This might seem like an odd picture to post, but it actually tells part of Levi's story. Levi is known to fiber artists as one the most popular spinning fleeces in our flock, but he's known around here as the most dangerous sheep on the farm...but there is not a mean bone in his body.
Jacob sheep tend to be feral and flighty. They are a primitive breed and that's just part of the package. They panic and scoot away, but they aren't hard to handle once you get used to that and have a good working pen. Levi just panics and a sheep his size (275+ pounds) in a panic can easily send someone to the hospital.
He's lived here since he was weaned (2016) so I know nothing awful has ever happened to him. His mother was a friend's bottle lamb and I don't remember her being nutty. His dad is a Rocky son, so again, nothing to raise any red flags. It's just who he is...but it's maybe not who he really wants to be.
When we "work" our sheep here we bring them into the barn and then funnel them into the outside stall and then tighten them down to a 14' x 14' catch pen at the end of the stall. Once in there they are pretty tightly packed and there's not so much room for someone to try to get away. It's always much better to be able to catch your sheep quietly and calmly.
For a sheep like Levi I wait until I see him in a good spot, either in a corner or blocked in near the wall by some other large sheep. I then sidle over to him without making eye contact and try to scoop under his chin to keep his head up (even a tiny Jacob can get away from you if they can get their head down) and then gather him around the neck with my arms. Never try to catch sheep by grabbing their wool.
All Levi has ever had done to him is routine exams, vaccinations and foot trims. Shearing is done through the working chutes and pens, but again that is a time where everyone watches what they are doing. You never want to get run over by a sheep in a panic.
Once caught everything is usually okay. Sometimes he still loses his courage and tries to bolt, but I just remain calm (and hang on tight) and he calms back down and we carry on and here is why I think he doesn't really want to be "that sheep".
He's scared of me, but we actually have a good relationship and he trusts me as much as he's ever going to trust anyone. Once he settles down he always looks up at me and lets me scratch around his ears and rub his face and I can feel him relax and I can tell that he'd really like to be "that sheep". Maybe someday.
Levi might not be brave enough to come all the way up to you, but he loves to stand with the safety of a fence between you and him and he'll try to quickly grab any treats you hand out. He especially loves the chopped alfalfa :-).
3 comments:
He is the kind of sheep I would want. I love when you can work with them and see if you can get them to trust you. I always like the shy ones. I have two gsds that have taught me how hard it is to trust.
Boys will be boys:) He has such a handsome face:)
I have had a few Shetlands like that: i've known them their entire lives and they are still panic-prone. Sometimes they do come around....
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