THROW SOME KNOWLEDGE AT ME!

[Baymule]

We have Dorper/Katahdin cross sheep. We have 7 ewes and I kept 2 ewe lambs from this year's lambing. I kept a ram lamb and will probably use him for 2 lambings, then send him to freezer camp. I love my sheep!

Are your 5 sheep ewes or 4 ewes and 1 ram lamb? If you have a ram lamb, be sure to keep him separate because they will breed at a VERY young age. I will put my 2 keeper ewe lambs in with the flock in July as they will be 7 months old then.

 

[Ducklover2]

We have Dorper/Katahdin cross sheep. We have 7 ewes and I kept 2 ewe lambs from this year's lambing. I kept a ram lamb and will probably use him for 2 lambings, then send him to freezer camp. I love my sheep!

Are your 5 sheep ewes or 4 ewes and 1 ram lamb? If you have a ram lamb, be sure to keep him separate because they will breed at a VERY young age. I will put my 2 keeper ewe lambs in with the flock in July as they will be 7 months old then.

We have either 3 or 2 castrated rams and 2 or 3 ewes. I cant remember.

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

Find someone that you can go visit and see how they do things. That would also be a good way to find healthy stock to purchase. Sheep have diseases that may infect your property for years. Educate yourself and don't get burned with sick stock. Johnes, OPP, Contagious abscess, foot rot, soremouth..... read up and keep them off your place.
Are you planning on keeping a ram? More dangerous than a bull, by far. Keeping a ram from hurting you is what a good BC is about. The old hands drilled it into my head to never set foot in a field with a ram unless BC was at heel. Ewes and wethers are safe enough, but never a ram.

 

[Latestarter]

We have either 3 or 2 castrated rams and 2 or 3 ewes. I cant remember.

Really? You can't remember what you have for livestock with either 5 or 6 animals? Maybe you ought to go out and have a peek to be sure?

 

[Ducklover2]

Really? You can't remember what you have for livestock with either 5 or 6 animals? Maybe you ought to go out and have a peek to be sure?

I know we have 5 but the sheep are very skiddish so i dont know to take a peek to tell gender.

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

You may need to fix a place to be able to catch and closely examine your stock. Stuff happens and prevention is much the better part of keeping everybody safe, healthy. Foot trimming, deworming, etc... need a way to catch them.

 

[Ducklover2]

You may need to fix a place to be able to catch and closely examine your stock. Stuff happens and prevention is much the better part of keeping everybody safe, healthy. Foot trimming, deworming, etc... need a way to catch them.

What could i build to do that?

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

First, I hope you do not have an intact ram in your herd. You are way too new to this and a ram is more dangerous than a bull. Ewes and wethers (castrated ram) are safe enough. Although you might not think so once you get trampled by one in a panic.
Second, find someone close who has sheep and see how they deal with penning, foot trimming, deworming, etc...
Because if you keep your sheep alive for very long, you are going to have to deworm on an effective schedule. Parasites kill. And, you will have to shear in spring, unless these are all hair sheep and shed out complete. Your county ag extension agent is also a good resource to consult on fencing. Ask about electric fencing for your pastures, as it may be too dry where you are for it to be effective.
Finally, right now, how are you protecting your sheep at night if you don't pen them??? from coyotes, neighbors dogs, and other predators????

 

[mystang89]

If you have an intact ram just don't treat him like a pet. He's not. Treat him like he might always head butt you and you should be good. If you haven't established your dominant, done turn your back. If you've established your dominant, keep an eye always on him.

When we first got into this, we read all sorts of things about not getting the ram. I listened, some in my family didn't. We've been trying to rectify that since.

 

[Baymule]

What could i build to do that?

You could use some cow panels and T-posts to make a chute to run them through. We build loading chutes with cow panels to load sheep in the trailer.