What to do with a lonely sheep?

[StinkyAcres]

I currently have two ewes and a wether goat. The sheep are 12 years old and the goat is 11. The goat has done just fine after losing all four of his goat friends, but I hear sheep do not do well without another one of their kind. I'll likely end up with only one sheep eventually as we are not looking at getting more animals immediately. If anyone has experience with having a single sheep, I'd like to know how the sheep fared and what you have done to keep it happy. Is renting another animal a bad idea? Thanks.

By the way, they are pets. I would hate to get rid of any of them.

 

[cassie]

If the sheep is used to the goat, it will do fine.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Thanks, cassie. Yes, the sheep have been with the goat for over 10 years. He bothers them quite a bit, but they get along okay. Do you have personal experience with this situation?

 

[WhoDatChick]

Thanks, cassie. Yes, the sheep have been with the goat for over 10 years. He bothers them quite a bit, but they get along okay. Do you have personal experience with this situation?

I love your song!!

 

[StinkyAcres]

I love your song!!

Thanks!

 

[minou33]

We have a single sheep with two goats. She doesn't seem to be lonely. She is the lowest on the hierarchy, but is very bonded with the dominant goat who protects her from the other one. We've thought about getting another sheep if one comes available as a rescue--but it's not an emergency and may never happen.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Thanks, @minou33 ! That's good to hear.

 

[cassie]

Thanks, cassie. Yes, the sheep have been with the goat for over 10 years. He bothers them quite a bit, but they get along okay. Do you have personal experience with this situation?

Not much. A little. At one time I had both sheep and goats and they all mingled together. I can't imagine that your sheep would be upset if he had only the goat for a companion. Animals of different species can and do form close attachments with one another.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I can tell my sheep are bonded more to each other than to the goat, though. Like I said, the goat annoys the poor old ewes sometimes. I wouldn't be super surprised if the goat goes before the sheep since all of our goats have had many health issues and the sheep have been so healthy their whole lives (gotta love Katahdins!). In that case I'm not sure what I'd do. I'm trying to be prepared, so I can limit the stress on my animals.

 

[RiverOtter]

If one of the sheep goes first, the other should be fine with the goat. But, from my personal experiences, when your second-to-last aged herd animal dies, have the very last one put down the same day. They don't do well alone and are far past the point where they want to deal with some young bully that a well-meaning owner intends to be company.

On rare occasion, I've seen one dodder along just fine, but far, far more often I've seen them fret and suffer and twice I've known when someone got a new youngster anyway and the old timer got killed.

I'm sorry, I know that's not what anyone wants to hear, but better to hear it than experience it, y'know?