# Going to Look at Sheep - Sheep are Here



## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

I'm off to have a look at some hair sheep tomorrow, so I thought I'd ask for advice today (usually I do things the other way around). These are St.Croix x Dorper sheep. I'm looking for 2 or 3 sheep as pets/lawn mowers. Mostly to eat some of the pasture grass that my goats don't touch. Not interested in breeding sheep. They will be with the goats most of the time. I've never had sheep so this is new territory for me. We are just looking and are not ready to buy just yet. Lambs would not be available until May anyway, though adults are available now.

So, any advice on what to look for? what questions to ask? Should I get wethers? ewes? adults? lambs? What sorts of thing should I be thinking about when considering sheep?

Thanks for any help.









Picture from the ad.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Sheep and goats need to grow up together to tolerate each other. Ewes are better if you are not breeding them. Getting young ewes are better than getting adults. They adapt better. But this is in my humble opinion.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> I'm off to have a look at some hair sheep tomorrow, so I thought I'd ask for advice today (usually I do things the other way around). These are St.Croix x Dorper sheep. I'm looking for 2 or 3 sheep as pets/lawn mowers. Mostly to eat some of the pasture grass that my goats don't touch. Not interested in breeding sheep. They will be with the goats most of the time. I've never had sheep so this is new territory for me. We are just looking and are not be ready to buy just yet. Lambs would not be available until May anyway, though adults are available now.
> 
> So, any advice on what to look for? what questions to ask? Should I get wethers? ewes? adults? lambs? What sorts of thing should I be thinking about when considering sheep?
> 
> ...


Beautiful sheep. 
I’m not experienced with sheep but I’ll tell you some of my thoughts. 
I would personally get ewes although if they are wethered soon enough they probably won’t try to mount your goats when in heat.  And pro and con I thought about with adults or lambs is, when introduced to your goats lambs might do a little better growing up with them. But, the goats could hurt them if they don’t like them. If you get adults the sheep could hurt your goats of bigger than them. But then again they might all get along and love each other. 
Oh, sheep don’t need to b supplemented with copper so if your goats’ loose minerals have a lot of copper you need to be careful about your sheep getting it. That’s about all I know about sheep. Lol


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

@DDFN has sheep.


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## Milk Machine (Jul 18, 2021)

I have both goats and katahdin hair sheep. I got them all (or almost all) as adults and they are mostly housed together. They do fine. They figure each other out. Generally speaking hair sheep are fairly parasite resistant but on that subject I would ask about their deworming practices. I would also ask maybe how fully or not they shed out. Some hair sheep don't shed as well as others and might need crutched at lambing time. I would personally choose ewes so you would have the option to breed if you ever wanted. We've had cows, goats and sheep and my hair sheep are SO easy by comparison! It's funny how easy they are. So I would recommend breeding them once eventually to see. Really, so easy. And my karahdin lambs grow so fast. I don't know much about St Croix. I think they are rumored to be more parasite resistant but maybe smaller or less meat yield which wouldn't matter if you want to just have them for pasture management. 
I would definitely ask about hoof rot and scald. When we first got sheep they came with hoof rot. The previous owners perhaps thought it was just scald and I think a lot of sheep people confuse the two. It was a major pain to deal with. They could also infect your goats. So ask if they are foot rot free and ask if they often have to deal with foot scald. After my bad experience with rot, I would be inclined to pass on a farm that says they deal only with foot scald because there is a chance it is actually foot rot they are dealing with. Most sheep farms do not test for Johne's. Some test for OPP (same virus as CAE) and CL. So I would ask about those things if you know your farm is currently clear of them & would like to keep it that way. But if all those things check out I must say I really enjoy our sheep and they are easy! The only real challenge keeping them with goats is to keep the sheep from eating goat mineral or goats from filling up on sheep mineral & not getting enough copper. I put my goat mineral up high where the goats can climb or stand to access it. That keeps the sheep out. Thankfully it seems my goats prefer their mineral over the sheep mineral so I can leave the sheep mineral out available to all. My sheep mineral has Zinpro so if my goats do eat it they get a Zn boost which might be needed anyway. Good luck!


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## Tindi (Jul 11, 2012)

This is a interesting thread. We are also buying a few sheep and are new to it as well.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Ditto @Milk Machine! Our goats and Katahdins do great together. Check FAMACHA, hooves, and worming records. If you think you won't breed, I'd buy based on personality and color next, rather than gender.  Like goats, if they aren't starting with great genetics (parasite resistance!), they can be a real bother. We've treated one lamb in the last 3 years, FAMACHA is consistently great.


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## Lil Boogie (Mar 24, 2021)

We used to have hair sheep. The only ones that we lost in 6 years of raising them were to dogs. And one day one of our Rams randomly had died. Other then that, never lost any of them. Babies being born in 15 degrees, started bouncing around 30 minutes after birth. The hair sheep we had were amazing. Also, we never worked either. Not once. One time we decided to bottle raise some just to do it lol. They were great! I recommend hair sheep.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Well thanks for the information, all. The is helpful. Gives me a few things to ask and look for instead of just getting swept away by the cute lambs.

I read a while ago the hair sheep - or maybe it was just blackbelly sheep - tend to like to browse more than wool sheep. Is this true?


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## Lil Boogie (Mar 24, 2021)

Never noticed it.


