Is it normal for male ram sheep to violently headbutt the walls?

[soarwitheagles]

Hi!

We recently built a new sheep house. I attached plywood for the walls, with some 1.5" x 3" studs. Everything was fine for several weeks and then...

About one week ago, we began to be woken up nearly every night with super loud banging noises. Security video footage revealed the culprit...our American Blackbelly ram was violently smashing his head into the wall of the sheep pen.

After 2-3 days of this non-sense, he managed to smash the plywood right off the studs...man, not cool at all!

I have some questions...

1. Is this normal?
2. Why does he do it?
3. Should I expect this behavior to continue?

Last, I was planning on wrapping a 2"x6" planking all around the sheep pen at the ram's head's height.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks,

Soar

 

[promiseacres]

Yes it can be normal, some are worse about than others.
My solution is freezer camp.

 

[purplequeenvt]

I have not found destructive behavior to be "normal" ram behavior.

Is he by himself? If so, I would suspect boredom. Rams are herd animals too, just like ewes. They don't like being alone even if they are sharing a fence line or can see other sheep.

 

[soarwitheagles]

I have not found destructive behavior to be "normal" ram behavior.

Is he by himself? If so, I would suspect boredom. Rams are herd animals too, just like ewes. They don't like being alone even if they are sharing a fence line or can see other sheep.

PQ,

This ram has been with all the other ewes for the entire time. It appears as if his poor behavior is escalating because we keep seeing and hearing him headbutt the walls repeatedly, on a daily basis now. If he keeps doing it, I may install a temporary electric wire. I think that may help him amend his ways!

 

[purplequeenvt]

He could still be bored but for a different reason. His ladies are probably all bred and aren't paying any attention to him anymore.

We keep rams and ewes separate except during breeding season and we generally have a number of rams at one time. They tussle with each other instead of the buildings and fences.

 

[luvmypets]

We have a Ram who is lone when the ewes are bred and he smashes his head against the stall door. He has actually broken it once, and if the stall is not locked he can break out in a second. Its our own fault cause when he was younger we socialized him a little to much. The only temporary solution we have found to this is sraying water at him. Hopefully you can figure out something a little more permanent

 

[purplequeenvt]

We have a Ram who is lone when the ewes are bred and he smashes his head against the stall door. He has actually broken it once, and if the stall is not locked he can break out in a second. Its our own fault cause when he was younger we socialized him a little to much. The only temporary solution we have found to this is sraying water at him. Hopefully you can figure out something a little more permanent

He's lonely and bored. Spraying him with water isn't going to help a thing. It might, in fact, end up making things worse if it annoys him too much. You could think about getting a castrated friend for him.

 

[alsea1]

Both of our AB rams head butted the barn. To the point there is now holes in it.
I think it is just their nature. If there are no other rams to head butt they are going to find something to butt.
Electric wire may save your structures but then they will more than likely move on to something else. Be very careful when around him. At some point he may try head butting you. Mind did. Good luck

 

[Baymule]

That's why they call them RAMS.......or maybe the word RAM was conjured up to describe the animal, then came to mean knocking the crap out of something with his head.

 

[promiseacres]

Mine butt posts, sheds, each other.... some are worse than others... while some of it might be boredom I have to agree part of it has got to be ingrained.