[Burrwoodfm]

Hi
Was just wondering if anyone keeps miniature southdown sheep (Babydoll sheep), and if so, what they are like as a breed?

[ScotsGirl]

Jules Moore in Bristol keeps Southdowns and they are small so not sure if what you are after.  I thought they would be easier to manage as smaller but found it harder to catch hold of them as had to keep bending.
 
Very cute though. I used a Southdown ram for a couple of years and had some really cute lambs with my mules and Suffolk x

[thenovice]

Hi, i dont keep babydoll southdowns, but some of the older breed lines of southdown can be very short and chunky, unlike the modern types with new zealand and french blood in them. As a breed they are not everyones cup of tea, but i think they are great, really docile and mostly downright friendly! 

[Small Farmer]

The Southdown ram we borrowed was distinctly smaller than our GFDs and BWM but by no means small.  Chunky is a good description.  I've seen quite a few Southdown flocks round here but not come across a small variant.

[omnipeasant]

Ah, did you see these on super tiny animals? I thought they were cute too, but don't be fooled by the temperament, any sheep will be tame if kept in the same sort of environment. Southdowns, ryelands, hampshires and a few more all have the cuddly teddy bear face but will be more reasonable prive to buy.

Stick to your guns if you really want some, but seriously look into the ryelands, they are not that big.

[wallyward]

Hi
 
I help out with a small flock of southdowns. They throw good chunky lambs that get up to weight well on grass alone and have a good KO %.
We also run some Hampshires that we put to the southdown which produce cracking lambs.
 
from a personal point of view I prefer the Hampshires at lambing time as we seldom need to help out. I find the southdowns need a hand more often and put it down to the shape of their heads. We also avoid flushing them now and watch the hay & concentrates in late winter as you can end up with more triplets or large sets of twins than makes for a peacefull lambing time!
 
but the southdowns are a good size of sheep to work with, nice and docile
 
just my point of view

[Burrwoodfm]

No, I didn't see it, but someone at my husbands workplace did, and knew we were looking for a very docile small sheep, so mentioned them to us. Just looking for some as pets really, to go with our North Ronaldsays.

[omnipeasant]

Can't go wrong with coloured ryelands! make lovely pets.

[thenovice]

I would have to agree with wallyward, they are not always the easiest of lambers. But the southdowns are stil a favourite of mine, dont want to wander, and will follow a bucket to the ends of the earth! Might be a bit cheaper and easier to track down than the rylands

[SallyintNorth]

Hmmm...  I'd been considering a southdown tup for our hoggs, thinking he'd give smaller well-fleeced lambs that would be easier for them to lamb.

Is it only pure southdowns that have lambing issues, or would a southdown tup on a Mule x Texel, or Texel x Charollais hogg give problems do you think?

[thenovice]

I know that some prefer to use a southdown tup for a first timer because of its compact size. Down here in the so called garden of England a very popular cross is southdown/kent, producing a well fleeced, chunky fast growing lamb, that does very well for the local market

[blades]

We got our first ryelands this year.... Have kept Balwens previously and I have to say the ryelands are just perfect for us. We have 11 now and all of them coming running to us when we have a bucket... We also have 4 or 5 that love being petted. We can move them very easily from paddock to paddock and have found no issues with handling when it comes to worming, injections and foot trimming.
Cannot really comment on the lambing side of ryelands as we have only had one lamb born that was an unexpected, but very welcome surprise. A ram, had jumped a fence and had his wicked way while our ewe was still with the previous owner. We didnt notice anything until her udder started filling. It was actually our shearer that confirmed she was preggers... Then hey presto, 10 days later a fab wee ram lamb.... The front legs were crossed but apart from that she lambed on her own and has been the perfect mother since... Delighted with Ryelands!!!