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## Milk Machine (Jul 18, 2021)

My katahdins do browse quite a bit


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Have you seen any you like? Sheep are better lawn mowers than goats.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

As I thought might happen, we jumped right in and put a deposit on these three cute ewelets. The adults were smaller than I anticipated, which I was pleased about. In talking to the owner, there were no red flags obvious to me. We should get them in May, so I have some time to make renovations to the barn.











Some of the herd (flock). The giant sheep on the right was not available.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They are so cute!


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Aww man, too bad that big sheep isn't coming home with you!  

Your little ewes look so cute!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They are adorable.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Awww! Cuteness overload now! I’ve always wanted lambs but I want them to stay lambs forever. Lol 
And somehow I just knew you’d end up getting some (I know you haven’t brought them home yet) when you went to “look” at them. Lol That’s how it always is for me.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

We've been thinking about getting sheep for over a year. Not a lot of hair sheep available around here. The owners said about half of the lambs were already spoken for and since there seemed to be no reason not to, we decided to stop waffling and went for it. As an added bonus these sheep are raised together with goats. I hope they will not cause too much of a disturbance in the barn.


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Congratulations! You will love them! Sheep are so much fun. They're probably my favorite animals I have after the goats. I have three Shetlands. I'd love to have more Shetlands one day, and I think some painted desert sheep would look really nice grazing the back hill, but currently my goat count is a larger number than I care to admit in public and my monthly hay bill is an even bigger number, so more sheep aren't in the cards quite yet!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Congratulations on your purchase! Your ewelets are so cute!


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Aww congratulations! What cuties! It’s so weird seeing long tails!


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

They are gorgeous. Congratulations. And as you say an added bonus they are around goats.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

You'll love them! They are such great lawnmowers. I heard or read once that sheep graze 80%, browse 20% and goats browse 80% and graze 20%. That's about what I see with our Katahdins. They love to get in the woods with mulberry, honeysuckle, walnuts and white pines. They really only go after our young trees when there is young/green growth.


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

Oh my! I come onto the forum because I let my daughter talk me into a "pair" of sheep, and I want to see what wisdom I can find. I figure there are going to be bright, friendly people in my goat group who also own sheep, and look at what thread I find. And it's even a new one. And it has a lot of good things to think about! I'm leaving right after farm chores to go look at two Rambouillet x Targhee crosses, about 12 weeks old. We will probably get boys that the shepherd will band for wether today. (I just thought about horns. I wonder if sheep are as single minded about getting stuck as goats.). I saw a lot of people recommending ewes, ewes, ewes. What issues will I need to watch out for with wethers? The sheep and goats will have their own homes.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

There may be some sweeter personalities with the ewes but that's debatable. Often people want to have the option of breeding in the future, so, ewes. Wethers are very often sent to market so it could also be the jargon we're used to using also. I wouldn't hesitate getting wethers for lawn-mowing or pets.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

When we looked at the sheep we were told all the boys, yet to be wethered, were already spoken for sight unseen. Presumably for slaughter later. I assume they get significantly larger than the ewes. Since we prefer to have smaller sheep, we went with ewes.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

One more question. When sheep go into heat, is it similar to goats?


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

I have two ewes and a wether. They all have individual personalities. My wether is probably the friendliest- he pretty much thinks only about food and is just big and dumb. My two ewes definitely have more going on upstairs, but nothing like the goats. They're more standoffish but all of them will let me pet them as long as they don't suspect I'm up to something. (Shearing day is another story!) I've had my little trio for 6-7 years now and have never noticed the ewes going into heat. Definitely not loudly like goats!


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## Milk Machine (Jul 18, 2021)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> One more question. When sheep go into heat, is it similar to goats?


Sheep heat is not that similar. For the most part I cannot detect it. They also cycle every 17 days. Some of my katahdins will breed year round, others only in the fall. I just put a ram in with marking paste on his brisket.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Calistar said:


> have never noticed the ewes going into heat.





Milk Machine said:


> For the most part I cannot detect it.


Yay. That is good news for me. One of my favourite things about my goats getting pregnant is they won't go into heat for a while.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Sorry it took me so long to respond. It's been crazy busy here. Yes I did used to have Tunis sheep. Loved them so much but when we down sized I passed my flock to another farmer that promised to preserve the breed. 

That said I had ewes that were sweet as can be and some wethers. One wether was a bit jumpy but I got him as an adult so not sure what his childhood was like. If you don't know their upbringing ewes are better. So glad you got some ewes! 

Best wishes!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Can't wait to get my sheep. I understand I may regret saying that once they arrive. Still a month or so to wait. Our grass (and weeds) is growing like mad - as it does every spring. The goats mostly push their way through it to look for food. Up to their bellies in grass and nothing to eat. Poor starving chubby goaties. Need Can't wait for the sheep to start munching on the grass. People call them warm, fuzzy lawnmowers. I wonder, will they eat grass in nice neat rows going from one side of the pasture to the other or will they start by going around the perimeter and working their way to the centre?

I see it now. A warm summer day, a cold beer, cruising around the pasture on my new self driving, ride-on mower.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Well Mike I once took an unplanned ride on my Tunis ram down through the field dying from laughter. My husband was supposed to be holding him while I was doing his shots. It happened so fast and he darted back and then forward with his head down. His head went between my legs and I had the funniest most comical ride before I finally rolled off to the side. My husband was rolling with his laughter. After that happened I felt like I became a cartoon episode lol.

