How To Avoid Buying Sick Sheep, I Learned The Hard Way

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I thought getting local genetics was the missing key to my flock's long-term health. I was desperate. The only problem is that nobody makes good decisions when then are desperate. My new sheep ended in disaster.
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The three sheep that I bought came to me with a cough, and I thought they would get over it naturally. Well, after two visits from the vet, they are still coughing and my ram is dead. Truthfully, I don't know for sure if the sheep I bought got my ram sick and killed him. It could be unrelated, but it's impossible to tell now.
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ABOUT THE HIGH MOUNTAIN HOMESTEAD
Hi! I'm PJ, and my family loves the homesteading life! It's something my wife and I have always wanted to do, but we grew up with ZERO HOMESTEADING EXPERIENCE!!!!!
We grew up in beautiful southern California, 15 minutes away from the beach. As amazing as that was, we both dreamed of a life closer to land and animals. After getting married and moving to Utah, our family slowly grew. We had become a family of four living in a townhome with a small backyard filled with potted plants.
In 2019 we dipped out feet into homesteading on 1 ¼ acre lot in Utah. In 18 months we were ready to do this for real. So in 2021 we packed everything up (including our sheep) and moved to North Carolina to 12 acres and we love every inch of our homestead!
We raise Dorper sheep and have big plans for:
• grass-fed lamb
• fullblood Dorper breeding stock
• meat chickens
• laying chickens and ducks
• heritage breed pork
• honey
• row crops
• perennial food forest
• and more
I hope you join us on our journey, subscribe and ring the bell if you haven't yet.
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DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small commission. But don't worry, it doesn't cost you anything extra!
#sheep #sicksheep #coughingsheep

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17 дек 2021

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Комментарии : 100

@jerrytimler773 2 года назад

I really appreciate how you share the mistakes you make. I've been following you for awhile now. I don't have sheep yet but I've really learned a lot from you. Thanks for making these videos. You are really making a difference.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thanks, we're all learning together.

@spoolsandbobbins 2 года назад

Agree!!

@cassandratarin8046 2 года назад

I am planning out a quarantine space for exactly this situation. Expect the best, prepare for the worst.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

That's a great plan. I've never had a problem with outside stock coming in, but I've always known the people well.

@tentamalaska Год назад

Just came across your video. It appears you have learned much. Glad to see you're hanging in there. For others, in a nut shell, 1. Use caution introducing animals into new weather climate environnent. Desert raised will not perform well in hot humidity and vise versa. Always quarantine any new animals up to a month before intergrating them into your animals. Ask the right tough hard honest questions before buying any animal. Ask to see vet records on the animals you're interested in. Ask for contact info of others they've sold to. Never expect feed lot, barn raised animals to perform well in pastures. And county fares are wonderful events and they provide great opportunities to meet other local homesteaders or farmers in your area. They also provide opportunities to purchase quality livestock and help support many young future farmers. And there are many more advantages of attending county fairs.

@lorenzomendoza5237 2 года назад

Aww man thats horrible. Sorry about your ram. I definitely appreciate sharing the knowledge. Now I won't make this mistake for my future flock. Keep it up! One step back but the experience will take you 2 steps forward.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yes, one step back, two steps forward. Everything is a learning experience! Best of luck for you and your future flock.

@michellebarbour5777 2 года назад

So brilliant that you are sharing your self-reflection. Seems you've learned the hard way, like we all do. Don't feel bad just make sure you always isolate/quarantine new hens, sheep, buffalo, rabbits or ducks for a couple of weeks before integrating...guest what? I learned the hard way too. A small isolation space is better than ruining a flock/herd of anything. But you had faith and excitement and faith is a sad thing to have to lose. x Very best of luck.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thanks for your encouraging words! I've heard some folks integrate in as little as 2 weeks or as long as 2 months.

@michellebarbour5777 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ May have replied once or 3 times..who knows? I'm old. Wrote some words. Hope they helped. Can't see if anything I wrote is here. Good luck.

@chorusfrog2548 2 года назад

I would be calling the lady back...and say Thank You SO much for the lesson!

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

I've communicated with her about it all. At the end of the day, it's my lesson to learn. I can't help what kind of sheep other people are selling, only what I buy.

@CrawfordFamilyFarm 2 года назад

Sorry for your loss. Maybe consider having a closed flock now that you have more ewes beyond new rams.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

That's a good suggestion. I'm going back to the drawing board on my plans. Thinking of a closed flock with terminal crosses. I've heard good things about Dorper St, Croix crosses.

@asktodd2000 9 месяцев назад

Very informative video! Thanks for sharing your experience.

