The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Chris H on November 13, 2012, 10:38:52 am
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I have had 4 Heb ewes running with my Heb ram for 4 weeks, all fine, yesterday he would not let them come to feed (I give sheep crunch and maize flakes in the afternoon) nor let them come for a biscuit this morning. He was pushing them away and although not rough his head was down with a lot of huffing. I am thinking of moving the girls out if this goes on, would that be the best thing? :thinking:
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Will he let them eat the cake if you put it down and leave the field?
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Or put it in several places so he can't defend all places?
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Tried spreading the food and he runs backwards and forwards trying to defend all the piles. The girls are clever and nip in behind his back :thumbsup: I was only wondering why this has only just started, he was fine at first even standing back and letting them have the biscuits first. He is hand reared and a real sweetie, so the change is more noticeable.
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Has he tupped them? If yes, and you have a (castrated) companion I would be tempted to remove him.
Or you could try to have a small pen, put his food down, shut him in and then feed the ewes outside in peace. That's how I deal with timid ewes.
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Not sure if they have been covered? I was only wondering if his behaviour was the norm (what ever that is). He was being a bully to the two castrated boys who shared the field in Oct, hence the girls being brought. Before that he was fine and the trouble started with next door having put some ewes in the next field. Should I move the girls out not to worried about them not being in lamb, if I put the castrated boys back, might they be bullied, although next door have now removed there sheep. Does that make sense?
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Not experienced enough to offer any advice but we had a similar thing with our tup last year regarding food. Don't know why but I expected him to behave a bit like our cockerels who will gladly give up their food to their hens. No chance ::) . Local shepherds said that a lot of tups behave like that and it is not unusual. I won't be leaving the tup in with my ewes this year once he has done his job. Couldn't separate last year as I had no wethers to keep him company and had not foreseen the problem.