# Barbados Black Belly sheep in just 2 more weeks!



## carolinagirl (Apr 18, 2011)

I am so excited.  I only have 2 more weeks to go and I'll get my sheep.  I bought four registered Barbados Black Belly ewe lambs and a bred adult ewe.  I have also made arrangements from another breeder to get a ram lamb(future herd sire) plus a ewe that's been bred to a ram with different genetics.  Hopefully she will have a ram lamb and that will give me my second herd sire.  I need to get my pens finished up pretty quick!


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## boothcreek (Apr 18, 2011)

I love the looks of the Barbados, if they were available around here I would get some as an addition to my American Black belly herd! 

I dunno if the barbados are character wise like the american but I love my american bbs!
I think the barbado might be calmer since they are polled and therefor probably don't have spastic mouflon genes(not that it really makes a dif mine are like shadows and follow me ALL the time and totally in your face)

Got any pics by any chance?


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## carolinagirl (Apr 18, 2011)

no pics yet.  Well, I do have a couple that I took of them a few weeks ago when I went to see them for the first time.  I'll try to get them loaded later.  

I love the look of the horns on the American blackbelly, but didn't want to deal with horns.  I also like the history of the Barbados BBs.  I'll know more about the personality later on, lol!


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## theawesomefowl (Apr 18, 2011)

My two Katahdin ewe lambs and Nubian are ready on May 1st, so I can feel for you!!!!

As I don't have enough money to buy more lambs, i'm starting my flock with only two ewe lambs. The goat is for fun, because I looove Nubians, to clear out brush, and goats help calm sheep.


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## boothcreek (Apr 18, 2011)

> I love the look of the horns on the American blackbelly, but didn't want to deal with horns.  I also like the history of the Barbados BBs.  I'll know more about the personality later on, lol!


I had that same worry too, but I have 3 rams now and lovin them. They are very aware of their head circumference except the yearling who changes daily..... his horns are just starting to curl up. He likes to follow close and just squeeze by me when I stop, but he hasn't figured his new dimensions yet and caught me twice in the back of the leg with the tip of his horn. Luckily he hates them touched and backs up immidiately. Also taught him spread open hand -palm towards him- hanging by my side means "keep distance"! But yeah, horned sheep are not for everyone and I would never dare to handraise a ram with horns(polled ones bud hard as is). 
I dp love the build in handles.

The history on the barbados is a very interesting one and its a breed that really needs more breeders. Once I get more sheep pens I still may get some if I can find them.


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## carolinagirl (Apr 18, 2011)

I was actually more worried about my LGD than myself with the horns.  I am getting an anatolian shepherd pup at the end of summer.  I raised boer goats in the past so horns really don't bother me too much.  I really did love the built-in handles on the does!  I didn't mess with the buck's horns because they didn't appreciate it and I don't wanna piss off a 300 pound goat! lol!


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## boothcreek (Apr 18, 2011)

We have a AkbashXgreat pyr and he REALLY respects the sheep, the rams never chased him, the EWES can't stand him. They get nasty with any dog, but Sasha knows to stay at a distance.


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## carolinagirl (Apr 18, 2011)

These sheep I am getting are all pretty well used to dogs.  The first farm does not have a dog in the field, but there is a large noisy lab right next to the barn and fence so they do see each other all the time.  the other farm where my ram and other ewe are coming from have Maremma sheepdogs with the sheep.  Hopefully they will all get along OK.  I'll find out soon enough I guess!


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## patandchickens (Apr 18, 2011)

Congrats and good luck!  Make sure to post pics. It's a very handsome breed, IMO -- sort of like part-goat lookin', in a good way LOL

Pat


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## carolinagirl (Apr 18, 2011)

yep....they are very goat-looking!  I keep trying to call them goats...does...bucks.  I kept goats off and on for many years so old habits are hard to break.  I'll post some pics as soon as I get them.  Stay tuned!


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## carolinagirl (Apr 25, 2011)

Less than a week to go.  Can you believe I am actually a little nervous?  I hope the temporary pens I have set up are good enough.  The two pens are 32' x 12'.  I hope to have the barn and paddock area done in a couple of weeks.  Then in early June I'll go pick up my ram and another bred ewe.  That will bring my flock to 2 adult ewes (bred), four young ewes and a ram.  Pretty good start I think!


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## rockdoveranch (Apr 25, 2011)

I can't wait for you to have your babies too!


