Shetlands Meet the Flock

At last, our new Shetland lambs can play with the rest of the flock. After passing muster with our vet, they spent a day sharing adjacent pens in the barn with our Cormo ewe lambs (and Mistral, Georgia, Arial and Crackerjack). Everyone got to sniff each other. Then we opened up the gates and let them mingle.

It felt a little like sending children out into the school yard on the first day of school. 

Sassy and Ginger were eager to mix it up with the big sheep.

Sassy ginger shetland lambs

The Cormo ewe lambs seem to think, "Cool, more lambie friends! Check out there fancy fleeces."

The lambs were running in circles, sniffing each other. It was hard to get a decent pic. This shot gives you an idea of the size difference in two distinctly different sheep breeds. These lambs are all roughly the same age.

Lambs meet lambs

All went smoothly until Mistral (below, left) came over to inspect the new kids.

"Oh no, someone cuter than me!" Bash, bash, bash. 

My hopes for harmony went out the window. So curious that Mistral, who as a lamb was rejected by her own mother (Helena 2010) was so aggressive toward the newcomers. Good grief, what a bully. She is clearly the dominant ewe of this little flock and was making that very clear to our new arrivals.

Mistral checks out shetlands

Sassy was very curious about Crackerjack, but he seemed to be giving them the cold shoulder too.

Lambs llama

 

Crackerjack & lambs

Things settled down when I sent everyone out to the pasture. Perhaps it was my mistake for not making the introductions out in the field, rather than at the barn. I had no idea Mistral would be so territorial and such a bully. She's now fully accepted the Sheltlands. I saw them napping in front of the barn fans early this afternoon. No more angst. Everyone is now playing nicely (both out in the field and in the barn). 

  Shetland lambs on pasture