So note of the story be sure to strap you chair on facing forward and not backwards lol wool makes wonderful hand holds hahaha


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

To help with the image. Picture this but with a Tunis and adult lady without vest and helmet lol things I will not forget about my sheep farming days lol.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

DDFN said:


> Well Mike I once took an unplanned ride on my Tunis ram down through the field dying from laughter. My husband was supposed to be holding him while I was doing his shots. It happened so fast and he darted back and then forward with his head down. His head went between my legs and I had the funniest most comical ride before I finally rolled off to the side. My husband was rolling with his laughter. After that happened I felt like I became a cartoon episode lol.
> 
> So note of the story be sure to strap you chair on facing forward and not backwards lol wool makes wonderful hand holds hahaha


I'm glad you weren't hurt! We have a beautiful ewe we named Bolt [foreshadowing]. She's part quarterhorse and acts like she hates us. Before we had a handling pen, we were trying to get our hands on her for some checks. We gave up and decided to just let her in with the other sheep (she always wins, but she really doesn't need us either). Hubs has them trained to follow alfalfa pellets in a bucket. Next thing, Bolt has the bucket stuck on her head and is backing up to him! He caught her but instinctively and quickly took off the bucket, which sent her running top speed, David dragged along like a sidecar, unwilling to let go! I was worried about injury but I still laugh retelling it! 

We just bought a proper headgate this year and used it last weekend for shots and trimming.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I’m laughing so hard right now. It started with the “riding lawn mower” pic and then the stories just added to it. You all are making my day. 

I want updates from those who are getting sheep. I’m so sick of mowing and brush hogging. I started saying we needed sheep as a joke. But as my pasture is already way too tall and the goats have no interest in it because they have enough forage of saplings and brush, it’s becoming less of a joke and more of a serious consideration.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Some funny stories indeed. All the reading I've done about having sheep, I didn't see anything about needing a helmet.




FizzyGoats said:


> But as my pasture is already way too tall and the goats have no interest in it


That is exactly my problem too. The goats have a nice little pasture to romp around. They will eat a bit of grass here and there, but by the end if spring, other than some trails through the grass, you wouldn't know I had animals on the pasture. Every year I cut it once or twice or even three times (with a real metal and plastic sit-upon lawn mower) due to fire risk. It just seems so darn silly to cut grass in a pasture when I can get more animals to do the job for me. 
Btw, I am well aware that having the sheep will be more work and more money and more time than just cutting the grass myself.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

It's so crazy that you guys' goats don't eat grass. I wish mine didn't so that we would have more grass for our rabbit tractors. 😌


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

I was thinking the same thing! Mine will mow grass down to the dirt. They like to walk in a line and graze and take a bite or two off of a shrub or tree they pass by and then go back to grazing.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Kinder goats are part sheep, right?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

MadHouse said:


> Kinder goats are part sheep, right?


If they are, they are lacking a bit in the wool department. 😆🐑


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

MadHouse said:


> Kinder goats are part sheep, right?


Maybe 😆 They sure look like it right now with all the cashmere coming out of their coats. My black goats look like they have white spots.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

littleheathens said:


> I'm glad you weren't hurt! We have a beautiful ewe we named Bolt [foreshadowing]. She's part quarterhorse and acts like she hates us. Before we had a handling pen, we were trying to get our hands on her for some checks. We gave up and decided to just let her in with the other sheep (she always wins, but she really doesn't need us either). Hubs has them trained to follow alfalfa pellets in a bucket. Next thing, Bolt has the bucket stuck on her head and is backing up to him! He caught her but instinctively and quickly took off the bucket, which sent her running top speed, David dragged along like a sidecar, unwilling to let go! I was worried about injury but I still laugh retelling it!
> 
> We just bought a proper headgate this year and used it last weekend for shots and trimming.


Oh dear sounded like "fun". We had a head gate but having to being them up from the lower field was a pain so we just went without. Roger (our ram) was shown by his last family so he had all the well behaved manners he should of shown that day but nope! It was fun but they are soft to ride haha. Wouldn't want a repeat since I have gotten older now.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Miniature horses and sheep are good grass eaters. I had one doe that was a grass hog but she was raised as a young doe at a farm that was only pasture before I ever got her as an older girl.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I’m so jealous others have goats that trim the grass for them.


Mike at Capra Vista said:


> They will eat a bit of grass here and there, but by the end if spring, other than some trails through the grass, you wouldn't know I had animals on the pasture. Every year I cut it once or twice or even three times (with a real metal and plastic sit-upon lawn mower) due to fire risk. It just seems so darn silly to cut grass in a pasture when I can get more animals to do the job for me.
> Btw, I am well aware that having the sheep will be more work and more money and more time than just cutting the grass myself.


Hey now, no need to bring logic and reason in to this, like mentioning it’ll take more time and money to keep the extra animals than to mow. 
I have to brush hog, mow, and weed eat about three times a month from now until November. Mainly to keep snakes back, or at least be able to spot them in the grass. Everything just grows so quickly here. It’s crazy that my four Nigerian Dwarf goats can’t keep up with it all. 

I really am eager to hear how it goes with your sheep. Will they be housed with the goats or separately?


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> It just seems so darn silly to cut grass in a pasture when I can get more animals to do the job for me.
> Btw, I am well aware that having the sheep will be more work and more money and more time than just cutting the grass myself.


