# Thinking about sheep



## GLENMAR (Dec 28, 2012)

I am interested in Dorpers. I don't want horns or wool. I also think they are nice to look at.
What does everyone prefer: Dorpers or Katahdin???

Will Dorper/Dorset crosses still shed out?

Dorpers seem to be hard to find close to me.


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## bonbean01 (Dec 28, 2012)

We had both...now the little flock is Dorper/Kat crosses.  Hubby prefers the Kat and I like the looks of the Dorper...white and black.  With the crosses you never know what colours the lambs will be, which is kind of neat.  I can't say which breed sheds off best as it seems to be different sheep, no matter Dorper or Kat will either be good at shedding off or not so good.  For those that don't shed off well, I wait until they are 2 years old before I take my trusty scizzors to them once, and after that they shed off well.  Right now I have a red coloured Kat ewe who I didn't finish the scizzoring on since it was getting so hot and I was afraid of her getting sunburn on her back...so, she is sporting a mohawk 

As for parasite resistance, both breeds have been very good.  Both breeds have been gentle and sweet and loved to be pet...except for rams.


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## GLENMAR (Dec 28, 2012)

I love the different colors too. I like the look of the Dorpers because they look more like well groomed wool sheep. 
Hopefully I will find some or some crosses close to me before summer.


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## Southern by choice (Dec 28, 2012)

What is happening to us goat people.... maybe we are all turning to the dark side... slowly! 

 but i do love my new sheep!


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## GLENMAR (Dec 28, 2012)

I want to eat them.     I love lamb.

I don't think I can eat my goaties.


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## RemudaOne (Dec 28, 2012)

Bwaahahaha!!!  Welcome to the club, Glenmar . I'm partial and I'm sure you know which one I like, lol. I agree with Bon, the shedding is variable with the individual (I can only speak to the dorpers). With the cruel sun that we get here, I don't remove any hair/wool that remains on their backs. Most of mine shed completely but I have a couple that retain some. In my limited experience, their friendliness is also an individual thing. I have one or two that I've had from the beginning and I still can't get them to come to me. Others mob me. None of my new registered sheep are friendly...yet. I found that being there during lambing really helps to warm them up to you.

My two new sets of twins are getting to the "ants in the pants" stage and are so much fun to watch. I do try to handle the babies a good bit so that when we have a need to handle them, it's not so traumatic for them. There are also solid white dorpers but I prefer the black headed. Other than having a vet tell me that the black headed are a bit more fertile and a friend tell me that he has more health probs with his white dorpers (pink eye) than his black headed, I think it's just a matter of personal preference. 

I hope you can find some and take the plunge, I think you'll like them.


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## bonbean01 (Dec 28, 2012)

Southern...the dark side?????  Ummm no...you are now well rounded 

Kristi's dorpers and their colouring are my favourite...only had one that looked like her...my barren and beloved Suzie...but I won't get started on that....also our last ram...who we pick up from freezer camp next week  

Dolly our ewe is a white dorper and so far no health problems or pink eye...have had her now 5 years and she will be the first to lamb...very soon.  The red Kat ewe lamb we bought grew into a very big girl...crossed with a Dorper ram and her babies were awesome...she has bigger lambs, even the twins...and a super large udder and feeding them was no problem.  She needs her teats stripped each time at lambing and it looks like pure cream...no wonder her lambs grow so quickly!

I love watching them play...not just the lambs, but the ewes too...but not so much right now as they keep getting bigger.  I've been called the person who hugs her sheep too much...hahahahha...they are all friendly and come running when I go outside...with or without their pellets.  They all started out as lambs here, so all that loving on them...which I enjoy so much has made them all super friendly.

Not sure if it would be the same if I bought adult sheep though.


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## boykin2010 (Dec 28, 2012)

WELL..... 

i LOVE my KATAHDINS. I have had dorpers, barbados, and katahdins. Katahdins are the best hands down. 
For people who like the looks of the dorpers black head, I have Katahdins born like that sometimes. 

With Katahdins, you never what you are going to get! You can have black and white spotted, red and white spotted, gray, white, brown, the possibilities are endless! 
I have had white ewes bred to a white ram that had spotted lambs. 

The Katahdins are parasite resistant, good mothers, and produce delicious meat! Great personalities also. 
They are in high demand also. Most breeders sell out a year in advance.


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## Royd Wood (Dec 28, 2012)

GLENMAR said:
			
		

> I want to eat them.     I love lamb.
> 
> I don't think I can eat my goaties.


 if you cant eat goat then just wait till the time comes to look for one last time into those big sheep eyes


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## SheepGirl (Dec 28, 2012)




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## GLENMAR (Jan 1, 2013)

You are right.


