# Babydoll sheep.



## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

I was wondering if anyone has experience with these and if they might fit my situation. What attracts me to them is supposedly they do not strip trees of their bark and can graze in an orchard safetly. I would be thrilled f that was the case since my orchard is already fenced from the deer. I have read conflicting reports on this though so say their did eat the bark. I know they will trim the branches and leaves as high as they can reach. I also like the small size. I would be raising them by myself for now and just think they would be easier to handle. I am also looking for a breed that is marketable and I might be able to make a small profiit off of. If they can alteast pay for themselves that would be good enough for me. The few people nearest to me, which are 300 miles away, have weathers starting at $500 and a waiting list for lambs. I can't see how you would not make a little money marketing them to pet homes at that price. I realize its a pet fad that could end, but you can still eat mini sheep too. There is not a high meat market around here though. So my dilema is should I send a deposit and get on the wanting list for two ewe lambs and a ram or does it all should too good to be true. 

My other option is, raise geese in the orchard, butcher them in the fall, sound like a lot less work, but I would like some pet sheep.


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## minnikin1 (Feb 3, 2003)

I don't know a lot about them, but I like them, they're cute. You should get some.


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## RandB (Aug 13, 2002)

We haven't had Babydoll sheep, but from my understanding they are just like other sheep, only a dwarf variety. All sheep will chew on bark sometimes, in our experience. Perhaps because they are small, they wouldn't reach as high, but my guess is they still might do it. Our rams chewed the bark off one particular tree in the field, but other trees don't get touched, for some reason. Could you put some wire cages around your trees to keep the sheep off them? They seem to chew bark more in the winter, probably from boredom. Maybe wait until spring, then get just a couple sheep when the grass is getting overgrown, to try it out. Perhaps have an alternative pasture to rotate them to. If there is enough tall grass around the trees, they will probably leave them alone. And if they bother the trees, you will have someplace else to put them. Of course it is entirely up to you, but I wouldn't pay that kind of money or go on a waiting list for sheep. If you want small sheep, go for Cheviots if you like white sheep, or Shetlands if you like colors. Hope things work out - sheep do an excellent job of keeping down unwanted grass - we turn ours into areas that we don't want to mow, especially with the price of gas now! They even ate down some poison ivy,honeysuckle and rugosa rose, as a bonus!


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

500.00 is pretty steep for a sheep that doesn't reproduce. You might try going with some lambs of a medium to small breed. If you get crossbreeds for market price, then just take them to the sale barn when you're done for the season. If they start eating bark , then take them sooner. Shetlands are small, and very cute, not sure how good they are about not eating bark though.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

We have Southdown/Babydoll crosses. From what I know, Babydolls are what Southdowns were originally before people started trying to breed them to be larger. We used to have Suffolks to but the Southdowns and the BD crosses are MUCH easier to handle and much hardier and better at foraging. Our feed bill went way down. The meat is excellent too.
The Suffolks were pretty bad about eating tree bark and killed several. I haven;t noticed it with the small sheep...but they are pretty much free-range so I might not notice it.


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

how about hair sheep?? No shearing wool every year, plus they gain wieght very fast! Our ram at 1 year was...250 pounds!! Thats huge! and we seen him this summer and he was way over 300 pounds!! So thick and solid! They are very easy to handle as long as they are cared for. Ours never ate any trees or bark.


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## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

Thank you RandB, you said it best "Shetlands"

OK, I admit this is another pitch of mine to sell my Shetland flock. Jason make sure you check out my Must Sell Sheep! thread. If you pick them up by Thanksgiving, I could go lower on the price.

Seriously, babydolls are a fad. Shetlands are not. 

I am not going to take the time to tell you all about Shetlands, but you really should look into to them. Small animals, good wool, big enough to get some meat off of them, and best part is they are very easy to keep. My ewes never have need help during lambing.


