[Womble]

We have our two new ewe lambs quarantined in a small pen, and whenever I initially approach, one of them walks towards me and stamps her foot.
 
I've previously associated this with defensive behaviour, e.g. when threatened by a dog or preparing to defend lambs. However that doesn't seem quite right in this case. For one thing she does not appear to be feeling scared or threatened, and she only does this when I initially approach - the rest of the time she just ignores me.
 
My current guess is it means "where's my breakfast?", but can anybody confirm?

Thanks!

[Melmarsh]

My thoughts are that because you are new to her she starts with a threat similar to protective ewes with lambs at foot, perhaps her mum did it ? Her next thought is 'oh she's not that bad after all ' hence the more relaxed attitude afterwards. I can't think that it's a problem at all. 

[in the hills]

I'm with MM.

She stamps to warn you but thinks that her warning is sufficient and so is then happy to settle down ...... guessing you might then be feeding her then so she's happy with that.

My Soay give a warning stamp to our Flattie but then ignore him and will walk right up to him. 

[shygirl]

yes, id say she is indignant at your approach. id bet her mother was a dominant one and she has learnt this behaviour from her. with fight/flight animals as she is penned and cant run away - she feels she has to fight and stamps her foot.

[Katrina]

Yep I agree. I have ewe who stamped her foot anytime anything (including hay flying in the wind)  came near her lamb when it was smaller - now her lamb has learnt this behaviour and has stamped her foot me whilst even eating out my hand and having her ears stroked. She seems to be growing out of it.

[fiestyredhead331]

ha ha one of my ewes does that if I am getting too close for her liking but I just stamp back bigger and and she turns and walks away

[plumseverywhere]

Mine do that to my dog but its mainly the ewes that do it, not the boys. Murphy smiles sweetly at them and ignores their little 'riverdance' routine - but keeps a healthy distance.

[SallyintNorth]

It means, "Don't mess with me."  Kind of like puffing yourself up and standing square on with arms a-kimbo.  She'll probably settle down as she learns how nice you are 

[Womble]

Thanks everybody!  You were right, it was definitely a "don't mess with me", but she's stopped doing it now she's settled down and got more used to me. She's actually turning into a right softie, and now comes over for a chin rub!

She still does the stamping thing with new people though, so I think that confirms what it was about.

[jaykay]

A long time ago, when out for a stroll, I sat on the top of Pen-y-Ghent with my half-grown Lab X pup, eating my lunch, sharing bits of it with her as I ate.

Then a Swaledale ewe turned up, obviously used to mugging tourists for their lunch, so I threw her a bit of cake. Pup decided this was sacrilegious and went for the cake.

Ewe stamped her foot. Pup sat down very respectfully and watched while the ewe ate the cake 

[Treud na Mara]

We have a couple of Scottish Black Face ewes and the way to tell them apart is that one always stamps as you approach. Her nickname only changed from Stamper to Butter after that behaviour was visited on OH when he took her new born lamb for umbilical cord dipping !  She still stamps though!