# Ram with newborn lambs



## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

In the past, I always had the ram penned during Jan. lambing. Now he has been out with the ewes, who are finally getting ready to lamb.

Today I cought him trying to headbutt, the new lamb (1st one of 2012), that had barely started standing. I chased him out of the barn and closed the door.

He is barely a year old himself and has not been agressive to anyone(yet). I plan on putting him in a separatet pasture, but are rams normally OK with lambs?

I have 8 other ewes waddling around and I might not be there the next time.


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

Our rams have always stayed with the flock. They don't seem to knock the babies around anymore than other ewes but we always put new moms and lambs in jugs for 3-4 days before turning out with the flock. The lambs are pretty quick about getting out of the way. 

We have at times put ewes in a separate field if the ram bothered them too much when they were close to lambing. The ram we have now is starting to get aggresive towards us and we're probably going to put him in with the cattle because I am getting tired of constantly fending him off.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I wouldn't leave them with young babies. Rams are by nature un-predictable, and generally kinda dumber than you might expect.


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

Our rams are by far more gentle with the lambs than all the other ewes are. The ewes are always butting around any lambs not their own. Our rams sniff a little, and then just ignore.
I don't know if the difference is that I raise Katahdin and Dorpers? We've never had an aggressive Kat or Dorper ram. 
We had a Hampshire/Suffolk cross ram who would chase, butt and stomp you if he had the chance. You had to carry a weapon of some sort in the pasture as when he saw you, you were toast if you were unarmed! 
We have had these rams for 3 years and we've never had any aggression problems, toward us or lambs.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Depends on the Ram. Some Rams are great with their lambs... others need to be in their own pasture with a wether buddy or two.
Sounds like your guy, needs to be in another pasture.


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## spinandslide (Jun 6, 2008)

I agree in that I think it depends on the ram. my ram has stayed with the ewes during lambing and their subsequent re-introduction to the flock after lambing..hes been nothing but very mannerly..I even catch some of the lambs laying down with him..


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I think it partly depends on how much room they have. I would not have the ram in the same small pen. However, I have not had problems with the ram and ewes in the same pasture. That being said, after a couple of years I started separating the ewes and lambs in their own pen next to the house so that I could keep an eye on them. After a couple of days the lambs can get away from a curious ram.


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

They were all running loose.

Must not matter any more, as I came home to two more red kat lambs and the ram, elswhere, looking bored, as usual.

It might have been just a nautural reaction, since it had never seen a baby lamb, since it was one, itself.


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