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## RemudaOne (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi Glenmar, aren't I cute?? I want to go to your house so we can play 







I can even bring my friends if you'd like . 






And if I HAVE to, I'll bring my stinky brother, lol!






See you soon!!!


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## GLENMAR (Jan 1, 2013)

Stop it. I had lamb the other day. It was great. With mashed potatoes and asparagus. They are cute. I would love to have them.
I am sure I would be a crying baby all the way to the processors. I need to work on some more fence this spring. Then THEY ARE MINE.


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## bonbean01 (Jan 1, 2013)

Kristi you devil....they are so cute I am ready to make a trip to Texas now 

And yup Glenmar...you cry all the way to the processor...you cry all the way back...you cry when you put them in your freezer...you cover those packages with a towel because you can't bear to see them...then...a few months later...delicious 

Just never name the wethers destined for freezer camp...never hold them while transporting them to the processor...and you'll do great!


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## GLENMAR (Jan 1, 2013)

Something tells me I will have some Dorpers by this time next year.  You guys are great.
Be ready for all the "new to sheep" questions.


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## bonbean01 (Jan 1, 2013)

Glenmar...you will love sheep...I truly can't believe how much of my life did not have sheep in it!!!!  Now I can't imagine my life without sheep


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## GLENMAR (Jan 1, 2013)

The main thing that I worry about is how easy it it to catch them to do hooves and things like that.
Will I need to build a pen to herd them into? I am not sure I could get them in a pen by myself. I have a 2 acre pasture for a few ewes. I can build a 
separate ram pen. Everything on TV I have seen with sheep they are skiddish herd bound critters.


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## bonbean01 (Jan 1, 2013)

Catch them?  My sheep come running when I call for them...no catching, just deciding who goes first with the hoof trimming and drenching.  But then I am known around here as "woman who hugs her sheep too much" 

And yep...a separate ram pen with a friend is a good idea.


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## EllieMay (Jan 2, 2013)

Catch them???!
It's keeping them from mobbing you that will be the issue!  lol

From the very beginning after you get your new sheep, feed them some treats so they'll know you have the goodies.
While I'm feeding my sheep I use the word "Cookie" so they become familiar with the word and associate it with goodies.
Now I can be anywhere in the field and just call "COOKIE" and they'll all come running!

As far as breeds go, if you want meat, the Dorper/Kat crosses are a good choice.
Dorpers will have a bit more meat and the Kats will be more docile and shed a bit better.
Also, I think a lot of folks dock the Dorpers' tails; Katahdins keep their tails.

You will enjoy your sheep no matter which you get!

Welcome to the wonderful world of SHEEP!


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## SheepGirl (Jan 2, 2013)

If you have a large flock (30-40+ ewes), it is very easy to herd them. My neighbor always made me in charge of bringing the sheep in when we had to do stuff with them. We didn't have a herding dog and I never used my neighbor's ATV to round em up so I always had to go out on foot to herd them into the barn. They knew something was up, so they wouldn't come to "come on, girls!" so I would always have to go out in the pasture and round them up and go to the barn. I was able to bring them all in over an 18 acre pasture just by walking (I didn't have to run at all) in 20 min or less. It helps a lot when you put your arm out and snap your fingers. That's the only noise I would make, too.

Smaller flocks, now, they are a lot more difficult because they tend to branch out into smaller groups and then you have the random nutheads who decide to go off by themselves  Are they not listening to their instincts? They'd be the prime target for a hungry coyote! lol

Lol, anyway. Always have a catch pen, too. Oh and a shepherd's crook. Herd the sheep in there and then you have a smaller area to work in to easily catch sheep with your crook. Make it no more than 8' wide, because then it just gets too hard to get one going past you. Yes, even friendly, in-your-pocket sheep will act wild when you're trying to catch them. At least that's been my experience.

OH. And if your sheep are halter trained, NEVER let them see the halter when you're about to catch them. It makes it almost impossible!! I always have to put the halter in my back pocket or my jacket/carharrt coverall pocket and then get a small bucket of grain, let the sheep come close, grab the wool on their face or grab their leg and then quickly put the halter on. I'm never able to catch them if they see the halter first!


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## GLENMAR (Jan 2, 2013)

Cool. Thanks. I have a lot to learn until I am ready.


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## finns&fjords (Jan 2, 2013)

For my small flock, of mostly Finns, I just shake the grain bucket and they come running, usually into the horse stall where they get fed. If I need to do something with them, I just shut the door behind them. With 10 of them in there it's not as hard to catch individuals, I do think I need a crook though as it would make it easier considering the stall size-12X12. If I need to move them to another pasture or want them to graze in the yard or whatever, they're really good about following me anywhere, as long as I have the "magic" bucket with me. I recently added a younger ram to the flock and it only took one time for him to figure it out.


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