preposterousness:justslowdown:@preposterousness heard you like Soay sheep….. i won’t need this ram
preposterousness:justslowdown:@preposterousness heard you like Soay sheep….. i won’t need this ram next breeding season so if you’re anywhere near Indiana you’re welcome to buy him next year ;) such a gentle sweetheart. the ewe’s bossier n tougher than he is. i can’t recommend Soay enough as a no-maintenance “starter ungulate.” as close as you can get to wild, since they predate even the divide between hair and wool sheep. i got this pair in May, have not had to treat them for anything, worm them or trim their perfect dainty hooves. the lamb popped out healthy as can be. never even had to feed them til recently; the ewe gets some hay pellets now that she’s in milk. doubt she needs it though.and rooing wool is SO satisfying. got a pound from the ewe this spring, no clippers needed!AHHH I actually first heard of Soays from you, I think! (Back when I answered an ask about “why are you more interested goats as your first livestock instead of sheep”, and you replied “actually, check out these dope low-maintenance landrace sheep that might change your mind…”). I’ve been thinking about them again lately! I’m going to look at a house for sale on a small acreage tomorrow(!!!!), and my daydreams have been spiraling somewhat out of control, even more than usual. Did you get your flock as adults, or as lambs? What are their personalities like? Are they fairly comfortable being approached and handled? Some stuff I’ve read makes it sound like Soays can “go feral” pretty easily, in both a good way (hardy, able to thrive on little), but maybe also like they can lose tameness? I really love the sound of these guys, as well as the look of them – there’s something so ancient and rustic about them.i hope the house thing goes well!! the world needs more people to make big leaps like that. that’s a really good way to describe how they look! their attitude matches. Soay don’t behave like more domesticated breeds but that can be a good thing too. mine were basically feral when i got them, but with hay pellet treats and habituation they’re pretty tame (/often loud and demanding, lol) now. they have better predator sense than goats and most sheep… less worried about dogs or coyotes getting these guys than the others.i got the ewe and ram as an adult pair; more work to socialize them but faster gratification lmao. they used to be really flighty. now that they trust me and know i have food sometimes, i can gently pet them, or catch and restrain them. they’re Their Own Sheep though, that’s for sure. i doubt the ewe would, for example, let me help deliver a lamb. luckily lambing problems are pretty unheard of in this breed. natural selection weeded it out! same with susceptibility to parasites–i’ve had to worm my goats four times now, the Soay zero, and i’ve had them twice as long. if you want pets as well as livestock, or if you’re ready to commit to everything that goes into dairy, you want goats. friendlier and more fun personalities (sheep are tranquil. relaxing). goats are an adventure. much more involved to care for. since you mentioned fencing–depending on predator load their requirements are different. my sheep all respect visual boundaries, whereas the goats actively test fences… once my flock of sheep stayed in the pen after the goats trampled down a section of fence and left to steal all my tomatoes lmaoand… might be biased cause a year ago i dropped out and swapped an apartment view of the street.. for thisbut if you feel the pull, you’ll become a more aligned person by doing what you’re meant for. timing’s never perfect -- source link
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