# New additions!



## ByFaithFarm (Jul 11, 2020)

Picked up these cuties today-are their features/colors consistent with Katahdins?  Should we help the scraggly hair off with a good brushing or leave it to do it’s own thing?

Thanks for any insight to help us first time sheep owners!


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## Wild Bug Ranch (Jul 11, 2020)

I reccomed to leave the hair to do its thing. I never owned sheep, but I now tons of things about them! The new arrivals are adorable! Where are you from? I am looking for 2 registered Boer does, preferably kids


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## ByFaithFarm (Jul 11, 2020)

I’m in AL, but our farm is too new to be selling yet.  Hope you find what you are looking for!  Craigslist is one of the best resources for such in our area.  That and local FB groups.


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## Wild Bug Ranch (Jul 11, 2020)

ok, I hope you have fun with your new sheep! Will you be breeding your sheep? And is that the only animals you have?


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## ByFaithFarm (Jul 11, 2020)

Thanks!  We likely will breed at some point, but right now we are just learning the ropes.  We have goats, rabbits, chickens and ducks in addition to these wooly ones.


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## Wild Bug Ranch (Jul 11, 2020)

ByFaithFarm said:


> Thanks!  We likely will breed at some point, but right now we are just learning the ropes.  We have goats, rabbits, chickens and ducks in addition to these wooly ones.


This are haired sheep lol! Ok cool! Well..i hope you have everything down for them


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## ByFaithFarm (Jul 11, 2020)

Lol-true!  Guess “wooly” isn’t an appropriate term for their specific type, huh?


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## Wild Bug Ranch (Jul 11, 2020)

Lol yes. Do you need any help on taking care of them?


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## Beekissed (Jul 11, 2020)

Love the coloring of your brown speckled lamb...wish I had those color genetics in my Katahdins.  The white one should be more shed off than that by now unless she's under a year old, then it's likely she won't shed this season.  You could clip her if you feel she's too hot with all that hair on.


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## Ridgetop (Jul 17, 2020)

Mike and Baymule have Katahdins.  They have spotted ones.

I have White Dorpers.  Some shed completely out, while others carry a ridge of wood down their spines.  I select for the complete shed, but I don't worry about the spine shed too much since we are in southern California and in hot sun on pasture the spine ridge protects them from sunburn.  Yes,  white sheep and goats can sunburn.  So can hogs.  

They can also shed to different degrees at different ages.  Different years some shed differently than others.  Some also shed early some shed later.  If you don't mind the untidy look, just leave the wool.  It will eventually come off.  If not before, then when the new wool grows in for winter.  It is not a health issue.

If you want to do the work, you can buy a sheep shears (expensive) and shear.  Do you have a stanchion with a headlock?  You will eventually need something like that to restrain your sheep for hoof trimming, medications and worming.  Some livestock equipment dealers also have clamp on headlocks for going to shows or use out in the pasture that attach to fence posts.  You have to squat on the ground to do the work, but it will hold the sheep in place.  Most sheep and goats, even tame ones wont stand still for hoof trimming, meds, worming, etc. unless confined in a headlock of some sort.  I have used  my children, but it is easier to put them in a mechanical headlock.  LOL  The sheep complain less that the children!  LOL  If you are used to shearing wooled breeds, and are proficient at flipping your sheep, you can shear these just like shearing woolies.

I have the equipment, but no longer the desire, to shear.  I switched my Dorset flock over to White Dorpers to avoid annual shearing.  I have a couple of purchased ewes that are not shedding very well, but I will give them a couple years and see how their lambs do before selling them.  

If I start selling my registered ewe lambs at shows, or on-line auctions, I will have to shear to tidy them up.  I prefer terminal meat sales.

Enjoy your girls.


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## Mike CHS (Jul 17, 2020)

We have a couple of our Dorper/Katahdin crosses that look like they haven't shed but they will usually come up and rub on me while I work it loose since it is just barely holding on.  A lot of ours are slow to shed if they stay in a shelter during rainy weather but I usually put them in a paddock with no shelter with rain in the forecast and it works loose.


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## Ridgetop (Jul 17, 2020)

I wonder if that is why some of my Dorpers haven't shed completely while the same bloodlines have.  Maybe those that shed completely were out in the rain this season while the others were inside kidding.  I will add that to my list of notes I keep to see if that does it.  After all, these breeds were not developed to be coddled with interior shelter!  I just like to kid in the barn because it is easier on me!  LOL

Thanks for the tip Mike.


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## ByFaithFarm (Jul 17, 2020)

Thanks for all the good things to think about!  Both are doing well!  The lamb is super docile, but the other has been very jumpy.  We’ve seen a slow calming though as the week has passed.  And both have continued to lose hair over the last few days.  So far, our weather here hasn’t been super hot until this week, so maybe the true summer temps have helped with the shed.


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