off the trailer there is no
arguing either.

I haven't seen arguments between physically large adult rams and
physically small ram lambs.  They (unlike dogs) seem to be able to see
size differences when they are marked.  Small size differences don't
seem to matter to them.  Usually, the older rams seem to "look after"
the little guys, although there is pecking order for feed most
definitely!

Mary Ellen Hansson, ISeeSpots Farm
Jacob Sheep:  Those horny, fuzzy critters
Shop:  Knitting, crochet, spinning supplies
www.iseespots.com (336) 854-6209



-----Original Message-----
From: jacob-list-admin at jacobsheep.com
[mailto:jacob-list-admin at jacobsheep.com] On Behalf Of
stonecroft235 at juno.com
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 5:57 PM
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Subject: [Jacob-list] (no subject)


Melody:

The advice I have always heard is to put the rams in a small space until
the pecking order is established.  The two boys we put together today
are in a small area - enough room to stand and lay down and a  tub of
hay
strategically placed....and that's about it.   The idea is that in a
small space they don't have enough room for a running charge.  Wayne
VanValkenburg told me he puts his rams in a pen with a lot of old tires
on the floor - they are so busy stepping around/through tires it limits
their charging abilities.  After 2-3 wks. of this they have worked out
all their stations in life and can be given more room and a meadow to
roam.  

My girls are always rather nasty with  new introductions also -- the two
yearling ewes who were put back with the flock today are being given the
royal cold shoulder (prior to breeding they were all together) - they
are not even allowed to eat with the others.  In fact, I put hay for
them outside the barn because two of the old girls (battleaxes??) are
guarding the doorway and not permitting them to enter.  It all seems so
nasty, but it always works itself out in a few days - and there is
always someone at the top and someone at the bottom of the "totem pole"
in sheepdom.  

It would be interesting to hear from the rest of you how you handle this
problem.

Sue Martin
Stonecroft Manor
Lititz, PA

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