[Horseshoe]

Hi, I have a 3 ewes and a wether who are really just pets but the wether at about 2 years old started butting me and so I stopped going in the paddock with them.
I bred him and one of the girls and think this is probably where the problem started as they were so friendly.
He seemed fine with the girls but now has started butting one of them (his auntie) until he drew blood so I have had to separate him from them as well.
Is it possible to rehome him, maybe with rams who would put him in his place or is his behaviour irreversible?
Or any other ideas that would avoid sending him to market.
Many thanks

[twizzel]

Sorry- send him to the abattoir before he hurts someone (human or sheep).

[silkwoodzwartbles]

Ditto Twizzel, send him on his way! No point anyone getting hurt for the sake of a sheep.

[Fleecewife]

This is the sad reality of keeping sheep.  Never pet any male sheep, wether or entire, because they always, or often enough, end up as yours has by becoming rough and dangerous.


You could pass him on to a more commercial set-up, but they would send him off for meat.  Were you to sell or give him to another smallholder then you are just passing on your mistake for them to deal with. You haven't said what breed or type he is, but even quite small sheep can kill a human.  As the others have said, now is the time to bite the bullet and send him off for slaughter.  When he appears on your table you will know he had a lovely life and you can thank him for giving it. Perhaps he could go with others a friend is sending off this autumn so he doesn't go on his own - their identity is kept right through the abattoir so you would get your own one back.  You must take the decision sooner rather than later before anyone is hurt.

[Anke]

Please do not pass him on to someone else to deal with him.


I think most sheep owners have made that mistake of letting that cute lamb becoming very friendly early on in their sheep keeping career and had to deal with it. It is even more important not to let tups become overfriendly, especially the more energetic ones of the traditional (and often horned) breeds. Thanks to a Shetland tup who was (unbeknown to me) bottle reared, I have permanent damage to one of my knees, and no replacement in the foreseeable future... So always wether any tup lambs that have to be reared on milk replacer...

[PipKelpy]

I must be one of the lucky ones, never had a butting wether. The current hairy yeti wouldnt even dream of it, I tell him enough times, "she dead, (meaning the useless pet ewe he keeps company) you gone, be warned!" (I wouldnt, but he doesnt need to know that!).

However, I've had stroppy ewes, ate one once, boy was she tough! Spite, I reckon! Now, if nasty, cull at auction.