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## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

Jason- I raise Shetlands, Jacobs, Romneys and an assortment of other breeds. If you are looking for sheep for a pet- and you want to possibly market them - then I would go with Shetlands. They have a great personality, wonderful fleece & colors, and are very hardy. Their size makes them manageable by one person. They don't need the coddling that some other breeds do. Mine slept outside in the snow this past winter- by their choice. They need basic shelter from severe weather- but don't need anything beyond that. They are fairly disease resistant- as with any sheep you need to watch parasites.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

This is one of our Babydoll crosses, Polly and her brand new ewe lamb, Cottontop early last spring.


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## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

Jason, I have five (5) ewes and one (1) ram for for you to try. You can see them at http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M9659 . You were looking at $500 for one (2) wether to be a pet. For twice that price you can have a nice starter flock of small purebreed Shetland sheep. Give me a call at (608) 212-0258

Chris


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

Thanks for the advice and information everyone. It gives me a lot to think about. I have looked at shetlands and strongly considered them too. I do like the clean face and the colors they come it, plus the price is alot nicer. Unfortanetly, I do not have a pasture fenced in for them this year and do not see how I could get one done in time before the ground freezes up. I still have a small stretch of fence to finish on my orchard. Another problem this time of year would be finding hay. I like to think things out and plan ahead for the future and am looking at next spring. I would just feel to rushed to get a flock right now. I want to learn as much as possible before I make the commitment/decision to buy sheep. Out of curiosity do sheep climb at all? like a goat would? I could fence around the trunk of my fruit trees and I think they would be safe if the do not get up on their kind legs like a goat. Heck the goats climbed INTO my trees! They would not be fenced in there permantly but it would be good grazing for them.


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

On our farm there are a select few that will climb. Whether it be to reach tree limbs, climb up on fence to yell for attention if I don't get to them quick enough, or to play king of the mountain on a pile of gravel or a bale of hay.


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## minnikin1 (Feb 3, 2003)

I like shetlands, but I can't imagine them being a good choice in an orchard?

Some breeds are more inclined to browse - and it seems those would be the breeds you would want to avoid - aren't shetlands in that group?

Also, I'm curious -why cant babydolls breed?


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Lisa is correct on the Babydolls. I bred them for awhile.
They are the original sized southdowns. The Southdowns where super sized for the American market and the original sized ones all but forgotten. Original sized ones are now called Babydolls.  

Also had an Orchard at the old farm and I will tell you, even when fed well, Babydolls will eat the bark off your fruit trees.
If you want grazers for an Orchard...get Geese. Geese will eat the grass and weeds but not your trees.

Babydolls are also..what I would call fragile breeders. They need a lot more care than say... Brecknock Hill, Blk Welsh mountain and Soay sheep.
The other reason I stopped breeding the Babydoll's.. is I could not find a Ram in my area with the requirements I had for any breed of Ram. They were all way too agressive. So I sold my breeding stock of Babydoll ewes...and just kept on with my Brecknock Hills.

Some breeds of sheep can climb just like a goat if they wanted. Blk Welsh Mountain and Soay to name a couple.

Good luck in your search.


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

Whether's don't reproduce. 
Most of my sheep will stand on their hind legs to reach leaves.


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## minnikin1 (Feb 3, 2003)

wendle said:


> Whether's don't reproduce.
> Most of my sheep will stand on their hind legs to reach leaves.


Oops, missed that part!


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

lol I thought so


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## RandB (Aug 13, 2002)

Jason, you are wise to go into this slowly, (although it doesn't help out FreeRanger  ) definitely have your fences up and a shelter ready before getting your sheep! If you just want them for grazing and don't need to breed them, just get some ewe lambs next spring. The ewes of any breed will always be smaller and lighter than the rams. If you use wire field fencing as we did, you won't have much trouble with climbing. The only fence problems we have had is with them pushing against the wire fence, either when they want to "itch" against it, or trying to stick their head through the holes to eat from the other side. A sheep might occasionally put their front feet up a ways and stand on the fence, but have never had one go over the way a goat can.
Free Ranger, good luck with selling your flock - we had to sell some of ours this year, it was very nerve-wracking - we didn't want to send them to auction, either. Finally things worked out and a buyer came along - hope the same happens for you!


