Ewe Called for help for another ewe

[Mike CHS]

We just had something totally unexpected happen. Our wild ewe also happens to think and acts like she is the herd boss including challenging the LGD. We can't normally hear them when they are making their normal baa sound when they want something. A few minutes ago we heard one literally baaing at the top of her sound range and it was really clear to hear. We looked out and the ewe was standing at the fence staring at the house and just bawling. We went out to see what was going on and counted heads. We were short one and got to looking around and we could see our tame ewes head sticking out from the inside of our creep feeder which had an 8" opening. I have no idea how she got her fat self through the opening but she was bawling because she could not get out. Luckily the opening is controlled by a 4" wide board that was screwed in. We still had to force her through the opening to get her out and made it an 1 1/2" narrower when we put the board back on.

Anyway, I had no idea that sheep reasoned enough to know to call for help. Pretty cool though when you think about it.

 

[CntryBoy777]

They know who to Call......and shows they look to you for Help and Safety.
Lightning is our pen "Crier" and will Alert if something is wrong in the pen trying to get our attention. It has saved Star twice now.

 

[NH homesteader]

That's really cool! I kind of didn't think sheep were that smart. One of my goats got stuck in the hay feeder and none of them told me. I guess they don't like him very much!

 

[TAH]

That is really cool!

My goats would warn me when something wasn't right but my sheep just took care of them selves.

 

[Mike CHS]

That was a first for us. We have found these guys to not support the notion that sheep aren't smart. They all let me handle them now but a couple are still a little leery of Teresa (but getting better). I think it might be that they have already figured out I'm the pushover of the house.

 

[Latestarter]

Kinda surprised that Maisey didn't light off to let you know something was amiss... Maybe they're beginning to believe that you are their shepherd

 

[Mike CHS]

Maisy wasn't far from the creep feeder and I really don't think she new anything was wrong.

 

[Calendula]

That's an awesome story. I never knew that any kind of animal would care enough (or be smart enough) to actually call for help.

Although, several years ago when I was a little kid, we were visiting my grandparents' around Thanksgiving. My dog apparently fell into their pool, but we had no idea. Their horses started freaking out and were running around the pasture and to the barn and back and bucking and just being... weird. I was sent out to see if the dog was getting in trouble and found her in the pool. She would've easily died if they hadn't panicked like that.

Animals are amazing.

 

[NH homesteader]

See horses, not surprising. Sheep, surprising. Especially because this sheep isn't particularly friendly. I think it's really cool. Maybe katahdins are smarter than other sheep. They are New Englanders, after all (sorry I couldn't help myself)

 

[Latestarter]