I started with 5 ewes, now I have 12 ewes and 2 rams.
I hired for the first year, then kept one ram lamb and bought a ram lamb. So they are mates( most of the time!) and bought a few extra ewes. My home bred ram lamb went in with 3 new ewes, the bought in one with other new ones and the original ewes.
This will work for another year maybe two, then I’ll buy another ram and hopefully sell or swap my home bred ram. But it is a hobby and I don’t have to make a living from them.