BEFORE YOU BUY

Owning sheep can be an amazing experience, but before you buy them, there are a few things you need to know. 

Sheep are a flock animal, so they are happiest with a friend of their own kind. They make great pets, but they are livestock so, unlike a dog, cannot live with you in your house. Consequently, they need company when they are outside at night or when you are not there during the day. We DO NOT sell single sheep, unless you already have Babydolls or Elliottdales. You will need to buy a pair or more. That doesn't mean a ewe and ram, two wethers (castrated males) make perfect pets, but you will need two. 

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Babydolls are smaller than your average sheep, but they still have good appetites, so an average backyard will not be enough room. They cannot live in the garden, as they will eat any small plants, and many garden plants are toxic to sheep. They will need a fenced off paddock, preferably two, so you can rotate the areas, grazing one and resting one. If you are breeding the sheep, you will need more paddocks to house the ewes and rams separately. We would suggest, at least an acre of land with shelter (trees) just for the sheep. Fencing will need to be adequate to keep the sheep in and any roaming dogs out, as the consequence of a dog attack can be horrific.

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Before you can buy any sheep you will need a Property Identification Code (PIC), as it is illegal to sell sheep to anyone who does not have a PIC. They are free in Victoria and you can apply online at the Department of Agriculture. Depending on your Council and the size of your land and zoning, you may also require Council permission to keep livestock. Here is the link for a PIC:

https://pic.agriculture.vic.gov.au/

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Babydolls are a perfect first sheep as they are small and relatively easy to handle, but as a new owner you owe it to them to learn a little about sheep before you become their new family. Our sheep come with an Information Pack, but there is a plethora of information online about keeping sheep, so it is a really good idea to do some reading and find out more about sheep husbandry. We are always happy to answer any questions.

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Our lambs are trained to come to a bucket when they leave us and they will take treats from our hands. Sheep are not like dogs, they are a prey animal, so naturally wary until they get to know you. Eating from my hand is not the same as eating from the new owner's hand, so they will need a little time to get to know and trust you. With food and treats, this does not take long at all. 

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**PLEASE NOTE**

We DO NOT sell Poddies (bottle lambs) to anyone we don't know well. The best mother for a lamb is its natural mother and we will not take a lamb away from its Mum for someone to bottle feed. Poddies are gorgeous, but they are a LOT of work and their lives are tenuous and often fraught with problems. If we have any orphans they are raised by us, as we have the equipment on hand and the skills to hopefully get them through. They are available for adoption at weaning time, along with the others. Babydolls, in particular are friendly enough that you don't need to bottle feed them for them to enjoy your company and follow you around. You just need to spend time with them.

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