# Loving sheep now headbutting me!



## Tamara (Jul 6, 2014)

I've had my sheep for about four years now. I've raised her since she was a lamb. She lived with two large boar goats. One had a tendency to headbutt. They passed sadly and now it's just her on the pasture. In the past six months she has begun to head butt me when I don't give her feed. The place where she's now staying is now up for sale. I found a perfect new place but I don't want her to headbutt the kind people at the new home or the other animals. She doesn't do it very often but how do I stop her from headbutting and rearing up. I first thought she was being playful because she was living alone. When I take her to the vet or around other people she does not headbutt. She has not spent much time with other animals or people. Is there anything I can do and should I be concerned. So far saying no walking away and showing her a halter has worked but I want it to stop all together. Thank you farm family.


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## mysunwolf (Jul 6, 2014)

All IMO... I think she needs a sheep friend so that they can headbutt each other and establish the flock hierarchy and just do sheep things together. That's most likely the problem. You could place her in her new home and see if she has any trouble--if she does, you could take her back and try training. My sheep sometimes nudge me or jump on me if they want grain or attention--I either knee them in the chest (like a dog) or "headbutt" them back with the palm of my hand, and they are slowly getting the message, but still do this when excited. Usually, my friendliest sheep do this. I just make sure to watch those sheep when there are small children around.


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## Sheepshape (Jul 7, 2014)

She DOES need company. She is treating you as a flock member as she has no flock.
A number of my sheep rub their faces/heads/necks very vigorously against me, or push their rears hard into my leg, but this is a sign of affection and can be seen with other flock members.
If she goes to a place where there are other sheep,they will sniff her,chase her and probably butt her a bit for the first day or so,but new flock members are usually readily accepted.
If a sheep tries to head butt,I generally say 'No' loudly and tap the nose (not so that it hurts,but so that they know who is boss). Rams or ewes with lambs are the usual culprits,and I had 6 rams up until a few weeks ago, but none head butted.


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## Bossroo (Jul 7, 2014)

Adding other sheep to make a new herd is a good solution until the new leader of the pack starts to butt a person. However , any feel good answer is only a dream...  sheep only understand who is the BADDEST  one around so be ready to beat the crap out of the headbutting offender to save yourself and others from injury.


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## norseofcourse (Jul 7, 2014)

When my ram started trying to headbutt me, I asked for help here. I was told that next time he tried it, to immediately take ahold of him and lay him down on the ground and hold him there, and that's what I did.  I didn't yell or hit him or anything, just grabbed him and got him down on the ground, and held him there till he gave up and laid there quietly.  Then I let him go and he got up.  It worked for about a week, then he tried it again, and I did the same thing.  He hasn't tried to butt me or anyone else since.

I agree that your sheep needs a friend - are there other sheep at the place you're moving her to?  Or can you get another one?


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## Sheepshape (Jul 8, 2014)

I have managed to stop head butting in all but one ram I had (known as Ifor the A***hole).....he was a bit of a demon.....but my neighbour took him as a swop for his breeding ram (Being a seasoned farmer, he would know how to subdue him).
norseofcourse....I'd LIKE to try your method....but my rams can weigh 250-280,over twice my weight, so I have to teach them manners in a different fashion! Thankfully, my current 4 rams all know their place.


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## bcnewe2 (Jul 8, 2014)

I was just thinking the same thing, how do you lay a huge ram down? To do that to my ram would take 2 maybe 3 people and he's not even mean.
I don't befriend my rams.  And if my ewes were mean I wouldn't be "nice" about a correction. They have 2 inch think skulls, a little tap would be nothing. The OP needs to give her sheep a sheep friend. They are herd animals and really that would be the kindest thing to do. 
As far as correcting a ram or a ewe for butting. I would wap them on the side of the face or head with a stock stick. Not lightly either.  They need to know it was you and that you'll do it again.  They aren't dogs, or really like pets. You can make a pet out of one but it's not going to love you like a dog or cat. It's going to love that you are the feeding person or the person that scratches an itch.  Anymore than that seems a bit out there to me.
I have 1 pet sheep out of 20+/- she lets me handle her without restraint. GK's can come over and feed her, take pictures of her or pet her a bit. She still knows she is a sheep and doesn't look to me for her social life. She's a sheep!


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## norseofcourse (Jul 8, 2014)

Sheepshape said:


> norseofcourse....I'd LIKE to try your method....but my rams can weigh 250-280,over twice my weight, so I have to teach them manners in a different fashion!



Well, I never said he was a *big* ram  

Sorry, I tend to forget a lot of sheep breeds are bigger than mine.  And even getting mine down on the ground took a minute or so, since I'm not real experienced at it.  There's some way of turning their head that's supposed to make it easy, but there's a big difference between watching someone do it, and doing it yourself, 'cause it sure didn't work as easily with Elding.


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## Bossroo (Jul 9, 2014)

It's just a matter of leverage ...  I used to work with 80 -100 rams all of wich were 250 - 300 lbs. ( I was 165lbs.at the time) at a University study every day for years.   Hold the ram's head under it's jaw  with your Left hand, place your Left knee behind it's shoulder, twist it's head away and slightly  upwards very fast rolling it's body over your Left knee and at the same time move your Right leg slightly backwards.  The animal is now  sitting onto it's rump. Grab one or both front legs to steady it and then one can do anything one needs to do. Then, If one  needs to lay it down onto it's side, just move your left knee backwards and holding it's head under it's jaw with your Left hand ease it onto it's side ( quite fast using it's weight as leverage) and place your Right knee over and behind it's shoulder.  Take a hold of it's front leg that is on the topside  with your knee still on and behind it's shoulder and you have it totally under control.  All this in one quick motion. This procedure takes only a couple seconds to do.


