Hello From Louisiana

[Sheepfarmer22]

Hello everyone. I'm the Sheep Farmer here just chilling in the bayou of Southern Louisiana. I joined to keep up with the community and learn all that I can about hair sheep. As of this posting I have one Barbados Blackbelly ram, one Katahdin ram, four Katahdin ewes, and had the first lamb Barbados/Katahdin ewe born March 12, 2025! I am excited to be imformed by the community and will post when I have any questions. If any of you have Barbados Blackbelly or Katahdin sheep, let me know and I would like to learn more from you as I am just getting started with these sheep.

My first sheep was given to me as a pet in 2022. More recently, I made a deal with a friend for a ewe and was able to obtain three others over time, one being a bottle fed. My Katahdin ram (which was given to me) is eating with the newborn ewe, but still needs a bottle sometimes. I hope to go far with these sheep. I'm willing to read large paragraphs to understand how to better manage my flock. So please give me your opinions on matters with sheep and keep in touch!

 

[Baymule]

I’m a Kat in East Texas! Howdy neighbor! I have 29 Katahdin ewes, 7 of which will be first bred this year. And I’m keeping 12 out of this years lambs. Then next year and the next, I’ll be selling off ewes, working towards my core group. Join the party! Glad you found our group!

 

[Ridgetop]

Welcome to the forum, Sheep Farmer! Just so yoi know - we all love pix!

We are White Dorper breeders in northeast Texas. 46 breeding ewes, 4 rams. Just had a cold but successful 2025 lambing season in January. DH and I will be going to the Dorper National Show in Duncan for the first time this year to see friends and pick up another stud ram.

If your bottle baby is a ram, DO NOT MAKE HIM A PET. Bottle fed male breeding animals can end up dangerous when full grown. NEVER turn your back on a ram no matter how sweet he may be. Bottle fed ewes are sweet and teach their lambs tobe big pets. LOL

 

[Baymule]

Yeah, bottle ram babies around here lose their numnums.
Ram lambs start courting the ladies before they are even 2 months old. I’ve seen the little stinkers consummate the act, but are not fertile yet. They become fertile by 3 months, some high achievers before 3 months. I wean ram lambs at no later than 2 months, 1 week old.

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

Welcome to the forum, Sheep Farmer! Just so yoi know - we all love pix!

We are White Dorper breeders in northeast Texas. 46 breeding ewes, 4 rams. Just had a cold but successful 2025 lambing season in January. DH and I will be going to the Dorper National Show in Duncan for the first time this year to see friends and pick up another stud ram.

If your bottle baby is a ram, DO NOT MAKE HIM A PET. Bottle fed male breeding animals can end up dangerous when full grown. NEVER turn your back on a ram no matter how sweet he may be. Bottle fed ewes are sweet and teach their lambs tobe big pets. LOL

Those are rules I always refer to friends. They were the first ones i learned as I was unaware of that a few years ago with my first ram that's now a pest to me. After this spring and winter breeding season he's probably going to a new home or in the freezer! Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Blue Sky]

Hi. Welcome. I am in East Texas. I have about seventy hair sheep, mostly Painted Desert. My husband gifted me a Racka ram last year that’s given me some hybrid lambs. I’m hoping for a novel horn shape to entice some hunting ranch buyers.

 

[Baymule]

Hi. Welcome. I am in East Texas. I have about seventy hair sheep, mostly Painted Desert. My husband gifted me a Racka ram last year that’s given me some hybrid lambs. I’m hoping for a novel horn shape to entice some hunting ranch buyers.

Get some Jacob sheep!

 

[Blue Sky]

Get some Jacob sheep!

I had a hair Jacob ram years ago. All we got were scurs. It appeared a Jacob ewe was necessary for unique horns and I didn’t want to get rid of my PD ewes.

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

Hi. Welcome. I am in East Texas. I have about seventy hair sheep, mostly Painted Desert. My husband gifted me a Racka ram last year that’s given me some hybrid lambs. I’m hoping for a novel horn shape to entice some hunting ranch buyers.

Awesome! Nice to meey somebody with Painted Deserts. I never see many people with them. May I ask about how much pasture land you offer to that many sheep? Do they always stay in one herd or do they sometimes scatter out? How much do you feed them if any? I'm just trying to get ideas for my growing flock. Thanks!

 

[Sheepfarmer22]

I’m a Kat in East Texas! Howdy neighbor! I have 29 Katahdin ewes, 7 of which will be first bred this year. And I’m keeping 12 out of this years lambs. Then next year and the next, I’ll be selling off ewes, working towards my core group. Join the party! Glad you found our group!

Great! Ever have hoof rot problems with your sheep? If so, how do you treat it? My biggest, healthiest ewe has a history of problems with her feet. I often use Iodine but never checked to see if it works since then. I am planning to next week when the weather in my area calms down.