Michelle sent me this photo of Fozzie and Zeus when they were younger

We got two Old English Southdown Sheep aka “Babydoll Sheep” in spring of 2011 from Michelle Hill (Hillbunker Farm) , and one ewe lamb from Patricia Chambers (Animal Instincts Farm).  In Spring 2012 we’ll be adding a ram, (also from Hillbunker).  This gives us a single breeding pair, in the comfort of a (small) herd.

This is a very old breed that was raised for hundreds of years in southern England.  It was believed to be extinct in its original form, until the 1990′s, when a few herds were located and enthusiasts worked to re-establish them.

At only 18-24 inches tall when an adult, the Babydoll is thought of as a miniature sheep.  This is not exactly true as it implies that they were miniturised from a larger breed. In fact, it went the other way around! This little sheep was originally known as the Southdown, as it originated in the South Down (hills) of Sussex, England.   Besides providing high quality wool, one sheep provided just enough meat for a family to consume, and perhaps, sell some of.

When refrigeration (and thus, long term storage of meat) became common, larger carcasses were desired; the little sheep were crossed with larger ones from New Zealand creating a bigger breed. This larger breed is still called the Southdown, but it no longer resembles its compact ancestors; it is also bred as a meat breed instead of a dual-purpose breed, as its ancestors were.

When small flocks of the original, small version of the breed were identified, registered and promoted in the early 1990′s, their breed name was changed to “Olde English Babydoll Miniature Sheep” to differentiate them. Some also call them “The Original South Downs”, and of course, just “Babydoll” has become a well known name that helped market them as pets and livestock for Hobby Farms.

Learn more about their history at mylittlesheep.com

Why Babydolls?

Babydolls are small. This is Zeus, one of our full grown wethers, beside a standard sized Isa Brown hen

• Size. Adults are 18″ to 24″ at the shoulder, making then easier to handle than many other farm animals. They are easier for children (and good 4-H projects).  They are well suited to small hobby and urban farms since they need less space than larger breeds.
• Lawnmowers. They keep the grass tidy, whether that is for the suburban yard, a vineyard or orchard.  They are much less destructive (to shrubs, trees, structures) than goats are.  As they mow the grass, they also spread tiny pellets of fertiliser that will blend right into the soil (unlike other livestock which may leave unsightly “patties” or burn spots).
• Temperament. They are naturally curious, intelligent, and interactive.  They have a strong flocking instinct, so they tend not to wander.   Lead one sheep to where you want them, and the other(s) will follow along.  Their flocking instinct gives people the impression that they are a bit dim, but as prey animals, it is the best survival mechanism they have.  There have long been stories of their remarkable memories and problem solving abilities.   In recent years, they’ve been scientifically tested, demonstrating that they are excellent at recognising animal and human faces, have great memories, are quick learners, and can navigate mazes well.
• Hardiness. as a heritage breed, they are less prone to the problems that tend to plague modern breeds, such as intestinal parasites and foot rot.  They are good foragers, and the ewes are good mothers  (as with any animal, they can still get injured and ill, of course).
• Polled. They are naturally polled (hornless).
• Wool. Springy, soft and bouncy, yet very strong, Babydoll wool is in high demand with crafters and handspinners.  It is short (about 2 inches), its micron count classes it with cashmere, and it has a higher barb count than most other wools,  making it ideal for blending with angora (rabbit or goat).  It can be needle-felted, but otherwise its ability to felt is low.
• Meat. While many babydoll owners keep them strictly as pets, or for wool, some do raise them for meat.  If you want a small, dual purpose sheep, this is the one to get.  Most other miniature breeds have a greater focus on wool, and do not have the high quality carcass that the Babydoll has.

Links of Interest:

• North American Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association and Registry (NABSSAR)

• Sheep Care
  • How to trim Hooves by Greener Pastures Farm
  • How to Halter Train Sheep.  from NABSSAR.
  • Sheep Home Study Course from Penn State Cooperative Extension; free online lessons.
• Wool Links:
  • The Characteristics of Wool Fiber: How a Wool Fleece Is Spun Into Yarn. Aug 4, 2009 Emily Chauviere
  • How to Wash a Wool Fleece. May 9, 2010 Sarah Gibbon
  • Scouring Your Own Wool. PDF From the American Sheep Industry Association
  • Prepare Fleece With Carders: an Essential Part of the Fiber Preperation Process. Oct 1, 2008 Kate Pullen
  • Why Sheep Do Not Shrink When it Rains and Answers to Other Questions About Wool. PDF From the American Sheep Industry Association
    
• Intelligence:
  • Crafty sheep conquer cattle grids:  Hungry sheep on the Yorkshire moors have taught themselves to roll 8ft (3m) across hoof-proof metal cattle grids – and raid villagers’ valley gardens.
  • Sheep are far smarter than previously thought. By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent at The Telegraph.  7:15AM GMT 20 Feb 2011
  • Animal intelligence: sheep are raising the baa. Georgina Robinson. February 11, 2011
  • Zoologger: The sharpest mind in the farmyard
  • Do sheep (Ovis aries) categorize plant species according to botanical family? Cécile Ginane and Bertrand Dumont. Animal Cognition, Volume 14, Number 3, 369-376
• Other
  • The Traditional Way of Counting Sheep.
  • Te deu wid sheep (More on counting sheep)

Adult Babydoll Southdown Sheep are 17″ to 24″ at the shoulder.  This makes them much easier to handle than many other farm animals.  Their small size is less intimidating for children and they make ideal 4-H projects.  To keep them enclosed, fencing does not need to be high.  In fact, we use “hog panels” often for temporary fencing, which we can step over.  Since Babydolls do not challenge fencing as much as most sheep, your fencing concern will primarily be protection from predators–dogs, coyotes, etc.  Predator-proof fencing is necessary when they are not being monitored.

