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From: Mary Swindell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [blackbelly] Re: Blackbelly digest, Vol 1 #685 - 14 msgs Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 14:57:32 -0500
Hi to Peggy H.!
Your new small flock sounds wonderful, and I hope you will enjoy them as much as I enjoy my sheep. Please don't be discouraged about not being able to gain their trust. Barbados sheep are curious, but extremely shy of people. Over time my experiences with them have taught me the following things about behavior around my flock:
1) Try to move very slowly, gently and deliberately in working among them to do chores and handling.
2) Speak softly to them and avoid sudden noise or sudden actions.
3) Avoid having more than one person near them at a time. Also, the sponteneity of children may make them nervous.
4) Do not continually try to catch them or reach out to touch them.
5) Try to be content to stand among them, without expecting any of them to come close enough to touch.
6) Learn to derive satisfaction by watching and observing their gentle behavior, and learn to appreciate their unique "almost wild" behavioral characteristics.
7) Do not expect that they will exhibit the friendly, totally trusting behaviors unless they have been raised as a bottle lamb.
If you can change your expectations as well as your behaviors around them somewhat, you may begin to build up their trust in you (which comes slowly). Sometimes in the fall and winter evenings as I feed, I will quietly sing songs to them (old-timey songs, hymns, or girl scout songs). They will come into the barn from the pasture after dark if the lights are on, and stand near me as if they are mesmerized by the lulling of the song. And sometimes I walk through the barn corral, out to the open pasture, where there is a bench on the hill. After dark, they will follow me across the pasture in a big flock, quietly walking behind me. I will sit on my bench and look at the stars, and they will graze nearby. I know then that they trust me, and that they feel safe and secure knowing I am there.
That is all that I need anymore. Their presence gives me great peace, and is a healing influence on me. They all have numbers. Some have names, most don't. I have my favorites. Some of the favorites will take corn from my hand. My very most favorite sheep, #12, is a 6-year old wether. He would have been a very handsome ram, but was wethered before I bought him. I have tried out a couple of names on him, but none seems right. He knows his name, and I don't. He is just #12, the bellwether of my farm. He has great dignity, and is a natural leader. He protects the lambs, intervenes to break up fights between other sheep (stands still like a tree between the two fighters), and (although I've never been able to get him to eat from my hand), he somehow is ALWAYS standing as the nearest sheep to me, in the flock of over 50 sheep. Why is that? He truly likes me, I think, and it is mutual.
These sheep will "grow" on you -- over time, you will no longer desire just to pet them or have them eat from your hand. You will become enamored by their grace and beauty, and will derive great pleasure and peace from simply watching them.
Sincerely, Mary Swindell
At 12:01 PM 4/19/2004 -0600, you wrote:Message: 9 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 19:15:05 EDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [blackbelly] RAM LOSEING FEAR Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Diane,
I just have to ask how long has it taken for him to become less fearful? I
have just begun to start a herd. At this time I have one adult ewe and a young
poled ram. We have had them about six weeks now and I still cannot seem to gain
their trust no matter what I try to entice them with. Please answer this as
no one seems to answer any of my questions. I think I am doing everything right
as far as this list goes but it hard to get involved when no one responds to
me. Thanks in advance for any and all advice. Peggy H.
Mary Swindell Illinois Regional Director, BBSAI Bellwether Farm 815 Bell Hill Road Cobden, IL 62920 (618) 893-4568 (home) (618) 453-1697 (work) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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