Raising Babydoll Sheep: 8 Hard Lessons I Wish I Knew Sooner

Don't be fooled by their sweet teddy bear faces. Make no mistake. They may officially be called a "flock", but in reality, this is a gang of babydoll sheep made up of clever thieves, escape artists, and head-butting scallywags determined to make my life anything but boring.

Being a shepherdess and raising Olde English Southdown Babydoll Sheep on our hobby farm for the past 7 years has had its joys and challenges. Here are the top lessons I've learned the hard way.

Jump to:

• Lesson #1: Sheep are actually little piggies! How to prevent sheep bloat.
• Feeding guide
• Lesson #2: Start weightlifting! You need to be able to handle your sheep.
• Lesson #3: Sheep are too curious for their own good. Vaccinate your flock.
• Lesson #4: Burrs are a woolly problem
• Lesson #5: Sheep don't always get along with livestock guardian dogs
• Lesson #6: Not all sheep make excellent companion animals
• Lesson #7: You need the right type of fencing
• Lesson #8: One is the loneliest number
• Interested in raising Babydoll Sheep?
• What are Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep?

Lesson #1: Sheep are actually little piggies! How to prevent sheep bloat.

At first, those little bouncing lambs acted like they were completely innocent and sweet until...

I noticed our livestock guardian dog, a "Great Pyrenees" named Buddy, seemed to be constantly hungry. That surprised me since I was feeding him several very large bowls of food a day.

I had no idea what was going on until one day after leaving the barn, and realizing I forgot to fill up the water bucket for the sheep, I returned to the barn and caught them chowing down on Buddy's food like it was made of the tastiest morsels of grass and not chicken. Who knew sheep have secret hankerings for chicken?

Apparently, this is not uncommon. Sheep sometimes escape and get into other animals' feed, according to my vet who recommended I always have a bottle of Anti Gaz Emulsion on hand in case of such emergencies. You do not want your herd to bloat and die. Sheep bloat can be a fatal condition.

Hara, Hanley, Hunter, and Henley, as my woolly friends have been named, thought they were so smart to wait patiently until I had left the barn before stuffing their faces in Buddy's bowl. And Buddy just let them because he wasn't going to mess with those gangsters. In fact, it looks like the sheep may be guarding him. Yes, they are little "guard sheep".

Of course, the sheep were not happy about losing their daily chicken treats. So they decided to show their outrage by staging an escape (see the next lesson).

Beginner Tip: Always have a bottle of Anti Gaz Emulsion on hand in case of such emergencies. Apparently, I am not the only one who owns sheep who are actually little piggies. You do not want your herd to bloat and die. Sheep bloat can be a fatal condition.

Lesson #2: Start weightlifting! You need to be able to handle your sheep.

The kids came running in from playing outside yelling that the sheep were in the yard frolicking around the trampoline -- most likely trying to figure out how to bounce their woolly bums.

Unfortunately, Jérémie was conveniently at work so it was up to me and me alone to catch them. The kids thought this was the most fun they had all summer watching me chase those sheep around the yard hollering and shouting and pulling out my hair. Of course, they couldn't resist joining in the fun shouting and chasing right along with me.

I panicked when the sheep started going down the driveway. You should have seen me run. I sprinted down in front of them like I had been training for the 100-yard dash my entire life. The kids brought up the sides and we were able to corner them between the garage, the fence (the one they were supposed to be inside), and the car.

There was only one problem. Babydoll lambs weigh approximately 60 lbs each. And I had to carry them all about 100 yards to the barn. But let's hear it for "girl power" because I did it!

There was, of course, some panicked "baaing" by the sheep and a few choice words from me but I got those woolly escape artists back where they belonged -- only to discover that my darling husband (not the kids surprisingly) had simply left the barn gate open.

From this experience, I learned you need to be able to handle your sheep. Your sheep may not escape, but you may have to trim their hooves, give them medication, or occasionally trim extra wool around their eyes. The best way to do this is to place them on their bums. As long as their hooves can't touch the ground, your sheep shouldn't try and fight you. At least not too much.

Although Babydoll Sheep are small sheep due to their short legs, I can attest that, despite their size, they are very well-built and strong.

A note on hoof trimming:

Keep an eye on your sheep's hooves. They may have to be trimmed 3 to 4 times a year. If you haven't already, it would be a good idea to order a pair of hoof trimmers.

Lesson #3: Sheep are too curious for their own good. Vaccinate your flock.

Sadly, my woolly adventures didn't end here. Another evening we went into the barn to discover Hanley had had an encounter with a porcupine. Why does a sheep, who is terrified of coming within meters of another stranger, decide to go chasing a porcupine? Well, she now knows better. She had about a dozen quills stuck in her muzzle. Each one having to be painfully removed. Thankfully, she completely recovered from the ordeal.

