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Boondox
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Reged: 09/11/02
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Posts: 326
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Loc: Northern Vermont
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Making friends with sheep
09/15/03 06:06 PM
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It's been most of a week, and our new lambs are settling in nicely. My wife, who is determined to make friends, is only managing to frighten them. Me? Heck, I sit down in a chair near their pen with a branch of apple or sugar maple and pretty much ignore them. Took a few days, but Fudge Baaaa(the brown one) comes right up to me now. She loves being caressed, and boy does the lanolin feel great on my hands!
Bunni wants to be touched, but is still too skittish. I'll give her time.
Pete
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Fawteen
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Silver Member
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Reged: 12/21/02
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Posts: 165
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Loc: Maine
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Re: Making friends with sheep
[re: Boondox]
09/15/03 08:45 PM
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I find that sitting quietly and waiting for their natural curiosity to overcome their caution works best. Even so, I've got one of my ewes that I've had since she was a lamb that won't come near me, and another that is still pretty timid after more than a year.
This year's crop of lambs is friendlier than usual, most of the ram lambs will come right up to be scratched, and once they gather 'round, the ewes wander over to see what's happening.
Of course, ya gotta be careful about getting TOO familiar with the rams, they tend to forget themselves and think of you as a playmate sometimes 
Nice thing about being a hobby farmer, I've got time to "commune" with my critters. Couple of times a week, I'll pull up a stump and sit and wait. Just something sort of peaceful about having a chicken pecking around in the dirt at your feet, or a lamb leaning up against you. Even the turkeys will wander over and peck at anything shiny you happen to have on, belt buckles, buttons that sort of thing. I've got one hen that is absolutely fascinated by my wedding ring... 
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EJB
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Reged: 09/15/02
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Posts: 243
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Loc: Western, Massachusetts
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Re: Making friends with sheep
[re: Boondox]
09/15/03 09:08 PM
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Had the same response from our goats when we first got them...didn't want anything to do with us...now they are like dogs..very attentive and constantly starving for attention.
Soon as I can located a suitable trailer, I'll be picking up some sheep myself...curious what kind of shelter you are giving yours? Everthing I read says sheep don't need much...a 3 sided structure to get out of the wind and wet? if I was a sheep, I'd much rather be in a nice dry barn with the door closed in the winter, but apparently thats not doing them any favors.
Edited by EJB (09/15/03 09:13 PM)
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egon
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Reged: 09/12/02
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Posts: 3031
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Loc: Nova Scotia,Canada
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Re: Making friends with sheep
[re: Boondox]
09/16/03 01:24 AM
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Supposedly Sheep shearers have very soft well maintained hands from the lanolin.
Egon
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Fawteen
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Reged: 12/21/02
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Posts: 165
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Loc: Maine
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Re: Making friends with sheep
[re: EJB]
09/16/03 05:49 AM
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Something to block the wind is all most sheep need.
I was warned that closing up my Shetlands in the winter could actually lead to pneumonia. They stay out unless it's truly evil outside, and even then most times they'll lay on the lee side of the building rather than go inside.
Many's the time I've gone down to do morning chores and thought I was short a sheep or two when a pile of snow sprouted legs and wandered over to the grain dish...
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EJB
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Silver Member
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Reged: 09/15/02
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Posts: 243
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Loc: Western, Massachusetts
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Re: Making friends with sheep
[re: Fawteen]
09/16/03 05:57 AM
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>>Many's the time I've gone down to do morning chores and thought I was short a sheep or two when a pile of snow sprouted legs and wandered over to the grain dish...
  Now that was good for a morning laugh...
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Boondox
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Gold Member
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Reged: 09/11/02
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Posts: 326
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Loc: Northern Vermont
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Re: Making friends with sheep
[re: EJB]
09/16/03 10:29 AM
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We just have a three-sided structure on skids (portable structures are not taxable here) with a sloped roof nestled in the trees. The hay feeder and salt bin are inside, as is the water. But they only use it to eat. It was raining last night, and the little girls were laying outside soaking it all up.
Pete
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