[firemansam]

We have 6 easycare ewes and 2 southdown ewes, my wife being a bit of a sheep expert wants a brown one!
What sort I asked, I dunno, a brown one, she replied!

See what Im dealing with!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway what would you advise. Would love a coloured ryeland but they seem as rare as rocking horse poo around staffordshire.
I want something reasonable to look at that we can bucket train and is not too scatty as it will be more of a pet than anything else.

[lachlanandmarcus]

You can get brown shetlands - I have one. They are described as 'moorit' tho as the colour, so that might be worth looking out for. The brown wool also gets the highest price among the Shetland colours followed by white and then all the grey/multicoloured ones.

[bloomer]

most of the sheep round here look brown i think it might be the weather though 

[Fronhaul]

This kind of thing?  The white is strictly optional.

[Blacksheep]

We have Zwartbles, they are brown with a white blaize, white socks and a white tipped tail - very striking! They are naturally a fairly tame breed, some becoming exceptionally friendly. I think because they were a dual purpose dairy and meat breed so would have had to have been reasonably docile for milking.  PM me if you would like to know more about the breed, we even have a few for sale in Shropshire.
You can see some pictures at  http://zwartbles.webs.com/2012lambs.htm

[Ladygrey]

I have a brown(ish) shetland who is very sweet and needs next to no food, I also have two zwartbles ewe lambs who are LOVELY they are very dark brown almost chocolate colour,
they are lovely and tame and love eating bread out of my hand

[colliewoman]

I'm in Somerset and have a shetland x castlemilk moorit ewe and lamb for sale. The ewe is moorit (chocolate brown) and her ewe lamb is very dark brown almost black. To a good home more important than price, but I won't split the pair

[smee2012]

I'll second (or is it third?  ) the Zwartbles recommendation. Ours are very friendly (we bought ours from Blacksheep ^^^), particularly the ewes, who love attention and a good face scratch.

[Remy]

I have a brown Ryeland ram and Zwartbles ewes and a ram, all are friendly.  The Zwartbles are a big breed and grow quite tall.

[in the hills]

 


Soay ?  Light brown, dark brown, black and "pretty".  Beautiful and can be bucket trained. They can be flighty but I have one that is so tame that she can be given a cuddle and jumps up like a dog and really is a bit of a pest    .... so with a bit of work they can be very friendly and are full of character.


P'm if you want to know anything more about them. I have some tame lambs.

[jaykay]

Coloured Ryelands are lovely, but as you say, not common and expensive.

Moorit Shetlands are pretty, small enough for women to handle easily and can be trained to come and eat out of your hand (half my flock do). They're very easy lambers, good mothers and will produce good lambs from a Southdown tup (it's usual not to tup them til they're shearlings).


Here are some pics Shetland sheep PS it's a new website live today, so isn't fully 'populated' yet.

[Pedwardine]

Can't Wensleydales be brown too? I'll second Shetlands being absloutely lovely. I have three Moorits.

[jaykay]

Yes, you can get coloured Wensleydales, but we're really talking hens teeth there. Beautiful, enormous and as rare as.....an honest politician 

[Fleecewife]

Manx Loughtan are a brown breed with the added benefit of two or four horns.
 
I would go for a moorit Shetland though 

[kumquat]

Another vote here for either a shetland or Soay.... mine here are very friendly. i reckon the soays are prettier but thats just my biased opinion.


firemansam - if you roll one of your easycares in the mud......eh voila