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## Sheepshape (Jul 9, 2014)

With my big boys,even the very experienced shearer (who has won championships in the past) has a heck of a time in getting them onto their rumps. Here's one of them getting a 'haircut' last week....and that's not fat,that's muscle. thankfully the owner of this huge form (Goliath) is a real softie.


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## vt_mountainman (Jul 9, 2014)

One of my friendliest ewes started doing that to me also. One day I just happened to see her put her head down and come running at me from about 10' away. Fortunately I was prepared, so just as she got to me I flipped her over and held her down, the exact same way that norseofcourse described in the post above. 

I held her down until she stopped struggling, but I did NOT hurt her in any way, and I did not yell at her at all. Actually, I calmly talked to her while I held her on the ground. Once she became quiet, I held her for a minute or two longer, and then let her up. She completely avoided me for about 2 weeks after I did that, but gradually she came back to me to me for more attention. She is now just as friendly as she was before, but she no longer head butts me at all.


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## Southdown (Jan 19, 2015)

I'm dealing with this right now with a wether.  Shoving him back only seems to exacerbate the situation, as he wants to keep fighting even worse.  So that's a bad idea.  I tried yelling "No," which had little effect (other than to scare the rest of the flock watching in fear).  So then I decided to try abruptly walking away.  He looked shocked that I up and left.  Maybe I'll continue to try that, but I'm not so sure it will be effective either honestly.  I'm kind of wimpy, so I'm not able to flip him over, but I did try just holding him/restraining him and that seemed to encourage him.  Today was the naughtiest he's ever been.  He was certainly the friendliest, most assertive newborn this year too.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 19, 2015)

@Southdown - getting Elding down on the ground certainly helped for me.  Iit wouldn't be a bad idea to find a sheep mentor or vet who can show you how to get leverage for when you may need to restrain a sheep safely.

Another technique I used this spring was taking a leash in with me every time I went in their pasture, during breeding season when Elding started acting stupid toward me.  It was the type of leash with an O-ring at the end, so it made a collar and leash all in one.

If Elding came toward me and either made any threatening moves or even just 'had that look in his eye', I'd put the leash on him and take him along with me wherever I happened to be walking in their pasture.  It kept him close so I could keep an eye on him, and he couldn't get a running start to try and butt me.  Pretty soon the sight of the leash would stop him in his tracks lol.


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## Sheepshape (Jan 20, 2015)

Rams (and wethers) are the chief culprits for this behaviour. though clearly some of you have had this from ewes,too.. If you watch a group of them together, head butting and shoving is pretty common. Maybe they just like these little 'jostles' as well as feeling they need to constantly re-define their position in the 'pecking order'.

Avoid ever turning on your back on rams who are behaving in this way....you may get seriously whacked from behind.

Any ram who 'starts' to show dominance with me (a bit of a sickly weakling at the best of time) will get a tap on the nose with a small stick....not even enough to hurt, just to warn . Alternatively I slap their rump (but this can hurt the hand). 

As I've never had this from a ewe, then it's not a proven strategy for ewes....but I'm sure that it would work.

Good Luck.


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## Southdown (Jan 22, 2015)

Would someone explain the water squirting idea to me.  I'm ready to try this on my problem wether right now.  He's getting worse and even the other sheep are sick of him.


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## Sweetened (Jan 22, 2015)

I havent read the other responses, tired but want to say what worked for me.

I interract, discipline wise, with my herds and flocks the same way they interract with eachother. As a single animal, she is testing you for dominance so another animal for her might be good. My ram attempted this one me ONCE. As the dominat ram/queen/rooster/swine on my farm, I do not accept aggression and give it back. With goats and sheep, this means putting them on their rear ends, and -hard- in comparison to their size.  I grab the side of the neck or collar if they are wearing one and reach quickly to the back leg thats away from me, under the belly and pull. This breaks the balance and supports their fall.  I will then remain on top of them, holding them down until they stop fighting. Its uncomfortable and vulnerable for them, not fighting is submission. When the animal gets up, ill move firmly towards it, and ive never had them not back off.  Do NOT hesitate when you start, judge the amount of force you need for size.

We dont tolerate mean critters here, as i believe that trait is passed on. You get one chance, two if im strangely attached, but if they become agressive again, they are harvested or sold with disclosure.


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## Sweetened (Jan 22, 2015)

I forgot to mention. Alternatively, if you cant reach the back leg, you can leverage the rear end by grabbing skin at the side near the rump and folding the neck into the rear while puahing down on the rear.


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## kinder (Jan 23, 2015)

The water bottle spray worked for me for a while, but I had to stop using it when cold weather came around and he just started to like me spraying him. Now its a big plastic bag, when I'm cleaning; the racket it made. But she really needs a companion.


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## Ridgetop (Apr 12, 2015)

Put her with another flock.  The majority of butting offenders - either goats or sheep - are pets.  They have no respect for you and are competing for domination in the flock hierarchy.  Since you are the only member of the flock now, she will continue to butt you until you teach her you are in charge, or she puts you second in authority.  Since you are placing her with a family, hopefully they already are familiar with livestock and she will take her place in a flock.  Do not worry about hurting your sheep.  Sheep are very powerful and their skulls are designed to take a huge amount of force from butting.  A head butt from a ram can break an adult human's leg.  The trick is never let your livestock get in the habit of jumping on you or butting you, no how matter cute it seems when they are babies.  Sheep can be trained to come into the barn at night and go out during the day, lead on halter, etc.  That's about it.  They are livestock, not pets.  We have had sheep and goats for over 20 years, most of them 4-H with our kids.  Dairy goats are the most affectionate and lovable.  Sheep become workable.  Have fun with your livestock and enjoy them, but if you want a loving, loyal, trainable pet, get a dog.


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