[laurelrus]

I know this is a rather trivial question for 'proper' sheep people and especially at this time of year, but I'd really appreciate some input.
We have three pet Ouessant sheep (males, castrated) who we've had for two years and they're lovely animals, very friendly and tame with people and they're great with the donkeys and dogs.
At this time of year especially they're always butting heads, really going for each other, and I'd like to know whether we'd be better off getting a few more sheep to have a larger flock, whether they'd be happier and less fighty in a bigger group.
We keep them as pets and mowers.
Thanks very much

[Herdygirl]

My gimmers do this as well, I put it down to spring! 

[Bionic]

I have 6 female Ryelands and they also do it at this time of the year

[Marches Farmer]

Although it looks scary sheep have skulls six times as thick as a humans. If they were entire rams in the breeding season they would happily kill each other.

[Yeoman]

As others suggested these is probably a seasonal thing but also, in my experience, I've noticed they seem have a "pecking order".  Once one has asserted his dominance things should quieten down. 


Just as an aside, I watched two five day old ram lambs rehearsing the whole: back up, dip then charge routine this morning - it shows how deep this behavior is embedded in them!

[laurelrus]

Thank you!
Last spring when they were really at each other one got a broken horn and it bled profusely. I was worried he'd bleed to death and got the vet out. He was fine but just has one horn now so possibly more likely to get hurt.
Marchesfarmer - sometimes after they've whacked heads they look really dazed for a minute, then go straight back and do it again!

[farmershort]

It depends how much effort they're putting into it... if it's just lunging at each other from a couple of feet apart then I wouldn't worry. If they're taking a good 'ol run up, then they might do some damage.

when introducing rams to each other just before tupping season, it's normal to pen them together in a small-ish space. This simply prevents them being able to get a run-up whist they figure out the pecking order. If you're really worried, and they're taking run-ups at each other, then I'd suggest penning them together for a week.

[Hevxxx99]

Thank you!
Last spring when they were really at each other one got a broken horn and it bled profusely. I was worried he'd bleed to death and got the vet out. He was fine but just has one horn now so possibly more likely to get hurt.
Marchesfarmer - sometimes after they've whacked heads they look really dazed for a minute, then go straight back and do it again!

The old fashioned answer to this is to drill a hole in the end of the horn of the two worst offenders, then chain them together with a short length of chain.   Same principle as the small pen.

[Oopsiboughtasheep]

My 4 pet ewes have been doing this for a few weeks now. They did it last spring/summer as well. It looks like a pecking order thing sometimes and just rough play at others. They seem happy enough with each other in between times. Thankfully no horns on mine!

[Coximus]

My hebrideans ewes will beat the hell out of each other now the grass is growing, the stronger ones hogging the better ground - any anything that goes near the lambs gets a hard jab - last years wethers are taking a hammering from them.

Its normal sheep behaviour 

If you have a field of young rams, get their first thing as the sun comes up, it sounds like someone hammering wood!