Are Sheep Wethers Destructive?

[okeydokey]

Hi Everyone, I have an opportunity to get a wethered sheep that has horns. It is very friendly to humans. However, I had a goat wether some time ago that loved people but also loved to butt and ruin gates and fences. Should I expect this sheep wether to do the same thing?

 

[Ruus]

My wether is very friendly and doesn't destroy anything the way the ram does. I have a friend whose fiber flock is almost entirely made up of wethered former bottle babies and she has no trouble with fence or gate bashing, even when the girls are in heat. Doesn't mean there are no destructive wethers out there, but in general they're not.

 

[SheepGirl]

In general, my ewes and wethers have not been destructive. My rams sometimes beat up trees and feeders, but thats about it. My sheep are polled, so if they do decide to do something, they dont damage as mich as a horned sheep. But like I said, my wethers andewes dont try to damage anything.

 

[BrownSheep]

I doubt he would be destructive.
I raise horned rams and while they are destructive their sons with much smaller horns are not.

Even with my rams about 80% of the time it's just them scratching their heads on stuff.

 

[goodhors]

I think the problem is the difference between sheep and goats!! Goats are ALWAYS BUSY doing something. They cannot resist climbing things and trying to get out of any pen, no matter HOW NICE the grazing is.

Sheep I have known are "just not like that!" Wethers especially, have no hormones driving them like breeding animals, are almost always very even tempered to deal with. They stay out of trouble if you have good fences, no places they can get caught in or tangled up. Sheep would NEVER think of climbing up to dance on your new car! Just not creative thinkers.

I also know a number of fiber folks, weavers, knitters, felting, that only keep wethers that are particularly nice wool producers, maybe have special colored wools these people use in their products. They don't want to be worried about breeding lambing, losing some or feeding the orphans, selling animals. So they keep these adult sheep, know exactly what they will have in production of wool each year and are very happy with these pets.

I would say to go ahead, get the sheep wether and enjoy having him. He needs the same care as other sheep, regular attention to his health, hooves, yearly shearing. They can be very nice pets, quite friendly and somewhat "trainable" as singles to come when called, stand for washing or shearing. YOU become their herd and they usually will appreciate the attention you can give them for face scratching, but not on the top of head where they bunt each other. Don't feed wethers like breeding sheep, real easy to get them way overweight with grain and treats, rich hay.

Sheep are not THINKERS like goats, so they don't often CREATE problems. You could not give me a goat, but I really enjoy the sheep.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

Depends how he was raised!! If he was a bottle lamb and got away with it, or got what he wanted when he misbehaved, he could be very distructive!
Most of them arn't!!! Last year I send on of my bottle wethers to a family to raise and WOW, when he came back..... He would get out of every fence I owned, smash the bottoms out for the rabbit cages to get their feed, and if he wanted a bottle, he would back up and continually smash my patio doors with his head till he got what he wanted! He ramed our front door repeatedly, until the door jams busted out of the frame, ran around the yard chasing the chickens and dogs, and when ever company came, he figured he was the watch dog and everyone got took out at the knees from behind!!!!
He was such a cutie, but man, what an annoyance!!!

Not scare you, most of them are very awesome pets!!!

 

[alsea1]

The weather sheep we had broke every bucket I put in his pen. He would beat on the fence as well.

 

[Southern by choice]

Our wether sheep has never destroyed anything. Not fencing or gates ... nothing. BUT he does, along with our ewe, ram the goats. Last year it was really bad as he was ramming the pregnant does. Our sheep are hay and feed aggressive and bully our goats terribly.

Contrary to Goohors experience, our goats - does, bucks (we have no wethers) do not try to escape , do not climb on our cars, do not do damage to our fences (except a 250 lb buck in rut- challenging 150 lb buck on the other side of the fence). Our Jacobs sheep do jump on top of shelters and will climb. Not as much as goats but they do.

Different breeds of sheep are very different from what I understand though. We only have 2 sheep, both Jacobs... they aren't real friendly. :/

 

[bonbean01]

Have never had one single problem with a wether...all sweet and gentle. Our sheep are Katahdins and Dorpers and crosses. No experience with other breeds.

 

[Southdown]

I think generally speaking, you will not have a problem with a wether. Although I agree that breed and the way the animal was raised will make a big difference. We have a lot of wethers. Their personalities tend to follow their mom's personalities. I've raised them all as pets. No problems. I enjoy them. My avatar is my oldest wether. He is such a sweetie. My most mellow of all my wethers.