[banbha]

Hello all,
i m in need of some help, I am a smallholder with a few sheep.  We keep the ram separte(he was born here last year) from the rest but he managed to escape.  At the time we didnt think much of it and put him back on his own, but it seems he may have tupped all our sheep, including his twin and his mum!  if this is the case, what should I do with the related lambs?
May Thanks for all your help
Banbha

[HappyHippy]

Oooo the naughty boy 
I don't keep sheep myself (and could get shot down in flames) but my gut feeling would be that the related lambs may be born with birth defects or stillborn, or then again they could be absolutely fine  You might still be able to raise them for meat, make sure you know who's who (maybe keep mother and sister seperate while lambing is going on) but I certainly wouldn't be tempted to keep them long term or breed from them. There are plenty of experienced sheep keepers on here to keep you right - I could be talking complete rubbish 
Good luck

[banbha]

Thanks, sort of what I was thinking, could bare the thought of 'disabled lambs' as had to had rear the sister so they are all pets really.

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

It happens - Raise them and eat them would be my advice. - oh and get some better fencing around the Ram 

Thanks

Gareth
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk

[Roxy]

So long as the lambs that are born, are not used for breeding, and are going for eating, it should be fine. My pygmy billy got his daughter in kid (before I got them),  She kidded, but the billy was dead.  I don't think this was due to them being related, just one of those things.  To set your mind at rest, it was fully formed, full term, and had 4 legs, two ears and everything else that it should have.

Its not something I would recommend, but its happened, and hopefully all will be well.

[Rosemary]

It's probably worth getting a wether as a companion for the ram. Like most flock / herd animals, they don't like being kept on their own.

[VSS]

It shouldn't be a problem unless your sheep are carrying a hidden genetic disorder. If you think about a flock in the wild, an alpha male would often end up mating his own female relatives ( your tup won't mind ) but humans generally find it distasteful, probably due to putting a human slant on it.

They will be fine to eat.

[shetlandpaul]

with an extra couple of back legs your going to be quids in. seriously if the ram is healthy and they have not been in bred before they should be fine. but then its nature so who can tell. most small in number rare breeds have lots of gentic inbreeding.

[sabrina]

My mother who has no idea about animals thought that a dad would never mate with his offspring, I know, sometimes I wonder if she came home form the hospital with the wrong child.

[bazzais]

They will more than likely be fine, I wouldn't worry about it. However they are more likely to carry on any defects that maybe present if they have any? As well as carry on any positive traits?

I would also consider keeping any ewe lambs if they are born healthy and not instantly jump to the conclusion that they will need to be slaughtered.

As its been said, its not very nice to keep a ram on his own as they do like company. I would def get him a companion.

Ta

Baz

[banbha]

Thanks to all for your help and advice.
I panic easy. They are all pets at the moment, bought with an other intent, I had to had rear one of the ewes and bring her into the house, ow she thinks she is one of the dogs but she does live with her mother , who eventually stopped trying to kill her!
IT took me for ever to eat the eggs our hens laid.
Banbah xx

[Farmer]

I know...I've had eggs like that from Tesco