Amen to that! We sold our tractor this year, thanks to sheep. We'll rent once a year and hopefully that's it. Maybe they'll surprise you and indeed save money and time. They are much less fussy than goats, eat invasives, mow down thigh high pasture, fertilize our acres of asparagus, and fill our freezer.  It's fussy to set up electric net to "mow" but faster than mowing and we've never had to weed whack fence lines. They leave it tidy. Except for the poop!


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

I'm excited to read about your sheep adventures! If I'm ever left in total control of the farm, I may swap cattle out for sheep. I am becoming less and less fond of animals who weigh more than me and can crush me with minimal effort.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

littleheathens said:


> Amen to that! We sold our tractor this year, thanks to sheep. We'll rent once a year and hopefully that's it. Maybe they'll surprise you and indeed save money and time. They are much less fussy than goats, eat invasives, mow down thigh high pasture, fertilize our acres of asparagus, and fill our freezer.  It's fussy to set up electric net to "mow" but faster than mowing and we've never had to weed whack fence lines. They leave it tidy. Except for the poop!


That sounds so perfect! I just spent the day brush hogging with the tractor and weed eating. Sheep sound great right now. 


Cedarwinds Farm said:


> I'm excited to read about your sheep adventures! If I'm ever left in total control of the farm, I may swap cattle out for sheep. I am becoming less and less fond of animals who weigh more than me and can crush me with minimal effort.


That’s sort of my mind set too. Though, I really like beef. So if I raised my own, that’d be a tough call for me. My brother raises the steers and I just pay for all its feed and such and then pay the butcher. He said he’s not doing it again though, so I may have to see if I like mutton. I haven’t had it in years.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

FizzyGoats said:


> Hey now, no need to bring logic and reason in to this, like mentioning it’ll take more time and money to keep the extra animals than to mow.


Very sorry about that. 



FizzyGoats said:


> It’s crazy that my four Nigerian Dwarf goats can’t keep up with it all.


The answer is ...... MORE GOATS!!



FizzyGoats said:


> I really am eager to hear how it goes with your sheep. Will they be housed with the goats or separately?


The short answer is: with the goats.

My tentative plan is to have the sheep in a separate stall in my barn for the first day or two. It will be me, a chair, a book and three sheep. I will then introduce them to a small part of the pasture with temporary fencing. I'll have to see how well the goats cooperate with the temporary fencing. If things go well, after maybe a week I'll remove the fencing. That is my plan, and I stress it is tentative.

I can't wait to get them!!!!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

littleheathens said:


> Amen to that! We sold our tractor this year, thanks to sheep. We'll rent once a year and hopefully that's it. Maybe they'll surprise you and indeed save money and time. They are much less fussy than goats, eat invasives, mow down thigh high pasture, fertilize our acres of asparagus, and fill our freezer.  It's fussy to set up electric net to "mow" but faster than mowing and we've never had to weed whack fence lines. They leave it tidy. Except for the poop!


I had not thought about fence lines. It would be nice to do less weed whacking. Will they leave grapes alone, I wonder. I have a dozen grape plants on the fence along my driveway and cutting the grass (weeds) around them is a pain.

I could never get rid of my little lawn tractor even if I have no grass to cut. I use if more for hauling stuff than for cutting.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Cedarwinds Farm said:


> I'm excited to read about your sheep adventures! If I'm ever left in total control of the farm, I may swap cattle out for sheep. I am becoming less and less fond of animals who weigh more than me and can crush me with minimal effort.


That was my (cowardly) view as well. When we first moved out here, my daughter, who is in Ontario and not here on Vancouver Island, felt strongly that we should get horses. Aside from my perception that horses need a lot of care, the thought of animals that weigh 10 times or more, as much as I do, was too unnerving for me. If I cannot put it in my van, it cannot live on my farm. As for cows, as much as the idea of "free" beef is appealing, it is the cow droppings that are our main objection to having them here.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> I had not thought about fence lines. It would be nice to do less weed whacking. Will they leave grapes alone, I wonder. I have a dozen grape plants on the fence along my driveway and cutting the grass (weeds) around them is a pain.
> 
> I could never get rid of my little lawn tractor even if I have no grass to cut. I use if more for hauling stuff than for cutting.


Hmmm. I think they'd eat grape leaves. We have wild grape and a trellis of concords but our goats and sheep don't seem to like either much. If they were exposed to it long, they'd probably decimate it. 

We had a big old Case IH with a loader and all the attachments. That's what we sold. I still have a JD 5500 lawn tractor with a 60" belly mower. I'd like to get something that keeps my head out of tree branches better, but we need to wait a year or two to see how this goes without the Case. Maybe a zero turn?


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

There you go.....


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

My goats love the grape leaves, but can only get the vines that stick through the fence. I have to be careful when I have goats on the driveway.

I figured you were talking about a real tractor. I'd love to have one but can't justify the cost or maintenance.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Very sorry about that.
> 
> 
> The answer is ...... MORE GOATS!!
> ...


Isn't the answer always more goats? No matter what the question is!


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> That was my (cowardly) view as well. When we first moved out here, my daughter, who is in Ontario and not here on Vancouver Island, felt strongly that we should get horses. Aside from my perception that horses need a lot of care, the thought of animals that weigh 10 times or more, as much as I do, was too unnerving for me. If I cannot put it in my van, it cannot live on my farm. As for cows, as much as the idea of "free" beef is appealing, it is the cow droppings that are our main objection to having them here.


