Ram Help!

[jambi1214]

Hello! I am a veteran to animals and the veterinary field but boy, am I new to sheep! We got 3 lamb in the spring (2 ewe, 1 ram). One of them was very sick and I nursed her through polio? we dont know, but months of rehab to get her walking and back up with the others. She had multiple heat strokes and is somewhat handicapped at this point. We have not had any problems with them. We did socialize a bit too much with them initially...and the ram has been pretty friendly. During mating time, he was a bit wild but we got through it and distanced ourselves. Now, he is awful with our special needs ewe. She was trying to mount him and was head butting at him but he has been very agressive....he is hitting her in the side. She was even running from him either so I put her in the pen separate with a while with the dog, fed everyone (maybe they were hangry?) and put her back. I didnt know anything after that but this has been happening more often, that I see....
Any suggestions? Wanting to get him a wether but waiting for spring. Cant separate or its madness... How can I satisfy him without letting her get hurt? PS he doesnt seem to do this to the larger ewe, who is close, if not larger than him.
THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Baymule]

Some rams are jerks. I had one that kept ramming ME. I changed his name to Ramburger. Tasty.

You will have to remove the ewe or the ram. You might start looking for a calmer ram.

 

[jambi1214]

Some rams are jerks. I had one that kept ramming ME. I changed his name to Ramburger. Tasty.

You will have to remove the ewe or the ram. You might start looking for a calmer ram.

Removing him in not an option I have to figure this out....anything to try? I cant slaughter him!

 

[Baymule]

What about removing the ewe? Or selling her? It is so much easier when animals get along.

 

[jambi1214]

What about removing the ewe? Or selling her? It is so much easier when animals get along.

Oh im with ya on that one! She is very special needs...noone will want her and she is a pet (that I really love and bond with). Do you think putting him with another ram or wether would help? Goat or other animal? The ewes are great away from him but as im sure u know...he cant be alone.

 

[Baymule]

Sometimes I put my ram in a large pen next to the ewes. It even has a piece of the barn. He is apart, but next to them. But then, he is a sweetheart, calm, not Rammy at all. We drove almost 700 miles one way to go get him, and he’s worth it!

 

[jambi1214]

We love our ram he just has lots of energy and wants the ladies! Did he freak out initially when u seperate him? Mine runs the fence and rams get to get to them but I only did that for a minute and let him go back with them...

Im really ready to get more but Im not sure what the best fit for this situation would be....do you put other rams or wethers with yours? How would he act?

 

[Baymule]

I have never put Ringo with a wether or other rams. He’s so easy going and calm, if he is next to the ewes, he is ok with that. You have to understand, Ringo is one in a million. I’m going to buy some registered Katahdin ewes this year so I can keep a son from him. I don’t want to lose his genetics.

Sometimes I split the flock or if I have ewe lambs that are too young at breeding time, I’ll put them with him when they are old enough. You could buy 2 more ewes, thus have 2 flocks to rotate him with so that he wouldn’t be alone. This would mean separate pens and fencing.

 

[jambi1214]

I caught him bullying the girl so put her separate them saw him doing same with other ewe and she was charging back at him so I separated them. We have 4 different pastures on about 5 acres just one area finishing fencing but can easily rotate. Being waiting for it to be a bit warmer to get some new ones. Do you recommend getting lambs or are adult sheep better to add on? And how can I get a Ringo lamb??

I hope when I put them back together later he isn't angry and/or want revenge an be worse....

 

[Baymule]

How old are they? Are the ewes bred? Or is he trying to breed them now? Have they been raised together all this time? If they are bred, they may be releasing hormonal smells that excite him. He gets frustrated because they won’t breed and rams them.

I’ve been told that Ringo’s sons and daughters are calm like him. This is his second lamb crop lambing now, since we got him. I have mixed Katahdin and Dorper ewes, hence my plans to sell off half (I have 12 ewes) and the lamb crop so I can buy registered ewes.

Haha, I’ll let you know when I have registered lambs hit the ground. Road trip to Texas? LOL LOL