Decided to sell my sheep and I can't...

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I finally decided to sell all my sheep, American Blackbellies. I have a really nice ram and three ewes and I am only asking $400 for all four and I can't find anyone to buy them! I don't know what I am doing wrong or what else I should do to find them a home. They are all adults so I don't want them to go for meat and I think at $100 apiece I am already lower than the meat value. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Southern by choice]

don't get mad but why don't you want them to go for meat?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Well they are adults, really nice, and a breeding quad so I would prefer them to go to a breeding home. I just hate seeing the good breeders being used for meat.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

 

[Southern by choice]

I know, that part is the really hard part.
What made you decide to sell them?
... or is it the obvious.... you are a

GOATIE! not a Sheeple!

 

[bonbean01]

Those are beautiful sheep and the ram is impressive! Also, that price is a steal for someone wanting to get into this breed. How far away are you advertising? I have to agree with Southern, but if you can't sell them for breeding, which would be a shame...you have the option to sell them for meat. And this is coming from a sheeple.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

LoL, yes I am a Goatie. I just can't figure out how to make any money with them, my boyfriend doesn't like the taste of lamb (or so he says) and they just aren't friendly like the goats... I can do so much more with the goats- free range them, milk them, eat them (and goat is delicious). Goats are just my first love. I took these on for a retiring friend, but I just can't afford to keep feeding everyone through winter when I am not getting anything back from them. I can barely sell the babies for $50, sheep are just really cheap in my area. Just been advertising on Craigslist, seems like that's the only place I get any traffic from.

 

[Southern by choice]

Don't you have a grocery store? Wouldn't it be better just to have them processed and sell the meat. Lb for lb lamb isn't cheap.
Oh yeah... their not lambs. DUH- I need to sleeep. LOL

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

There are no butchers around us that I have found that will process them for re-sale. There are private ones, but they charge upwards of $200 for each animal... times that by 4 and that's $800 to get rid of them.

 

[alsea1]

If you were closer I would def. want the ram. How old is he?
At this point Black Bellies are more of a hobby int. breed. Most people want the larger commercial breeds for the larger carcass.
This breed is working great for me as they don't harm my small acreage.
Are they registered?
You could take them to auction. You may not get much, but if your not int. in eating them at least you won't have to keep feeding them.