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## Royd Wood (Apr 25, 2011)

Oh yep thats a good start - we got 4 preg ewes and now have 19 live and 7 gone to freezer - doesnt take long


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## carolinagirl (Apr 30, 2011)

Got 'em!! These things are just beautiful!  The ewe is 3 year old, the babies are 2 1/2 to 3 months old.  The cream colored one is not a Barbados Blackbelly....he is a wether that will (gulp) end up in the freezer.  I think I may have a problem when the time comes....he is really cute!  The adult ewe is very suspicious of me.  The lambs though...I think they will tame down fast.  I sat on the ground next to the feed bucket and they all came up next to me to eat.  The sweetest thing is how motherly this ewe is to all the lambs.  One of them is hers, the rest belong to her half sisters and a dorper ewe.  Yet they all gather around her and when they go into the shed, she stays in the door keeping watch. My goats were never that nice to kids that didn't belong to them.  I am really surprised!


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## rockdoveranch (Apr 30, 2011)

They are just beautiful!  And they look VERY healthy!  Enjoy!

I noticed the zip-ties on the temporary pens!  Love it!  We have done that too.  Just keep an eye on them because the weather will slowly break the plastic down.  I know from experience.    Love the stock panels.  I wish we hand 100s of them!

We have "Texas" Barbado; a breed that is not recognized.  Some are Blackbellies, most are not.  The rams have horns.  Do Barbado Blackbelly rams have horns?  I am thinking the American Blackbelly does, but I get confused.  I need to look through my old links.

This is our first White Dorper / "Texas" Barbado mix, Newman.  He looks very much like your new little wether.  We were surprised when he started growing horns.  His mom, April, our second bottle baby (April 2009) does not have a black belly.





Enjoy!


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## carolinagirl (May 1, 2011)

He is adorable!! My wether has teeny horns and his mom has small scurs, so she is not pure dorper.  

Barbados Blackbelly are naturally polled, although once in a while a sheep will have horns or scurs....those are unregisterable and should be culled.  the Americal Blackbelly or Texas Barbado do have horns.  

the zip tie pen is not permanent.  I did that to make this temporary pen smaller so I can tame these girls down a bit.  Hopefully by mid June I'll have the paddock and shed done and I can move these sheep out, take out the temporary divider and then use this pen to house my new ram (who I will pick up in June).


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## rockdoveranch (May 1, 2011)

I have never known anyone with Barbado Blackbelly sheep.  Too Cool!

I be honest with you, we got our sheep in 2004 to keep the ag discount on one track of land, and eventually add it to the other 2 tracks.  It was at that time I first learned about hair sheep.  Most folk out in our neck of the woods have _mutt hair sheep_, what we Texans proudly call Texas Barbado.

It was not until 2009 when we had our first "flashy" lamb, lots of white with brown and black, that I started googling around to understand the origin of our flock.  Our original sheep did not have black bellies, but by that time we had quite a few. 

When I was googling back then I saw pictures of flashy lambs just like ours and found a Painted Desert Hair Sheep group and a registry.  They have since split into another registry for just Hair Sheep.

You have peeked my interest.  I have pulled up the Barbado Blackbelly Sheep Asscociation website and will have to read through it again.  I did read where they were defining Barbado Blackbelly, American Blackbelly and Barbado.  

Do the Barbado Blackbelly rams become dangerous like the American and Texas Barbado?  Is the breed, by nature, a tamer breed?

Lastly . . . zip-ties!  What a great invention.  I could play with them all day.  Zip-ties and wire fold-up dog crates . . . I wish I had been the one to invent both of them!


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## carolinagirl (May 1, 2011)

I think Barbados Blackbelly sheep are probably a little tamer than the American Blackbelly because they dont have Mouflon in them.  Mouflon are wild sheep and have a wild animal type temperment.  I know Barbados blackbelly sheep are never going to be in "in your face" cuddly lamb, but are probably calmer than the American blackbelly or barbado sheep.  The rams are still to be respected though.  With no horns they are not nearly as dangerous as a horned ram, but they do suggest not making pets out of them.  

Oh yeah.....zip ties are a wonderful invention!! I have koi ponds.  The valve that separates the bottom drain from the filters is a big expensive knife valve.  A few weeks ago I closed a valve to clean a filter and when I did, the whole end of the valve came off and the pond started to drain.  I crammed the end back on and zip-tied it to keep it from coming off.  It still dripped, but at least it held until I could come up with a more permanent solution.  Changing the valve isn't an option because I'd have to drain the pond to do it.  so my permanent fix was BIG zip ties!! lol! I put two very large strong zip ties on each of the drain valves to prevent failure.  I don't know how I would function without zip ties.


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## theawesomefowl (May 6, 2011)

Wow-beautiful! I should be getting my lambs and goat in less than a week.


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## eweinHiscare (Aug 18, 2012)

Carolinagirl,
 I am seeing your post about your Barbados Blackbelly sheep for the first time, I see you posted it last year. 
 How are your sheep doing now? 
Were you able to tame down the ewes ?

 How many lambs did you have born this Spring 2012 ? 

 Your sheep are so beautiful !!


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