After this incident, I was relieved that our sheep had all been given the TASVAX® 8 vaccine, which may not be necessary, but it is cheap "insurance" against diseases that commonly affect sheep and lambs such as tetanus (and porcupine quills!).

Beginner Tip:  Our sheep have all been given the TASVAX^® 8 vaccine, which may not be necessary, but it is cheap "insurance" against diseases that commonly affect sheep and lambs including tetanus (see example above).

Lesson #4: Burrs are a woolly problem

I vividly remember the day I went outside to give the sheep water and found them completely covered in burrs. Babydoll sheep are said to have one of the finest wool types of all the British breeds. It is in the 19 to 22-micron range, which means it's in the class of cashmere.

Unfortunately, burrs can become badly tangled in wool, lowering its value and making sheep difficult to handle. So, I spent hours picking them out. It is best to do this as soon as possible because the longer you wait, the more entangled the burrs become. Eventually, they can become very painful as they ensnare themselves close to your sheep's skin.

A note on Babydoll wool: One of the best uses for their wool is felting. Babydoll fleece has more barbs per inch, which makes it perfect for this hobby. I've also made our sheep's wool into the best wool dryer balls. 

Lesson #5: Sheep don't always get along with livestock guardian dogs

Sadly, our sheep felt threatened by our livestock guardian dog, Buddy, and Hunter (our most aggressive ram) began to violently "butt" him in the head. Surprisingly, our livestock guardian dog didn't fight back until Hunter went for his food. And that's when Buddy decided he had had enough and bit Hunter so hard on the head that I had to bring in the vet to stitch up the wound.

Lesson #6: Not all sheep make excellent companion animals

The Babydoll Southdown breed, in particular, have a gentle nature. However, don't believe everything you read. There are SO many posts stating that all Babydoll Sheep are outstanding pets, have a docile disposition, and are great for young children due to their small size. BUT male rams are male rams no matter what the breed of sheep. You should NEVER turn your back on a ram. You can easily be head-butted. 

However, I do agree female babydoll ewes are docile and gentle. In this case, due to their smaller and more manageable size, babydoll ewes would make great pets for families or 4-h projects.

Lesson #7: You need the right type of fencing

Sheep require good fences to keep hungry predators (who would love to have a lamb chop supper) out.  We use a 5-strand electric fence. I would also recommend a four-foot, 4" x 4" page wire fencing with 2 strands of electric wire on top. 

In addition to a perimeter fence, we use simple portable electric mesh fences like this one to move the sheep around our pasture However, when lambs are small, they can get entangled or get their head stuck in the portable electric mesh fence (because the grass is always greener on the other side). Ask me how I know!

Lesson #8: One is the loneliest number

Sheep have a strong flocking instinct and need companionship to be happy. Initially, I thought I was all set with my existing flock. However, I've come to realize that keeping a neutered ram might be beneficial.

During the breeding season, my older ewes are paired with their designated rams. On two occasions, I had a young ewe who was not yet ready for breeding, and she had to be kept separate. Going forward, I plan to invest in a neutered ram.

Conclusion

This is most likely a "to be continued" story. All I can say is - the sheep are still alive and well! This homesteading project has been stamped a success. I now judge my farming successes by my ability to keep things alive. Yes, that's the name of the homesteading game. If you can just keep yourself, your family, your animals, and your plants and trees alive, I'd consider you a farming star. You know, like a rock star or hockey star. This could be a thing, right? The great Farming Hall of Fame. Catchy, I think.

Interested in raising Babydoll Sheep?

To learn more about this miniature breed, check out my comprehensive guide on Babydoll Southdown Sheep.

We also have Babydoll lambs for sale every spring. Our adorable animals are registered with the North American Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association & Registry. If you are interested in a lamb, please message me and I'll add you to our waiting list.

What are Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep?

Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep are one of the oldest meat breeds that originated in the downlands of southern England. John Ellman recognized the potential of this heritage breed and standardized them in 1780. After World War II, these little sheep entered a dark period. With the introduction of modern-day fridges, people began demanding larger cuts of meat and these small, original Southdowns almost went extinct! Breeders started crossing these small sheep with larger breeds such as the New Zealand Southdowns to produce today's larger, leggier, commercial Southdown sheep. 

Thankfully, Robert Mock came to their rescue. He spent years searching for the original bloodlines running ads in farm papers across the United States. 

In 1990, he renamed them Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep to differentiate them from the commercial Southdown Sheep. After a successful breeding program, in 1999, the little Southdowns were returned to new homes in the south down hills of Sussex County, where they had been extinct for 50 years.