I now have way more experience with goats than with cattle. But I think cattle are much easier to keep. And you get more 'bang for your buck', so to speak. You would have to raise several goats or sheep to produce what one cow is capable of. But man, I just like having animals that I can load and manage myself! If we had all the infrastructure for cattle (chutes, squeezes, etc.) it wouldn't be so bad. I don't mind the docile old milk cows. But when those snotty steers start slinging their heads at me, I think, 'nope! This is not my thing!'


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## FarmerDad (Apr 28, 2021)

Cedarwinds Farm said:


> I now have way more experience with goats than with cattle. But I think cattle are much easier to keep. And you get more 'bang for your buck', so to speak. You would have to raise several goats or sheep to produce what one cow is capable of. But man, I just like having animals that I can load and manage myself! If we had all the infrastructure for cattle (chutes, squeezes, etc.) it wouldn't be so bad. I don't mind the docile old milk cows. But when those snotty steers start slinging their heads at me, I think, 'nope! This is not my thing!'


I would give you... ... my first born? for cattle and a place to raise them. It's one of my dreams...


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

FarmerDad said:


> I would give you... ... my first born? for cattle and a place to raise them. It's one of my dreams...


I hope you can have that land and those cattle some day!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

I get my sheep this weekend ... <jumping up and down>


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Cool. Naturally we expect pictures.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Yup, what she said.  

I bet you’re excited. Can’t wait to see them and hear how it goes.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

YAY, how exciting.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

They are home and they are terrified.










































We are considering names. Some suggestions so far:

Jill, Sabrina and Kelly
Marcia, Jan, and Cindy
Mary, Edith and Sybil
Larry, Curly and Moe
Phoebe, Monica and Rachel
Minerva, Rolanda and Pomona
Larry, Darryl and Darryl


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Aw, they’re so cute. Those name groups are pretty great. You’ll have to let us know what you decide on. They do look a bit nervous right now. I bet they’ll settle in quickly though.


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

They are so cute!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

They are beautiful! I love the patterns.
I hope they get used to their new home soon and can start to relax.
Were they a little bit tame with their previous owner?


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

They're gorgeous! I'm particularly fond of Darryl. My vote is 3 for 3 on that. Then you wouldn't have to worry about calling anyone the wrong name.


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Aww congratulations!

I like Larry, Curly, and Moe

Larry, Darryl,and Darryl would be….confusing to say the least


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Love the names! Naturally Larry, Moe and curly or Larry, Darryl and Darryl would be in my top picks 😁


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

You could always call the first one, "Lary", the second one "Darryl" and the third one "And-Darryl". 😆 Although I guess their names then would be Lary, Darryl, and And-Darryl.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Cute!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

In case some of you are curious about the source of some of the names.

Jill, Sabrina and Kelly - Charlie's Angels
Marcia, Jan, and Cindy - Brady Bunch
Mary, Edith and Sybil - Downton Abbey 
Larry, Curly and Moe - Three Stooges
Phoebe, Monica and Rachel - Friends
Minerva, Rolanda and Pomona - Harry Potter
Larry, Darryl and Darryl - Newhart 

I will certainly welcome other suggestions.

There a mountain in the Rockies near Banff Alberta (near where we used to live) with three peaks called the Three Sisters. I've seen it hundreds of times and have hiked in the area. I looked up the names of the individual peaks, thinking those might be appropriate names. I was disappointed to learn they are called: Big Sister, Middle Sister, and Little Sister.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

MadHouse said:


> They are beautiful! I love the patterns.
> I hope they get used to their new home soon and can start to relax.
> Were they a little bit tame with their previous owner?


Yes, Me too. I used to think sheep were white(ish) or sometimes black or white with black heads. I did not know they could look like Holstein cows.

By last night they were noticeably more relaxed. Unlike my goats who were very concerned about the evil in the other stall.

The people I got them from, have about 30 to 40 sheep. They are "farm" tame - used to people, some will eat out of your hand but they don't want to be touched. So they are not "pet" tame.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Oh my!!!!!

Just came across these on the googley interweb. Valais Blacknose Sheep.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I want those! I’d just look out at my pasture and laugh all day.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Your sheep are beautiful! I hope they function the way you want them to. Will you shear yourself? 

The stupid mountain names cracked me up! It inspired me to name a quad sometime after our towns' lakes: Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa, and maybe Yahara (the connecting river). Although we do alphabetical by year.

Another name suggestion- Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

littleheathens said:


> Your sheep are beautiful! I hope they function the way you want them to. Will you shear yourself?


Their main function is to eat grass, so as long as they eat grass all is good.

My sheep are St.Croix / Dorper cross hair sheep. No sheering required


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Beautiful.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

We mowed our lawn today!


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## BarnOwl (Sep 6, 2020)

Congratulations, they are beautiful. I love the colors.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Day 3 with the sheep. They are all still alive and I have not lost any.

For being so superficially similar to goats, they sure are different. I remember when we first brought our three doelings home, they would cower together with their bums in the corner. The sheep did the same but with their heads in the corner.

By day two the sheep readily came and took grass out of my hand and I could touch them all over. Even lifted one girls front hooves.

I made a small temporary enclosure outside of the barn and yesterday they got to go out to eat grass. No exploring their new area, just eating.









