This crazy girl is getting sheep!

Messybun

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Eating grain right in front of me! One finished her breakfast and came over to smell me, stared for a few seconds and walked away.

I know they’re used to people, but they haven’t been extensively handled, so it’s really neat to see how quickly they’re adjusting.
 

tortoise

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Sit down, it puts you at their level and you are less threatening ( as in a predator). Sheep are very curious and will come up to investigate you.
Yep! In 4-H they teach kids to start training sheep with "bucket time". Bring a book and sit on a bucket for an hour or more every day.

I like to do "clicker" training. My son was amazed! We went out in pasture with the ewes and a little grain. Anytime a ewe approached, she got a bit of grain or her favorite leaves. It only took a few minutes to train several to approach, and put their chin on our palm. I think it took 3 sessions to train 3 ewes to hand lead. Give them freedom and control, and they learn fast - like a puppy. Limit their freedom and they act like dumb sheep. 🙄

My tame to tame-ish sheep will do anything for a bit of Wasa crispbread or graham cracker. Or stale marshmallow... 😁
 

Messybun

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The chonkiest one will come up and smell strangers pretty quickly. The middle one used my hand to rub her face while I was on the other side of the fence. The smallest is most skittish, but she almost smelled me this morning.
I was trying to introduce my dog. Let them smell him through the fence. They freaked out (of course) and then wanted to smell. I’m a little worried about them and Jack (my dog) because he’s so small and blind. I’d be concerned they’d try to smell him and step on him or think he’s a sheep and do something.

Thanks for all the advice. I’m hoping to get these guys nice and tame.

I start school tomorrow, maybe I’ll go out and study by their pen lol.
 

Messybun

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Animal crackers = sheep cocaine

Study in their pen, not next to it.
Only the small one has eaten them so far. She turns away so the others don’t see.🤣 crazy sheep. The others should discover here shortly,

Do you think the professor will accept “my sheep ate my homework” as a valid excuse for late homework? Asking for a friend of course.

I think I’ve discovered their names.

Flossy, Shasta, and Maizy. Subject to change over the next few days lol.
 
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tortoise

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No surprise the chonky one is most tame and the smallest one is most skittish!

You might need to separate chonky-girl out to get the smaller one to warm up to you.

If you take the skittish one out she will probably get even more skittish. Tame/dominant ones seem to handle being separated from the flock (briefly!) better than skittish ones.
 

Messybun

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Well y’all, I need a sheep chair🤣.

Tried to rump a sheep for the first time today, yikes. Failure. Ended up doing what I was doing while straddling the ewe. These girls are also going to double in size. Holy ewe! Sheep 1 shortcake 0

I’m going to see if I can look back through Baymules’ journals to see what she did lol. There’s no way I’ll be able to straddle or handle them at 200 lbs. like I did today.
Ahh adventures of new livestock.
 

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Well y’all, I need a sheep chair🤣.

Tried to rump a sheep for the first time today, yikes. Failure. Ended up doing what I was doing while straddling the ewe. These girls are also going to double in size. Holy ewe! Sheep 1 shortcake 0

I’m going to see if I can look back through Baymules’ journals to see what she did lol. There’s no way I’ll be able to straddle or handle them at 200 lbs. like I did today.
Ahh adventures of new livestock.

I don't sit my sheep. Not worth the effort. 😁 DH can do ot, but the only one we needed to was a dangerous ram.

I have a head stanchion built into a lambing pen. Ewes get grain in it so they're willing to get caught in it. I use it for shearing solo. Its a must-have for replacing ear tags.

When DH and I are together, such as for hooves, he catches or uses a crook. We move the ewe next to the barn wall and I hold her head.

And a gambrel is nice when you're away from the barn. I don't use it much, but I'm happy to have it. https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/...o0ts3PHOCFctLvhWD3Rr2m5Bute7mQtkaAnRyEALw_wcB

If you set up a chute like @baymule you can do vaccines, etc while they are lined up in the chute.
 
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