Question for Fellow Sheep Owners

[DuckDuckSook]

Hello friends!
I have 3 East Friesian sheep on our small homestead. Two of them are wethers and one is an ewe. They will all be 2 years old this March. Lately, one of the wethers has been very protective and possessive over the ewe. He doesn't allow the other wether to be near the feeder if the ewe is there. He chases him away if he even takes a step in her direction. I've been feeding them their hay pellets in two different locations, which helps. I'm thinking of even adding a hay bag in the shed just for my poor ostracized sheep. I feel badly for him because he's left all alone often. The other two lay near each other in the paddock and he's left by himself. I'm planning to adopt 2 fainting sheep this summer. Will that help? Will he perhaps bond and hang out with the goats? Should I think about getting another sheep instead, specifically an ewe? I don't know if it's even a big deal or not. I just feel so bad for him when I'm out there and he seems lonely and confused. They all used to get along and hang out together all the time. Any advice, suggestions, ideas, etc. are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[JaeG]

I'm just guessing but it could be that the more dominant one wasn't wethered properly. If their testicles are pushed up or haven't dropped when they are banded (if that was the method used) then they retain the hormones (and attitude) of a ram but theoretically they cannot father lambs as the testicles are kept too warm having been pushed up into their body cavity. They grow as fast as a ram so it is often done on purpose to maximise the growth of lambs that will end up on the dinner table.

How does the dominant one act towards the ewe? Does he sniff her urine when she pees, does he follow her closely, sniffing her behind, does he paw at her with a front leg?

We have a small herd of sheep but have mostly ewes with one ram and one young wether. We've only had them just over a year so are learning too.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I'm just guessing but it could be that the more dominant one wasn't wethered properly. If their testicles are pushed up or haven't dropped when they are banded (if that was the method used) then they retain the hormones (and attitude) of a ram but theoretically they cannot father lambs as the testicles are kept too warm having been pushed up into their body cavity. They grow as fast as a ram so it is often done on purpose to maximise the growth of lambs that will end up on the dinner table.

How does the dominant one act towards the ewe? Does he sniff her urine when she pees, does he follow her closely, sniffing her behind, does he paw at her with a front leg?

We have a small herd of sheep but have mostly ewes with one ram and one young wether. We've only had them just over a year so are learning too.

Thanks for your response. Yes, both of the wethers do those things - sniff the ewe urine, follow her closely, sniff her behind, etc. It isn't all the time and they both typically go back and forth doing that stuff. However, over the last few weeks, only one has been showing dominance. Of course, having said that, just this week, it has all stopped and they seem to be getting along now and including one another. They are really hot and cold with it all and I think it is dependent on the seasons and weather. When they have their annual vet visit in the spring, I'm going to ask about some tips and whether or not to add a few more ewes or goats or something. I appreciate your knowledge. It's fun learning and growing with sheep!