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## FreeRanger (Jul 20, 2005)

I can wait it out (until he's ready  ) 

My Shetlands don't eat the bark of a small Willow tree, they do eat small young elderberry bushes but not the big elderberry bushes.

I think bergere is right, all sheep eat bark off smooth bark trees and not so much off the ruff bark trees.

Did I mention Shetlands are great mothers at lambing time? :dance:


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## luvfarmin04 (Sep 28, 2006)

I have a small herd of babydolls. 2 rams and 6 ewes. I have had no problems with them at all. Last year was my first breeding season and they lambed wonderfully. $500.00 for a wether seems very steep. I would look around more. This last breeding season it seemed that everyone had an abundance of ram lambs and were practically giving them away. My rams are not aggressive in the least. As far as eating trees I wish I could tell you but I have no trees!!!


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## ShortSheep (Aug 8, 2004)

Hi Jason,

I raised registered babydolls for 3 1/2 years, and ended up selling them and keeping the shetlands. I've got some strong feelings, so bear with me.  The sheep themselves were okay. The lambs are cute, and there is a fad market for them due to clever marketing (for the time being). They are a small meat sheep. They would make a nice meat sheep for a small acreage. I'm a handspinner, and found the fleece to be too short-stapled and coarse to be useful. The heavy lanolin made them difficult to keep clean. I did find them to be docile. 
They will eat the bark off your trees. They will behave in every way like every other breed of sheep, including rams that will try and knock you on your bootie. 
My experiences with them: They eat more than the primative breeds. 
The lambs are more delicate and difficult to get started after birth. They chill easy, and the dame must be a little more intensively managed to get twins up and nursing. I did find the ewes to be good mothers once they were jugged and the lambs were established on the teat. They will have the same lambing troubles that any other breed can have. 
Babydolls are very thick boned and heavy. The ewes weighed more than my mature shetland rams. Tipping them for hoof trimming was back breaking. 
Do not pay $500 for a wether. Please, just don't. Good for the breeder trying to turn a profit, but be mindful that the doll is nothing more than a cute, small meat sheep with a cute name. 
I am disgusted by some of the doll breeders selling 10 year old ewes for $600, but...that is their right. I don't care how "hot" a breed these sheep are, that is just taking advantage of people and trying to wring a few more bucks out of an old gal who deserves retirement. 
BEWARE that a lot of people selling dolls are new to livestock, and they are eager to make back some of that investment. There is a serious lack of culling with SOME breeders (certainly not all) due to lack of education in conformation. I had one woman call me because she had purchased a $500 registered ram lamb from somebody (not me), and she was puzzled that he couldn't eat without his food running out of his mouth. I told her to check his bite, and advised her of what to look for. She called me back furious that the ram had a severe parrotmouth, and wondered if this was typical of babydoll breeders? 
QUIZ the breeder, and don't buy sight unseen over the internet. Do not let a breeder pressure you to buy a newborn until that animal can be properly evaluated for breeding potential. You will hear a lot of "I've got a lot of other people waiting..." Let them go ahead and sell, and let that other person risk buying a poor quality sheep for $600. 
A lot of breeders register and sell everything that hits the ground, so there is a lot of high priced junk out there. Many breeders think that eating a pwecious, cwute widdle babydoll is just horrible. 
I'm not thrilled with the main registry, and that is why I sold my flock. There is a new, North American registry (NASSBAR) that is membership based that I encourage breeders to support if they are going to get into dolls. 
I can recommend an excellent breeder: If you are committed to getting dolls, I recommend Jessica Dibert of Windwood Acres in Michigan. I've met Jessica and purchased from her. She has the top flock in the Midwest, is a true student of her breed of choice, won't play games with you, and she is as honest as the day is long. 

If you have an open mind towards other sheep breeds, I second and third the other posters, Shetlands rock the house. There are some breeders of Polled Shetlands out there if you don't want to deal with the horns.


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