[Marti615]

I know I sound paranoid, but I love the little Ryeland lambs I saw today (about 4 1/2 months old and adorable) and would love a couple. I am a pet sheep owner and have never had a down sheep or anything with wool, actually.

I have been offered some more dorper x sheep, too, and this is a breed I know and like very much. The two ewes on offer are tame and easy, one 6 yo and on 2 yo.  They really need homes or else they are going to market.

I need to buy 4-6 new sheep so I could just buy 4 Ryelands. However, would it be insane to take the two crossbred ewes and 2 of the gorgeous Ryeland lambs or will it likely end in the small sheep being bullied? Or should I just try and see what happens (sheep being unpredictable in most things).

While you are sorting out my concerns, if you can tell me the likelihood for ryeland sheep getting cast on hilly terrain, I am all ears. I need a short education on sheep that get cowped as I've never had that problem (Dorpers don't seem to get stuck too often). I don't breed my sheep and they do get fat just on the grass here!

Sorry to ask and ask on the forum....I really appreciate help and I know I sound like a terrible worrier (I am).

Thank you in advance!

[shep53]

Why not give these 2 dorpers a home and look around for some more , then you won't have sleepless nights over woolly sheep getting cowped / fly strike / dagging /  clipping .

[Marti615]

That is very sensible...the only reason would be that the Ryelands are so adorable. I don't want sick or dead sheep, of course.

I've been lucky with my dorper crosses. You have to look after their hooves a bit but otherwise very easy.

[shep53]

Many sheep breeds are cute/adorable / lovely but that does not mean that they will suit your situation

[TheSmilingSheep]

Shep53 is always very wise.
But, if you keep your sheep for pets, and it sounds like you will love them very much, and care for them very well, maybe you should try the mix - since I suspect that is really what you want to do (!).
It might work out very well - and you will have a small flock of very lucky sheep.
And at worst it wont work out and you will have to re-think - but at least you will have tried, and then you can tell us all about it!

[Marti615]

I think I agree with you on both counts, TheSmilingSheep. Shep53 is thinking practically. Also, all may be well with regard to resident ewes, flies, fatness...they might be just fine like the other sheep I've had. 

In my quest, I found a thread on the site about mixed flocks. About four pages of people talking about how their mixed flocks of different breeds separate by colour and sometimes by breed. Separate by colour? Wow. Who knew?

So, yes, I may end up with two little ewe Ryelands isolated from the larger sheep, who may then dominate the field shelter (which is plenty big enough for them all). On the other hand, it might all be fine. And maybe if I don't feed the Ryelands anything but hay and pasture they won't so fat they can't get up. And if they do get too fat, maybe I'll put them in the the ponies in the summer and they can get slim down, which defeats the purpose of having them a bit, I realise. But nothing ventured nothing gained...

[TheSmilingSheep]

We've got a mixed flock - closer to 40 than 6 though.  The main flock are small welsh mountain Balwen sheep, and we have half a dozen Katmoget Shetlands.  Overall they're fine - often in two groups but no hostility just slightly different temperaments.  Two of our Balwens were hand reared since a day old, and they don't think that they belong with either group!
As for fly strike - well, there's a certain amount of good and bad luck on that front (in my (in)experience!).  Just, as ever, keep a watchful eye....
Another aspect for you is that you will have such a small flock that the sheep might not be 'fussy' at all.  I've read that you need at least 5 sheep for 'flock' behaviour - so your mix n match might just make the best of it!
 

[Marches Farmer]

We have Badger Face and Southdowns - very different temperaments but all well handled and trained to the bucket and to the call.  The BF's learn not to butt the SD's out of the way when the pregnant ewes are fed at the trough, because the SD's are so solid they just ignore them.  I would advise caution if contemplating putting sheep in with ponies - I've known of some terrible injuries caused by equines kicking sheep and wouldn't mix them myself.

[Marti615]

I agree that ponies can definitely kick sheep. I've got a welsh cob and a shetland-like 11 hand pony and they are very good with the sheep, so I am lucky.

The sheep can get under the fencing that the ponies cannot get under so they aren't in tight quarters. However, the sheep have occasionally taken up residence in pony stables that I leave open so the ponies can come and go.  They move when the ponies come in (usually), but could potentially get stepped on, I suppose, as they are lying there as though they own the place!

They have their own shelter but, apparently, also their own minds. Everything may change with smaller sheep/different breed and I'll have to adapt.

I am thinking of separating incoming lambs until they get much bigger. This, for a number of reasons, including that the are so small they might get under the horse's feet and into trouble.

[YorkshireLass]

I would be careful mixing breeds of significantly different sizes and/or horn patterns, but IIRC Ryelands and Dorpers are vaguely comparable in that sense.

[Marti615]

Hi Yorkshire Lass,

Thank you for this. I'm not worried about my resident ewes as they are too old and feeble to really hurt a lamb. I am thinking I better not take the 6-year old Dorper x that was huge and the adorable Dorper wether that was also offered to me because they would not be feeble and would be with me a long while and may bother the Ryelands.

Sounds like I should go all in with the Ryleands and see how I fare. If I find the Ryelands are not thriving on my set-up and are subject to casting, etc, I'll have to rethink. But I am a very careful owner. I may love having small sheep and find that it all is a lot easier than I'm imagining.

And btw, not all dorpers shed their fleece! I have to hand-shear a number of mine.

[Marti615]

Well, I couldn't resist the wether in the end. He was just too sweet. He's a April lamb, so younger than the Ryelands. I'll put him in and see if he gets along okay.

Here are two pictures of both sheep at the sizes they are today. The Ryelands are pretty tough looking so for awhile I think it will be fine.