If what you really want is a polled ram, then find one (from a reputable breeder who keeps records and has progeny-tested polled bloodlines) and eat your horned ram. He will only get worse. But any ram, regardless of horns or not, will, in most cases, eventually become dangerous.
I suggest that, if at all possible, you do NOT let him share a fenceline with the ewes. I put a "neutral zone" between my rams and ewes regardless of how I rotate pastures. I assume that your chainlink fence has chainlink gates. Your ram is eventually going to learn that the chainlink gate cannot stop him. Before I created the neutral zone, my rams were routinely going through any chainlink gate separating them from the ewes. In addition, they were disfiguring the chainlink fence so badly that they were able to crawl under it. Next year, I plan on replacing the chainlink in the ram pen with 2-in. pipe.
I also would suggest that you put your ewes in with the ram, not vice versa, and expose them only for a couple of cycles (30-40 days total). During that time, you should be the only person to go into the ram pen. Arm yourself and save up to buy a herding dog that can help distract the ram while you feed.
These are the things I had to do and they are working out so far.
Carol
At 10:29 PM 8/20/2003 -0500, you wrote:
I m trying to figure out what our options are in this situation do we turn him in with the ewes early, and hope that he calms down once he has his harem again (and if we do, would we ever be able to get him out of there again before the lambs arrive)? Do we find someone else who might have better facilities to hold and handle him? Or, do we turn him into leg o lamb and mutton chops?
Carol Elkins Critterhaven Estate Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep (no shear, no dock, no fuss) Pueblo, Colorado http://www.critterhaven.biz NEW! T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, and more at the Blackbelly Online Store http://www.cafeshops.com/cp/store.aspx?s=blackbellysheep =============================================== This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list. To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly
