Jacob Sheep-6 month update on our sheepies!

[Southern by choice]

First let me just say... do you need to have a PHD to understand Jacob Registry????

Saw all the goats and sheep, they are all kept together. The most curious goats and sheep I've ever seen.
All the sheep and goats come right up to the fence and put their little noses through, and started checking us out. The owner was not there yet, she had an emergency and told us to walk around til she got there. There was a 16 yr old goat that just stays around, not in with anyone, walkin around loose.

The lambs were all within a few months of each other, 3ram lambs, 1 ewe lamb. (I so don't know sheepie lingo) Then there were a few retained ewes from last years lambing(kidding haha). Then two other bloodlines with 2 rams. Last years retained lambs were perfect, I mean beautiful. The lambies we were looking at wouldn't meet the requirements for registry, kinda.....

I really don't care about that though. The whole purpose was my DD has always wanted a sheep. Last year we found a little bottle feed...she doesn't like hairsheep...so no go. Now it's sheep for their fiber.... we get there and suddenly it's well we couldn;t breed that and that isn't to the standard and on and on. There was a lamb ram that was gorgeous! But he was small, mommas milk dried up too soon and by the time it was realized he was already a bit stunted. (Long story, but completely understandable)

Anyway.... he is so cute, cute, cute. He's the baaaaaaaayyyybbbbbbbbbeeeeeeeeeee! Like my "D" baby adorable...and nothings better than my D baby! His eyes are blue marbled! I really could care less about registration anyway, his fleece is nice, not as good as the 2 other ram lambs though. But darling, and he kind of wants to come up to you.

So I am not getting my DD a sheeep right now. Just really tired of her changing out what she wants to do and why and on and on. This mom doesn't play that way. Til she knows what she really wants and why..I'm done.

But I want the lil baby! DH does too! We must be getting old, loving all the new adorable babies!

QUESTION- If I have him castrated will he be nice? I cannot have a "gotta watch your back every second ram". He is used to living with goats, so I would put him in with my ND's, he's always going to be on the small side. Oh and he only has 2 horns which I like.

What do you all think?

 

[Bridgemoof]

Aww Southern! Of all things, you want the ram! They are so cute, I think you should get him! And chances are if you get him castrated he will be just fine. Chances are if you don't get him castrated he will be fine. I was with Uriah today and he didn't try and ram me at all. The fact that I carry a big stick now couldn't have anything to do with it!

I think you should go for it, Jacob's are sooooo cute! I them, you will too! And then when I have my Jacob lambs in the spring, you can get one of mine!!!!

 

[bonbean01]

Firstly, your sheep lingo is good...yup...ewe and ram, and a nutless wonder is a wether, same as goats

And YES...if you turn him into a wether he will NOT be a ram...they are the sweetest of them all (those are the ones that go to freezer camp here and it makes it so hard)

Get him!!!! Not sure how old your daughter is, but you and your hubby seem to want him...get him for your very special Christmas present...truly...you won't regret it! You can put him under the tree with a bow Christmas morning

 

[Southern by choice]

She (the breeder) use to test for everything but stopped some years ago because she hasn't brought anything new in for years now. She did offer to test if I would like. I ran a fecal on the lil boy (that I ) it was good, I didn't do an eggs per gram count because I don't have my mcmasters slides yet, but it looked good. Eyes were nice and red. Sh e will castrate him if we want.

DH says we can't get a sheep before our DD does..he says that wouldn't be right. I just gave him a look... you know the one that says "oh yeah I can".

From a business and logical standpoint it would not be advantageous.

The one thing is.. he can go with the goats, I can dry lot him for as long as I need too and hand feed him so he gets use to his mommy, I mean me. And he is tiny and cuuuute! and his blue marbled eyes are so cute, and did I say how tiny and cute he is???

I just thought of Tiny Tim...then thought of you bridge and quickly nixed that idea.

Bon- I'm so glad you can give me the input about the wethers.

I do have to say I really want to bathe him and brush his wool.

 

[bonbean01]

I really hope you get him Southern!!! And YES you can get a sheepie before your daughter does...I read that in the sheep rules

You will love him!!!! I say you get him and in time for Christmas!!!!

 

[CocoNUT]

*enabler on*

GET HIM! GET HIM! GET HIM! GET HIM! GET HIM! GET HIM! GET HIM!

If your DD complains...tell her too bad! That's what being a grown up is all about! She can have her sheep when she knows what she wants to do with it. YOU know what YOU want to do with THIS ONE...so it's all good! I'm really not seeing a down side to this. I mean he's already used to goats...he's young...you CAN wether him if you want to...he's ADORABLE...I'd probably have him in the car already!

Then when Bridge has her jacob lambs this spring, we can BOTH go over and have a lookie-see and get ourselves some more wooly presents!

(yes...I am aware that I have left my enabler button in the 'on' position!)

 

[SheepGirl]

Get the little ram lamb and castrate him and keep him as a fiber animal

 

[bonbean01]

ohhhhh...we sheep people are just as bad as the goat people

My enable button is always on in active mode...I just love my sheep and think that everyone should have the pleasure of owning them...and yes...after one...uh...hard to stop!!!! I'm feeling rather deprived having gone from 12 sheep down to 5...and now thinking of selling Watson our ram...down to 4...yikes...glad lambies begin arriving in a month...whew....almost in panic mode :/

Goat kids are terribly cute...but have you ever seen baby lambs playing? They are too cute chasing each other over and around everything...and doing the boing de boing thing too...then the adults getting into it to...having lambies and goaties would be great fun

Southern...you must get him!!!! It says right here in my sheepie book that Southern must get him

 

[CocoNUT]

lamb binkies! we LOVE watching Snuggles do her lamb binkies! she especially does them after we get home...we're greeted by the lamb binkies! TOO cute!

GET HIM! I mean if you REALLY end up HATING him...I'm SURE I could find it in my heart to drive down there and take him off your hands....

 

[Southern by choice]

ohhhhh...we sheep people are just as bad as the goat people

Southern...you must get him!!!! It says right here in my sheepie book that Southern must get him

I am pretty smitten with this lil guy but.... the money tree has gone dormant. I can't justify this for me, too many other things that require funding.

I really think this guy would produce nice babies, just because his growth was stunted doesn't mean his babies would be!
Wethering him would make more sense though.

My heart is to get my DD what she wants. I know with the Jacobs the 4 horned thing is a big deal to her, these guys are all 2 horned. I personally like that better! At the fiber workshop one of the women suggested to DD that she work with the different types of wool, see what she likes best and then look at that breed of sheep. I think this is great advice. HOWEVER>>> These jacobs that we went to see LIVE with goats, and are in the same setting we are in...heavily wooded, not much pasture yet they are very hardy.

The owner is someone who will be there if there is trouble, so to speak. I also thought if she ends up breeding last years ewes I could go on a waiting list for a ewe lamb. These girls are really beautiful and they are in line with the standards. Other than his size he has really good markings!