# Black belly sheep



## alsea1 (Dec 15, 2012)

Does anyone have this breed?
Any suggestions on how to tame them a bit.  Mine are flighty as all get out


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Dec 15, 2012)

I sure don't have them but when I saw "Black belly" my mind when right to "Black Betty" the song. lol


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## SheepGirl (Dec 15, 2012)

They are notorious for being a flighty breed, even bottle babies. My advice to you is to get grain and entice them with that.


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## alsea1 (Dec 16, 2012)

I built a fairly high fence but they sure can jump. So that kinda negates cornering them.  I really want to get ahold of them so that I can vaccinate and worm and trim their hooves.
I have been trying to cozy up to em with grain since may. LOL  They are still jumpy as jackrabbits in room full of coyotes.
I'm thinking my only hope is to build a small barn for feeding them in that I can shut em in.
On the other hand at least they don't mob me at the gate and the ram is just as intent on not making contact with me. So no worries there.  He does beat up their temp shelter with his horns. Butts it all day long.


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## alsea1 (Dec 16, 2012)

Oh yeah, I do have one katahdin ewe lamb. She is not friendly either.  My original plan was to breed a katahdin ram to my black belly ewes. But after seeing the size difference I kinda backed off that plan.  I'm afraid there will be birthing problems.  Anyone out there try this cross.  If so did you get something a bit calmer and larger in size.  I just love the looks of the black belly, but sure wish they were not so wild acting.


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## boothcreek (Dec 16, 2012)

Do you have american black bellies or texas black bellies?

The texas black bellies tend to have more mouflon blood in the which makes them jumpy. 
My American Black bellies mug me for the bucket of grain, I can pet them all and none were bottle raised.


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## alsea1 (Dec 16, 2012)

I believe mine are American. the ram has horns


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## boothcreek (Dec 16, 2012)

Texas black bellies have horns too, barbado are the ones without.

The texas black bellies are the ones usually without papers and mostly unknown parentage but look for the most part like an American. The Texas usually have mouflon in their close heritage thus are flightier(makes for more fun shootin on the ranches).


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## gruberguy (Dec 19, 2012)

I "HAD" a ram, and still have 2 ewes and some of their Katahdin X babies.... They started off flighty, but spend time in their pasture, feed them "treats" (Mine LOVE animal crackers) and they will settle down.... My 3 year old ewes are just as gentle as my katahdin ewes...

 The ram was bottle fed = VERY agressive!! He had a nice set of horns that he used to lay me down in a snow bank when he attacked me one day. He QUICKLY went to the taxidermist!!


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## alsea1 (Dec 19, 2012)

So far my ram appears to be very weary of me. No attack in him. Which I think is good.  
I did have to wrestle him down and hog tie him to move him to my home. This may account for his weariness.
I will work on the treat thing.  I have noted that if I skip grain for a day or two they just about get careless over their want of the grain. 
I do need to get ahold of them pretty soon.  Hooves are looking awful and I would like to give them vacs.


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## boothcreek (Dec 19, 2012)

Grain is a sure way to their hearts and my black bellies loooooove horse crunchies - altho they are so big the sheep cant close their mouths to chew them.

I currently have 5 rams, not a single agressive one in the lot, that just wont be tolerated here, esspecially with their heads being weaponized. Got a dumb one but thats about as dangerous as he is, he forgets how wide his head is and takes your legs out when walking past you to close. 
Most dont acknowledge me really, I am there but not of any concern. I get to handle the girls without having to watch my back or anything. 
Of course one does have to watch the horns when they mob me for the grain, they sometimes forget they have them(like when they try to get into the bucket and panick cause it gets stuck on their headgear and they start swinging those heads.... luckily they have handles to hold them by to get the bucket off.)

All of my rams will take treats off my hands, my pure mouflon ram lets me touch him when he has his grain, the rest dont allow for pettings really(not trying hard either, as long as they are calm and relaxed in my presents I am happy), my one ABB does let me use him to get up the icy hill, he does not mind me gripping the hair on top of his butt to hold onto  Doesnt like any other touch strangely enough.


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## alsea1 (Dec 19, 2012)

I guess it will be a challenge to get them to trust me.  
Do your five rams get along okay


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