Dorper Newbie in CA

[geniebell]

I am so happy to find this forum! We bought our first Dorpers about 6 weeks ago. The only small livestock we have had is my son's show pigs. With no time to ride, we sold our horses, and we usually feed out a steer, but beef prices are so high right now, and with so little rain this year, we decided to try small livestock... After much research, we decided on Dorpers. I haven't read anything I don't like about them! We bought a ewe with a ewe lamb at her side (Tilda and Tootie), and a pregnant ewe (Gerti). Gerti had a ram lamb on 4/17. OMG! Amazing! 3 weeks ago we bought a 7 month old ram, so now we have 5 sheep. I have sooo many questions, but will ask them in the appropriate threads. Look forward to meeting you all

 

[22Pets]

I am so happy to find this forum! We bought our first Dorpers about 6 weeks ago. The only small livestock we have had is my son's show pigs. With no time to ride, we sold our horses, and we usually feed out a steer, but beef prices are so high right now, and with so little rain this year, we decided to try small livestock... After much research, we decided on Dorpers. I haven't read anything I don't like about them! We bought a ewe with a ewe lamb at her side (Tilda and Tootie), and a pregnant ewe (Gerti). Gerti had a ram lamb on 4/17. OMG! Amazing! 3 weeks ago we bought a 7 month old ram, so now we have 5 sheep. I have sooo many questions, but will ask them in the appropriate threads. Look forward to meeting you all

Wow! Congrats! We have over 80 ewes and only recently our 2 rams turned into 1. They are lambing right now and numbers r up to 49! And we already have a poddy! It's so exciting to have new lambs! Have fun with your dorps!

 

[geniebell]

Thank you 22! Oh my! Would love to work up to 80 ewes! All those babies!!! We will not be able to go over 15 ewes, I am thinking. We are only on 2 acres, and of the 2, about 1 1/2 is pasture...but native pasture, and not irrigated, so it is only green part of the year . I did lots of research before Gerti lambed, and had read as many horror stories and good ones, so I was quite nervous, but she was a champ! Took care of business all by herself, I just sat on a rock and watched. She had that baby shiny white within an hour and a half. I had NO IDEA how little they are at birth! He's a chunk now and running around like a race horse . Was a bit bummed that my first lamb was a ram, as we will not be keeping him .
BTW, why did you go from 2 rams to 1, and what is a "poddy"???

 

[SA Farm]

 

[Sumi]

 

[22Pets]

Thank you 22! Oh my! Would love to work up to 80 ewes! All those babies!!! We will not be able to go over 15 ewes, I am thinking. We are only on 2 acres, and of the 2, about 1 1/2 is pasture...but native pasture, and not irrigated, so it is only green part of the year . I did lots of research before Gerti lambed, and had read as many horror stories and good ones, so I was quite nervous, but she was a champ! Took care of business all by herself, I just sat on a rock and watched. She had that baby shiny white within an hour and a half. I had NO IDEA how little they are at birth! He's a chunk now and running around like a race horse . Was a bit bummed that my first lamb was a ram, as we will not be keeping him .
BTW, why did you go from 2 rams to 1, and what is a "poddy"???

We has 115acres so that explains all those ewes! Congrats about the good birth and I hope all your others ones will be stress free as well!
I love the moment when the lambs discover they have legs and use them to bounce and around and play at only a couple of days old!
my fav ram died from tetnaus so we only have one now. A poddy is a bottle fed lamb!

 

[22Pets]

Here is Bubbi the recent poddy!

 

[OneFineAcre]

Welcome from North Carolina.

 

[geniebell]

Thanks onefineacre

 

[22Pets]

just remember that if you keep any of your ewe lambs dont cross them with their father