Here's what I still keep in the barn, what I eventually threw away, and what I wish someone had told me NOT to buy until I actually needed it.
Have you ever made a rash decision like purchasing four sheep without actually having raised a single farm animal in your life?
I have.
Before we bought our homestead, I had zero farming experience. But I had this vision of coming home to a field full of cute, smiling Babydoll Sheep. So, I convinced my husband to buy our first flock, and then I immediately panicked.
I had no idea how to raise sheep or what they needed. I had a barn, and that's about it.
After visiting another sheep farm, speaking with my breeder, and consulting a local vet, these were the supplies I purchased. Some turned out to be life-saving essentials, and others were a complete waste of money.
Here is the supply list I wish I had.
PS. If you're still deciding whether Babydolls are right for you, start with my complete guide to raising Babydoll Sheep.
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Buy Now (before your sheep arrive)
Heated water bucket
The first winter I hauled buckets of water from our house to the barn, smashing the top layer of ice that would form in the sheep's water and adding fresh hot water. This got old really fast. If you live in a cold climate, definitely purchase one of these.
Hay feeder
If you don't want to waste money on hay, a simple hay rack or fence-hanging hay feeder like this one is a good investment. If you throw hay on the ground, the sheep will soil it with their pee and poo. You don't have to buy a fancy feeder; you can simply make one out of wood like the one in the image above.
*Here's exactly what and how much we feed our Babydolls throughout the year.
Sheep-specific loose mineral and wall-mounted mineral feeder
I started with a bowl of minerals on the barn floor, assuming sheep were capable of licking their minerals without standing in them and knocking them over. I was wrong. It's best to screw a sturdy holder like this one to the wall. Also, sheep are much more susceptible to copper toxicity than many other livestock, so don't use cattle or goat minerals. Instead, choose a mineral like this one, which is formulated specifically for sheep.
Fencing
Babydolls require good fences. Unlike goats, sheep aren't escape artists, but you'll still need a solid perimeter fence to keep hungry predators (who would love a lamb chop supper) out.
We use a 5-strand electric fence, and I'd also recommend four-foot, 4"x4" page wire fencing with two strands of electric wire on top. In addition to the perimeter fence, we use simple portable electric mesh fences like this one to move the sheep around our pasture. Keep in mind that electric netting needs a suitable energizer (usually sold separately) and has to stay properly energized to work safely.
Hoof trimmers
Yes, you're going to have to trim your sheep's nails. Hooves grow at different rates depending on the individual sheep, diet, soil, moisture, and housing. Ours generally need trimming once or twice a year. It's best to check hooves regularly and trim when needed. With a good pair of hoof trimmers such as these, you can trim the hoof to match the level of the foot pad, which prevents mud and manure from accumulating in any pockets.
Bloat medication
I'll never forget finding one of my sheep lying alone in the middle of the field, painfully bloated. Our neighbour had to help us carry her back to the barn, where I nursed her back to health with bloat medication and a little molasses in water to encourage her to drink fluids. Thankfully, she recovered.
Bloat can be deadly. Gas builds up in the sheep's rumen (stomach), which blows up like a balloon. As you can imagine, it's painful and extremely uncomfortable. Bloat can happen for many reasons, including accidentally escaping and gorging on grains, grazing in lush or high-legume pastures (clover and alfalfa are classic frothy-bloat risks), or switching too quickly from dry hay to fresh grass or vice versa. That's why I keep the bloat treatment recommended by our vet in the barn at all times. If you suspect bloat, call your vet. Severe cases can become emergencies quickly.
Spray-on wound care
Like my children, my sheep are always trying to hurt themselves, whether that's sniffing a porcupine, getting trapped in a fence (grass is always greener on the other side), or trying to plough or jump their way through and over fences when spooked. So we always keep a spray-on wound treatment on hand for minor cuts and scrapes. We've used products like Red Kote, but I'd ask your vet which wound treatment they recommend.
Basic thermometer
If anything happens to your sheep and you call the vet, one of the first questions they'll ask is: what's their temperature? It's always good to have one on hand if one of your flock falls ill.
Note: I already had a barn when I bought my first sheep. If you don't, a dry, sheltered area comes before everything on this list.
Buy Later (if you need them)
There's also a middle category: stuff you don't need on day one, but might eventually.
Ear-tagging supplies
Your sheep should arrive with ear tags, so you won't have to worry about buying tagging supplies unless you plan on breeding. When lambing season arrives, you'll want the proper tags and an ear tagger.
*If you plan to breed, wait until you know which approved tag system you'll use before buying a tagger. In Canada, we use approved RFID sheep tags, and the applicator has to match the brand.
Rubber bands (Elastrator) for tail docking
Your babydoll sheep's tails will likely be docked when they arrive on your farm, so you only need tail docking equipment if you plan on breeding.
We dock our lambs' tails because we've decided the benefits outweigh the risks. Babydoll sheep's tails are long, and if left undocked, they can become encrusted with poop, creating the perfect environment for a blowfly infestation. Left untreated, this can lead to toxemia or septicemia and death. So we dock our lambs' tails within about the first week: we place a rubber band around the tail to cut off circulation, and the tail falls off in about two weeks.
Lamb bottle
I bought a lamb bottle before I had a lamb. Years later, I still haven't needed it. If you end up with a bottle lamb, you'll need one, but it's not something you need before bringing home your first flock.
Powdered lamb milk replacer
Along with my bottle, I bought a bag of powdered lamb milk replacer "just in case." My imaginary bottle lamb never materialized, and eventually the milk replacer expired and went in the garbage. If you're not lambing yet, skip it.
Syringes and needles
When your vet prescribes an injectable medication, they'll normally make sure you have the appropriate supplies and instructions.
Don't Buy
An endless stock of medications
I bought a lot of just-in-case medications from the vet, but in the end, they all expired, and I ended up throwing them out. In most cases, if something went wrong, I called the vet anyway. The only medications I'd really keep on hand are bloat medication and spray-on wound care.
A large stockpile of dewormer
Vets usually recommend deworming based on fecal testing now, not routine dosing, so buying a big supply "just in case" can go to waste.
Fancy/decorative sheep halters or leashes
These may be cute for Instagram, but I've never felt the urge to lead my sheep around.
Coats or sweaters for sheep
We've never needed coats or sweaters for our healthy adult Babydolls. They have access to shelter, and because we shear in late spring, they've always had enough wool going into our cold New Brunswick winters.
Shearing equipment
I dreamed of shearing my own sheep before I saw how it was actually done. First, you have to catch the sheep and sit it on its rump, then carefully shear away perfect ribbons of wool while keeping this 70 lb animal still without nicking its skin. It's much more physically demanding than you might think, and if you're planning to turn the fleece into yarn, it takes real skill to remove the wool correctly.
The Bottom Line
There's no way around the learning curve when you go from zero livestock experience to a barn full of sheep almost overnight. You're going to make a few expensive guesses. But if you focus on the essentials and hold off on the rest until you actually need them, you'll save yourself a drawer full of expired "just in case" purchases.
Our Experiences and Lessons Learned
Being a shepherdess and raising Babydoll Sheep on our hobby farm for almost 10 years has had its joys and challenges. Here are some of the lessons we've learned.
If you have any other questions about the breed, please reach out. I would be happy to answer them.
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