The recent trend in agriculture toward smaller acreages gives the Babydolls an important place in the new rural lifestyle.  They are fuel-efficient lawn mowers and will keep enclosed areas looking tidy, including your “edgings”.  For suburban properties, they make charming “living lawn ornaments”.  For farmers utilizing a multi-species rotational grazing scheme, they work well.  Temperament: Babydolls are sweet.  They are peaceful, curious, intelligent, and like to interact with each other and “their people”.  Being an animal that is Prey rather than Predator, they are apprehensive about new situations and new people–it is part of their protection.  With time and patience, they become more trusting.  Hand feeding is a good way to build a relationship faster.  Just spending time with them will also do wonders.  When they are comfortable turning their backs to you and spend some time ignoring you, you’ll know trust is being built.  Soon, there will be no doubt about who their “favorite” person or people are!  Babydolls like routine, so with forethought that can be used to your advantage in caring for them.  Each individual is unique, and you will learn their various personalities.  If you want a couple of Babydolls as pets, it will be easier if they have been socialized quite a bit to people while they were young.  This happens with bottle-fed babies, but also with lambs raised by their mothers when the shepherd makes an effort to spend a lot of time around the lambs.  Babydolls are a flock animal, so it is NOT a good idea to ever single one out.  Even when we had only one ram, he was kept with a wether (neutered ram)  for company if he was separated from the ewes.  If your purpose is other than breeding, two wethers make good pets and are generally less expensive.  Since the male lambs tend to be more confident, they can become very friendly with only minimal encouragement.  It won’t take long for them to come running (bouncing) to you as fast as their little legs will carry them, calling the whole way, when they see you.  They are wonderful easy-going companions for people, but remember that they also need companions in each other.

Hardiness: Despite their cuteness and smallness, Babydolls are hardy.  They are one of the ancient breeds which means they are not as prone to many of the problems associated with modern breeds.  They are resistant to foot rot and intestinal parasites.  They are good at foraging and do well on small amounts of good quality hay.  The ewes often have twins and generally lamb without difficulty.

They have a strong flocking instinct, so tend to not wander.  Their life span is around 15 to 16 years.  Although they are short, they are actually quite stout.  They will impress you with their strength if you ever need to work on one before it has learned to trust you!  Or…at least, I was impressed.  Babydolls have only two aggressive moves.  One, is to butt another with its head (they are naturally polled, which means they do not have horns).  You will occasionally see this when they both want to eat the same food.  The other move is to stomp a front foot.  This is always in response to perceived danger–strange dog, etc.  It always strikes me as funny, since they are truly so defenseless–but I’ve seen lone dogs back off several times, so it must make them think twice.  (Dogs are the most common predator of sheep, so always be mindful of how things can turn out, especially if you ever see dogs running as a pack in your area.)  Even though Babydolls are hardy, they obviously should be routinely checked and cared for to offset any potential problems early.  Productivity: Babydoll Southdown sheep are fuel-efficient mowers and edge-trimmers.  But they have another advantage over the mechanical models.  They are also a great source of organic fertilizer!  They spread small pellets over the newly trimmed grass as they go.  It drops through the blades of grass to ground level instead of the large clumps (like most animals) that usually smother and kill the vegetation they land on.  This means your lawn/field will be trimmed without unsightly “patties” or “burn spots”, and you won’t need to step carefully.  It has been written several places that Babydolls have been used with success in orchards, berry farms, and vineyards as they will not harm the fruits, girdle trunks, or harm shrubs.  In our experience, we have found there are certain plants they enjoy quite well–rose bushes are one of them.  It is my advice to watch your Babydolls closely if you are putting them in an area with other plantings until you get a feel for what they are prone to eat.  You may be surprised!  There are some plants that they prefer not to eat if good grass is available, but when that runs out, they start to work on the next best option.  As always, they are just being themselves.  It is not their fault if we don’t like what they’ve eaten in an area we have put them in.

Babydolls will be glad to give you the “coat off their back” each spring.  Their wool is one of the finest wools of all the British breeds.  It is short (typically 1.5 to 2.5 inches) and springy, soft and bouncy, with a surprisingly strong underlying disposition.  The micron count typically ranges from 24 to 29.  It has more barbs per inch than other wool types, making it an ideal blend with either angora rabbit or angora goat for spinners.  Its ability to felt is very low.

Another way Babydolls could be productive (although hardly worth mentioning here) is that they have select carcass value for the table, an attribute not shared by most other miniature breeds (which are typically wool breeds).  We do not sell our lambs for this purpose.