Team work.











It is all about team work.
They insisted on eating this really short grass even though grass up to a foot tall was available.










One still came to see if I had any food to offer, which was nice to see.

Btw, the goats are still afraid of the sheep, but the sheep do not seem to be concerned about the goats.


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## BarnOwl (Sep 6, 2020)

They are so pretty! I didn't know sheep could have such interesting markings. They seem like they will be friendly!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

It sounds very successful so far!
They seem to be way tamer than I expected sheep to be!
And the lawn mowering has started! Yay!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad things are going well!


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

When I had my 4 sheep over the last year (my sisters and I all wanted one for the freezer, so I raised them out here) it was funny to see how they would all eat with their heads together like they were going for the same clump of grass. 
they stayed together but did start hanging with the goats and going out with them more. They also got pretty friendly and used to me so would come up and nibble on my shirt hem and used to the routine of coming in in the evenings.
The goats were definitely dominant.
Congratulations on getting your lawn mowers 🎉😁🍀


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Aw, they’re practicing mowing in nice tight lines for you. They of course have to practice on short grass first.  It sounds like they warmed up to you and the farm really quickly. And they are stinking cute! Way more fun to to see than my lawnmower, which is, well, a lawnmower.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Like all of us, sheep too think the "grass is greener on the other side". At one point yesterday, all three were standing beside each other with their heads and necks stretched through the fence. by the time I took a picture, only one head and two noses were though the fence. What they are eating outside the fence is not any different than what they are standing in.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Beautiful


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

So far, so good. The sheep are still alive. 

Their names are Clover, Ivy and Fern. I'm afraid Larry, Darryl and Darryl was voted down.

Fern wants nothing to do with me. Ivy will happily eat out of my hand and MAY tolerate light touching while eating treats. Clover will run over to me to see if I have treats but will happily stay to be petted and scratch for as long as I want.

Now that the goats are no longer terrified, they are pretty much ignoring the sheep. The sheep now have a temporary enclosure inside the pasture - in goat territory. The goats seemed more concerned about the new fence than the sheep. I plan to remove the fence and let the sheep have access to the whole pasture in a week.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad things are going well.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

I hope Clover shows the other two that you are not dangerous.
What treats did youfind worked?
I guess the goats ignoring the sheep is a sign they don’t feel threatened anymore.
Exciting to have everyone together in one pasture soon.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Sheep Text is the only real treat I have but they will also eat grass I pick for them or lawnmower clippings. Other things I've tried have failed not that I've tried a lot of things yet.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad to hear things are going well.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I love the names. Not as funny as some of the other options but somehow seems more fitting for such a sweet little trio. 

I hope you’ll keep the updates coming!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Sheep are not goats. I know that is obvious, but it has been fun seeing the differences in behaviour of MY new sheep and MY goats. (I cannot speak for other sheep or goats)

The sheep seem to be eating constantly, often with their heads touching. They also spend an unusual amount of time with their heads through the fence eating the grass outside which to me is the same as the grass inside. 

Sheep pee a lot more. The straw in their stall gets a lot wetter than in the goat's stall. Although I see the sheep drink more often than the goats, they do not seem to actually consume much water. Clearly they get most of their water from the grass.

Sheep do not climb. Though they have access to a picnic table and some rock, they do not go on them. And they jump off immediately when put on the picnic table.

Sheep do not seem to mind the rain. Unlike my goats, the sheep will not melt if touched by water.

Sheep can "bounce" with all for legs when gamboling. Like mule deer.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Sheep are not goats. I know that is obvious, but it has been fun seeing the differences in behaviour of MY new sheep and MY goats. (I cannot speak for other sheep or goats)
> 
> The sheep seem to be eating constantly, often with their heads touching. They also spend an unusual amount of time with their heads through the fence eating the grass outside which to me is the same as the grass inside.
> 
> ...


My sheep loved to eat! Little field Hoover's! They did seem to pee often but mine always stayed out and would only go in the shed if it was a really hot day as I kept another water location in the shade of the shed. 

Love the names!


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Interesting, they don’t mind rain, they don’t climb on things (that sort of blew my mind), and they bounce. I bet that last one is super cute. I can just picture it.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Yesterday was Sheep Freedom Day. I let the sheep have full access to the pasture - and the goats. I did not not know what to expect. What happened when I let them out, you ask? Well, let me describe to the best of my ability. As the sheep walked out of their enclosure into freedom (of a sort), they .............. stopped and ate grass. Nothing happened. Sheep stopped to eat the first bit of new grass they came to and the goats were lying around digesting their breakfast. It was all very anticlimactic, which, I guess, was a good thing.









Here the goats are actively NOT looking at the sheep.











Here is Ivy trying to introduce herself. She got a mild warning headbutt for her trouble.










Afternoon rest after hours of eating.











This is why I wanted sheep. I fear losing my goats in the grass.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Anticlimactic 😂
Glad they aren’t bothered at all… and they do have plenty of mowing to attend to!


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Anticlimactic is great when putting animals together. Boring is about the best outcome you can hope for. 

I love how the goats (the cool kids, obviously) are actively ignoring the sheep. Haha. And yes, that is what my pasture looks like too. I know it’s bad when even the LGD disappears when he lies down in the field. It’ll be interesting to see how how three little sheep do with such a big job ahead of them.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

I am happy for the anticlimactic integration day! Yay!
I bet the sheep are shaking their heads at those goats who are not eating all this wonderful grass!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is great there were no problems.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

With the fear of losing your goats in the field I am amazed that the sheep name options didn't include Marco and Polo.

