Should I separate my Ram from the ewes

[Jenny62]

Hello everyone, just joined today. I am excited to get adivice from the pros. I have a hobby farm and wanted to experience raising lambs. My concern is that when I feed grain to supplement the diet of my (hoping) pregnant ewes the Ram continues to push the ewes out of the way and hogs all the nutrition the ewes need for the winter months. THe force the Ram uses to move ewes away from grain is extreme and concerns me. I have seen him ram his head so hard in the side of the ewe that she would fall to her knees and I wonder if this could cause a deformed or aborted preganancy? If I separate him from the three ewes can it be by way of a fence or should I move him to another pasture, say like with the horses? I have 40 fenced acres but most of the fencing is sutiable for horses.
Thanks
Jenny

 

[luvmypets]

If your ram is being that aggressive than I would definitely remove him. He could seriously hurt the ewes/unborn lambs. Also the ewes need a to be able to feed their lambs. Here is what we did during the lambing season.

We moved our ram to his own stall off breeding season. Then we introduce him back during fall.

 

[AriesX]

We left two rams in with 14 ewes during lambing last year and would not do it again. It makes lambing difficult as the rams can be aggressive toward the new lambs as well as people trying to care for them. I'm not sure if I'd worry about the pregnancy but definitely during and after lambing.

This year, we separated all the rams (about 5) in their own pasture next to the ewes but they seemed to have figured out how to fly as they are in with the ewes now. Gonna have to do something about the fence before they start lambing in March.

 

[luvmypets]

@AriesX
Be careful as a small ram to a pregnant ewe can very much hurt the baby.

@Jenny62 I forgot to add that the rams can crush lambs or as aries said get aggressive towards them.

 

[AriesX]

Thanks for the tip. Our rams are not aggressive toward the ewes that I've seen but I'd still prefer they were separated. We just haven't fixed our fence situation yet.

 

[SheepGirl]

I have an aggressive ram penned away from my ewes... as soon as breeding was done he moved out. I have a ram lamb in with the 9 bred ewes and when my ewes start getting grain here in the next week or two I will be penning him up just during feeding time. Hes very docile, I can go in with him, and he doesnt pitch a fit with the ewes during feeding.

Once lambs come, im not sure where hes going. I dont usually trust any ram near newborn lambs. Hopefully the other ram will be in my friends freezer by then...

 

[Jenny62]

Thanks for all these tips and experiences. The Ram isn't aggressive unless there is grain poured in the feeder, which I only give three times a week to give the ewes added nutrition. I can move him, but he will be all alone (maybe that sounds silly, I don't know); there is about 100 feet of distance from where the ewes are kept and an empty fenced pasture. Last year one ewe did lamb and I separated her and the lamb for about a week and there were no problems when rejoined to the herd.

 

[Fireflyfarms]

I left my ram in but separated my ewes for a few days, he was fine but i really think this depends on so many variables... you know your sheep best and what your comfortable with.

THE biggest problem IME with rams present in the field with ewes frankly, is there what are you doing to her? in other words there rather overbearing attitude which can affect the ability to care for the young and mamas.

 

[SheepGirl]

Just an update: The ram lamb (well he's turned a year old 1.5 weeks ago, lol) I mentioned earlier was never moved out of the field with the bred ewes. Had a ewe lamb three days ago, and he doesn't bother the lambs. The lambs' father (the one in the pen) tries to attack them through the fence. The one I raised he's so gentle, he will sniff them and walk away. He didn't even mess with the ewe after lambing. The sire for this year's lambs is waiting on a call back to see when his last day will be. I got paid for him, now just waiting on the butcher to call me back to see when a good time is going to be for him.

 

[BrownSheep]

It's all based on your rams.
My 3 ( formerly 5) stay in with my ewes. There is a little headbutting during meal time but nothing more than what the ewes do to one another.
We do move new borns out but that has more to with them and their mommas getting time and space to be alone together. Our rams actually are great with lambs. I've seen babies on multiple ocassions try to nurse of the rams. Their faces are hilarious when that happens. They usually just try to idle away.