# need to decide when 2 take my ram lambs out before its too late. Help!



## boykin2010 (Apr 25, 2011)

I have 4 ram lambs of various ages. One i raised from a bottle baby and plan on using it as my breeder for next year.  He was born January 26 2011.  I had one single boy born to a 2 year old ewe who i thought was going to have twins but instead she had a GINORMOUS ram lamb. He was born on March 7 2011 is still abnormaly big. He is the exact same size as my bottle baby who is 2 months older than him.  Then i had twin ram lambs born the day after the HUGE ram lamb. They are really small because they were born to a yearling ewe. Anyway, my HUGE boy and my bottle fight sometimes and my bottle baby jumps on top of the HUGE boy for dominance. Lately, i have noticed my bottle baby and my HUGE lamb getting curious about the other female lambs and ewes. I have even seen them on top of some of the ewes and ewe lambs before. 
I have one ewe lamb who was my first lamb ever who was born on February 6 2011. I noticed my bottle baby on top of her last week. 
Is it possible the bottle baby or the HUGE lamb could be sexually mature already? If not why are they acting like this? When in your opinion should i seperate them?
Thanks for the help - boykin2010


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## carolinagirl (Apr 25, 2011)

From what I understand, sheep can be sexually mature enough to breed a female at 3 months of age.  If he isn't already breeding them, he will be soon enough.  I'd think about getting him moved out of there.


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## boykin2010 (Apr 25, 2011)

Well the problem is, the huge boy is still nursing. Yes, he is eating grain and eating lots of it but he still nurses also. The mother also is still producing a good amount of milk ( i think )
I also want to add that the lambs are hair sheep. They are a barbados katahdin cross. I dont know if that changes anything or not...
Do you still think that i should seperate them even though he is still nursing?


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## carolinagirl (Apr 25, 2011)

The one born March 7th is too young to wean.  The one born in January is the one who's old enough to breed.  Since the ewe who's nursing the baby borm March 7th is unlikely to be able to get pregnant this soon, why not move her, her baby and that older ram lamb away from the rest.  Then when it's time to wean the big baby, you can just move his mother back with the others.


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## boykin2010 (Apr 25, 2011)

That sounds like a good option. The only problem is i havent made another shelter in the ram enclosure yet. That will take at least a week or two to build. :/


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## rockdoveranch (Apr 25, 2011)

As one who totally screwed up this lambing season by waiting too long to remove our last born ram lamb 5 months ago, I would recommend removing ram lambs at 3 months.  

I know human females CAN get pregnant when nursing, but I do not know about barbado mixes . . . and we have "Texas" barbado.  

Do you have another ram to put your oldest baby in with?  If not, I would recommend you move his mom with him.


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## carolinagirl (Apr 26, 2011)

yep...that would be the best option.  But if there is no other goat to house the youngster with, I'd hate for him to be alone.  Nursing Barbados can get pregnant, but as young as her baby is, she is probably safe for a little while.  Not long though.


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## boykin2010 (Apr 26, 2011)

The oldest lamb doesnt have a mother. Well let me word that differently, he has a mother but she rejected him when he was born because she had triplets. I bottlefed him.  
I want to move them as soon as possible but i have got to build the shelter first. 
Sorry your lambing season was messed up rockdoveranch. Those hair sheep sure are prolific arent they?


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