They look so happy!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

That would have been a good idea. Perhaps Marco, Polo and Echo.

Yes, they look happy. To be fair I delete all (thousands) the pictures of unhappy animals.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Yesterday was amusing. At one point the sheep got too close to a couple of goats. The goats trotted away toward other goats. The sheep, being sheep, followed. This caused more goats to scamper away. The sheep also wanted to be part of the herd. Before long, the whole herd of goats is running at top speed, closely followed by 3 little sheep trying to keep up. It only lasted for a couple of minutes, because the sheep had to stop to eat grass they discovered.

Later in the day, the goats almost died. It stated to drizzle, and the goats rushed for the safety of the barn. The sheep were lying in front of the door. Talk about a "rock and a hard place". The goats could die of moisture exposure or by getting too close three lambs. You could almost see them struggling with the decision. So I rushed out, shooed the sheep out of the way and saved the lives of 8 ungrateful goats.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is too funny!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

You tell good stories! I could see it all! Including the shocked faces.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Thank you for that laugh. I love your stories.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Goodness I'm slow on the uptake sometimes. It was hours later, while knuckle deep in lamb fur, that I realized the total irony of using the phrase "between a rock and a hard place". There are few things softer than a light drizzle or a lamb. So embarrassing
.










Btw, thanks for the kind words.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

I got to witness sheep racing yesterday. They raced back and forth near the barn, even leaping over smaller boulders. It looked like pure joy. Back and forth and around they went, as fast as their stick legs would go. Periodically they switch from what I would call a gallop to the silly looking 4-leg bounce. And they seemed to all do it at the same time. I wonder why they run with that kind of gate. It does not look efficient. But I do not have four legs, so what do I know.

The goats, most of which were securely out of danger on logs and rocks, looked on in disbelief and terror, ready to flee if the monsters got too close. Austin, the buck, was conflicted. Whenever the sheep got too close to him, he tried so hard to not be afraid. He'd lower his head, presenting his large horns, ready to defend the honour of bucks everywhere, but he could not stop his legs from taking a small step backwards. This happened three times and made me laugh each time.

The sheep racing stopped when GRASS.

No blood, no limping, all in all another good day for inter species relations. Though the goats seem to be spending more time in the "lower pasture", aka blackberry field, they do appear to be starting to accept the idea that the annoying little cotton balls are here to stay.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

I am glad all is still well. The sheep race, and Austin’s reaction would have been fun to see!
Do the goat and sheep share the barn at night?


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

So funny… eventually they will go back to just ignoring the cotton balls 😂


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

MadHouse said:


> I am glad all is still well. The sheep race, and Austin’s reaction would have been fun to see!
> Do the goat and sheep share the barn at night?


Sheep are locked in their own stall at night. The goats have two stalls but are not locked at night. But they are in the same barn.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

It has been two weeks (Where does the time go? .... Actually, where does time go? What happens to it when we are done with it? Probably the wrong forum for those questions) since the bi-species integration began. And there is nothing to report. When the goats run, the sheep run too. When the sheep run, the goats watch. Most of the time they do their own thing. When there is interaction, it is usually the sheep that wander over to where the goats are, rarely the other way around.

















Sheep patiently waiting at the sheep door for their evening snacks. Goats impatiently yelling at me to get on with feeding them and to stop wasting time taking pictures. (I should really get off my butt and remove that role of fencing. It does nothing for the picture.)


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

The roll of fencing adds that certain ‘I’ll never be done’ feel that those of us with farms and ranches know so well. It’s a nice touch of reality. You have such a nice place for them. They are lucky animals. 

The sheep are so cute. They really stick together, like they are glued to each other’s sides out there. That is pretty adorable. I’m sure the goats will eventually see how wonderful their new barn mates are. Or not. Because goats. 

And spent time is funneled directly to a recycling facility where it is either cleaned up and recirculated or taken out of commission and sent to a black hole, depending on its condition. I’m pretty sure that’s right. No need to google it.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Interesting take on time. So, some time is recirculated. Is that what causes deja view? Take all the time you need.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

I


Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Interesting take on time. So, some time is recirculated. Is that what causes deja view? Take all the time you need.


 Feel like we have had this discussion before lol. Yes farmers never get done and it just keep on going and going. Endless cycle. Love the pics!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice barn!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice. 👍


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> Nice barn!


Thanks. Yes it was a nice bonus to have a cute barn when we bought the property.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

DDFN said:


> Feel like we have had this discussion before lol.


Well played. I was going to reply earlier, but time got away on me.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Well played. I was going to reply earlier, but time got away on me.


Well it's 11.40 pm and I just got home from a horse show. Where did the time go today?


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Sheep fact. Sheep pee alot. They have small bladders. Sheep eat allot. Like a rugby teams back row. Side by side. Sheep poop allot. Grass passes the system quickly. Sheep do not look up to eat anything taller than their heads. Sheep are near sighted.
Questions?


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Tanya said:


> Sheep fact. Sheep pee alot. They have small bladders. Sheep eat allot. Like a rugby teams back row. Side by side. Sheep poop allot. Grass passes the system quickly. Sheep do not look up to eat anything taller than their heads. Sheep are near sighted.
> Questions?


