Then we got 3 goats....a billy and two nannys. The two nannys were already named but the billy was not. He was not willing to be caught and his owner had to carry him to our truck. When we got home Alan went to take him out of the pen in the truck and put him in the pen we had prepared for him and the nannys...... Well, we tried to coax him to come within our reach so we could get hold of him but he just stood there and... Stomped....... He did that several times and... I ....(not having had any experience with this).... looked him in the eye and stomped my foot back at him and said... "Stomper" that is what we will call you!.....Alan had to carry him into the pen.... Every time after that when he stomped at me ...I stomped at him right back and stood my ground.....in the mean time we both called him by name and tried to pet him at feeding time......little by little he warmed up to being petted on the head or scratched between the ears.....he is a Nubian mix.......and he never has tried to butt me.... He was 4 months old when we got him and he is 1 year old now but he has never been agressive other than the stomping thing..... We have since traded him for another goat but he is with us right now breeding to the two nannys we bought him with........He seems even more gentle than before.. So either I was lucky...the Lord was protecting me because I love animals and did not know what Stomper's stomping meant .....really; or Stomper took my stepping up to his challenge seriously and has never tried to prove he was bigger than me, at least not yet........smile I usually keep an eye in back of my head though....just in case......
On the 19th of Dec. we were called to come take a little lamb that was born that morning and abandoned by his mom...He is a beautiful little blackbelly ram and he is soooooo cute....he has lots of energy, curiousity...and personality....so your advise about rams is sobering.....how can you not get attached to such a precious little thing.....
We were looking at the pics of the twins that belong to ewe # 13 from the Mossy Spring Ranch and our little "Yasha" looks just like the darker of the two shown in the picture.
We will try to integrate him into the flock as soon as possible but the other sheep don't like him and try to butt him so it is going to be a while before we can leave him alone in the pen with the others......he is in a wooden crate in our bathroom for now ...it is easier to feed him in the middle of the night that way... I take him out and let him run and play when it is warm enough ...we went out in the snow today and he had a ball.....
We also have an all black, Blackbelly, ewe that is due by the 25th, so that will be interesting to see how it all works out.....If anyone has any suggestions about how to integrate him into the flock I would appreciate them......smile
We have three wool ewes and a wool ram ( Dorsette/Suffolk mixes),and another, all black, Blackbelly ewe (8 mo. old, daughter of the one expecting), in the pen ....plus two Great Pyrenees pups that are 4 months old and very playful, but too rough to be playing with "Yasha" (our little ram)
The goats are in another pen......We have decided to sell off the goats this summer and focus mostly on Blackbelly Sheep...They are so beautiful and in many ways easier to raise......
Our first two Blackbelly ewes we bought through this list, from J & M Farms (Jon and Marion LoPrinzi),Lonsdale, Ar. ,this summer.......the one we are waiting on to lamb is the mother of the two. We are very happy with them......
Well, I am thankful for a list we can refer to for information from people that are raising the same type of animals we are.....
Annette Hake Menookhaw Mountain Ravenden Ar.
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