Lol they have now been compared to rugby teams. This means Mike needs to get them little jerseys right?


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

@DDFN Rugby teams were definately fashioned around them... i would say they already represent the ALL BLACKS in this round.....


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

The sheep have started to make themselves at home in the "goat area" of the barn. Usually this was enough to keep the goats out, but the mosquitoes are so bad right now that the goats are risking sheep proximity to avoid bugs.


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

I love how the goats are all up on the ledge. Eek! There's a sheep on the floor!


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Hahaha I was teaching my cousins little girl about wood working yesterday and on our "breaks" we had to play games. She taught me about the floor is lava. So I think she would say the sheep are lava! The goats have it all figured out already. They must be a faster learner than I was lol


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

The sheep are growing. I guess that is a good thing, though I would rather they didn't have to.

Ivy, the smaller of our three sheep, has lost almost all of her wool. She now looks sleeker and cleaner. The wool is brown and dirty-white while the fur underneath is shiny black and bright white. I'm hoping the loss of the wool is natural. Clover, the other sheep in the picture, is starting to lose her wool in a few places - along the neck and belly and a little up the sides.










I have always heard that sheep are stupid. I see no indication of that. They seem to catch on to things very quickly around here. Tether training at feeding time took a day.

I guess "sheep are stupid" and "goats eat everything" are two facts that everyone knows ... that just don't happen to be true.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Sheep are far from being stupid but I think that saying comes from they can be stubborn about certain things. At least some of my older Tunis could be stubborn but I got them as adults and didn't raise them from lambs.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

With being hair sheep, it is.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Yes, I figured that. I just didn't know that the lambs shed so soon. I thought they would shed next spring.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

How are the sheep sisters doing now?
Is there still green grass for them?


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

The sheep are fine. They are happy to hang out with the goats at times or on their own at other times. Not much more wool has been shed by any of them. Ivy, the little one, has lost 99% of her wool whereas the other two still have most of their wool and don't seem to be shedding anymore.
Every evening they are in their stall waiting for their snack. They do get a bit noisy if I dawdle too much.
My pasture is brown now, but my hay fields are surprisingly green. This is the first year that has happened. The sheep go down there with the goats several times a day.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Thanks for the update!
Sounds like the goats finally got used to the newcomers.
Are the sheep encouraging the goats to graze at all?


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

The goats are used to having the sheep around. At best the goats ignore the sheep, but some of the goats don't hesitate to butt the sheep if they are close by. I have not seen the goats follow the sheep around, but if the goats go somewhere the sheep usually follow. So I doubt the sheep have encouraged the goats to do anything different.

The sheep have started ramming each other on occasion. It almost always involves Ivy, the smaller one, though I cannot tell who initiates it. It never lasts for more than 5 or 6 rammings(?). They never rear up like goats do, and are usually interrupted by ... grass.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> The goats are used to having the sheep around. At best the goats ignore the sheep, but some of the goats don't hesitate to butt the sheep if they are close by. I have not seen the goats follow the sheep around, but if the goats go somewhere the sheep usually follow. So I doubt the sheep have encouraged the goats to do anything different.
> 
> The sheep have started ramming each other on occasion. It almost always involves Ivy, the smaller one, though I cannot tell who initiates it. It never lasts for more than 5 or 6 rammings(?). They never rear up like goats do, and are usually interrupted by ... grass.


So grass is the mediator? Lol. Back when my goats were younger and I had one boer in with the Nubians they would do the rearing and the boer Angel reared up fell down without anyone hitting her and was like. . . Humm nothing to see here. Do your sheep do that with like oh no "he" is watching we must act like nothing is going on. . . Ohhhh grass!


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

DDFN said:


> So grass is the mediator? Lol. Back when my goats were younger and I had one boer in with the Nubians they would do the rearing and the boer Angel reared up fell down without anyone hitting her and was like. . . Humm nothing to see here. Do your sheep do that with like oh no "he" is watching we must act like nothing is going on. . . Ohhhh grass!


Mediator? Perhaps. I think of it more as a distractor. No, the sheep hardly care what I want or say if I don't have food. 

The fake rear (nothing to do with silicone). My goats do this all the time. One or two will rear up, looking like they are about to inflict serious damage, only to come down and gently touch horns or not even touch. And repeat.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

The sheep are waiting by the "sheep" door for evening snack. The goats are already in the barn yelling. You cannot hear them because this is just a picture.










Ivy the woolless, Fern and Clover. " Stop with the picture taking and get with the food bringing!"


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

I can 'hear' your goats. Or at least, I can hear mine and extrapolate what yours must sound like. The sheep are cute, and look like they're growing nicely!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Very nice! 
Do the two doors lead to the same space?
I noticed the fence is still there… 😂


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

MadHouse said:


> Very nice!
> Do the two doors lead to the same space?
> I noticed the fence is still there… 😂


The sheep have their own stall and get locked up in the evening. The goats have a larger area and do not get locked up. I put out goat minerals after the sheep are locked up and put the minerals away in the morning.

I purposely cropped out the roll of fencing so no one would notice. Sharp eye.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

I too can hear your goats in the picture lol. The poor sheep will they ever get to change out if their prison coats lol jk the locking of the stall and coat coloring no longer match current day prison jump suits. They need orange hunting vests to fit in now 😂😁😎


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

☝😂


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