@Shadowridgeacres 2 года назад

Hello from Ontario Canada. I just brought in two rams from Saskatchewan and they were on many trucks, barns over 17 days to get to me. They had many different diets and I gave them an antibiotic with an anti inflammatory on arrival. I think with changes in feed and environment and stress any animal can get compromised. I always quarantine for at least 30 days with any new animals. I also run fecals as my vet says you don’t want to bring in a new parasite either, as your flock may not handle a different parasite. So my vet rule of thumb, is quarantine, fecals, worm them, blood work to rule out diseases before introducing them to your flock. I brought in a ram locally and he only came from 1/2 hour away and he developed a cough, different hay, different forage etc can effect their respiratory system, barn vs outside. Sorry for the loss of your ram. Wishing your flock improved health and healthy lambs. Shadow Ridge Acres Dorpers.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thank you for the advice, that's a lot of homework to bring a ram in, but it prevents death and disease spreading into the flock, it's well worth it. Especially for commercial producers, or really any one with a flock size larger than my small flock. Really great advice!

@spoolsandbobbins 2 года назад

Keep being real. Fantastic videos!! This is nothing compared to your precious sheep but we purchased a rabbit last year for a PRICE, and she was coughing, sneezing and runny nose for about 5 months. We fed her a diversity of healthy greens, grasses, acv, and kept her stress free. She got better and is in great breeding condition. You’re on the right track!

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

That's great to hear. Those ewes are pretty good these days, it's been weeks since I've heard coughing (aside from occasional coughs when they eat salt or whatever). I think they are on the mend, glad to hear about your rabbit too!

@rebeccagrider7359 2 года назад

Thank you for sharing so frankly, and yet so graciously…. You were very kind!!!!

@lindasaad2184 2 года назад

Thanks for sharing 🙏 We would never think of asking what they feed their sheep. Sorry for your experience, we will definitely learn from it.

@jessayaki9496 2 года назад

Such a bummer. I appreciate that you honestly share the setbacks and well as the wins. As we all know, nothing in life is perfect. Glad I found your channel.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yeah it's a bummer, but these things happen. You keep living and keep learning. Thanks for stopping by the channel.

@dentaliban4445 Год назад

Sad story, the seller deserves to watch this video.

@Platypus2012 2 года назад

I can hear it in your voice. Sorry you got a bum deal; thanks for sharing your trials. It takes a while to become a good buyer. Experience is priceless so don't beat yourself up too much.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thanks for the kind words.

@kingjohndavidsr9720 Год назад

Sorry to hear you lost your ram! I guess seeing how they live before purchase and quarantining after purchase is the BMP👍🏾

@homesteadingwithPJ Год назад

For sure! Learning as we go! Thanks.

@diyfferent 2 года назад

Wow. I don't know what to say but that sucks. This is all info I had no idea about so I appreciate that you shared it. I don't know if we'll ever have sheep, but it's good to know what to look for and what to be aware of. It's difficult enough moving to a new area and trying to adjust, and then having things like this can really be hard on you. But I hope you guys pull through and build your dream flock.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thanks! you've been with me since the start, so you've seen there's been a lot of ups and downs. Here's to a dream flock one day!

@CelticRootsFarm 2 года назад

Christmas blessings to you and your family! 🙏

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thank you, and likewise!

@PaulJWong-yk8uw 2 года назад

lessons learned the hard way are expensive lessons but ones you never forget. sorry to hear your herd has caught the ick. hope your losses have stopped now. really reminds us all of the importance of buying smart and isolation when they come.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yes, I hope so too. Thanks for stopping by Paul (AKA, Canadian PJ haha!)

@mn4056933 Год назад

Serious, important questions to ask and observation! We live in southern New Mexico, hoping to purchase two lambs!

@homesteadingwithPJ Год назад

Exciting!

@Mryamahaz71 2 года назад

Sorry about losing your ram, that really sucks. Nothing worse then losing an animal you've been trying to treat and get back to healthy.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Sad, but sometimes the weak die, and it's all for the better in the long run.

@TheBradshawKids 2 года назад

So sorry to hear about your ram

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thank you. Onward and upward.

@tagladyify Год назад

Too many people out there acting like they know what they are doing and take on animals with no research or proper infrastructure to care for them. I have never kept larger animals, just chickens, but I quarantine new animals away from my flock before adding them. Two weeks is the recommended time, but even in one day you will notice if there is a big problem. It may be a good idea to keep new animals separated in the future and treat any problems observed before adding them to you flock.

@homesteadingwithPJ Год назад

Agreed. I just didn't have the infrastructure at the time, but have since learned my lesson and built a small corral just for this purpose.

@tagladyify Год назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ good job

@curtjohnson7910 2 года назад

to need to separate any new arrival's on your farm for at least 2 months that's just basics

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yes, I've heard that. Easier said than done when you have such a small flock and very little land.

@elim2234 2 года назад

Thank you for sharing your experience! It is sooo timely! We will be bringing sheep home from another state(6hr drive). Would you recommend giving them antibodies upon arrival? These 3 lambs will be our starter flock. We get a ram lamb a few weeks later. Of course we will quarantine. Does anyone know what antibiotics (and anything else) to have on hand for “just in case” emergencies? We are total newbies, and reading a few books just doesn’t cut it... unfortunately. Thank you, everyone, for tried and true suggestions you may offer us! 🕊

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

You'll want to keep a dewormer on hand, but I've never administered antibiotics.

@lhatfield0786 7 месяцев назад

I wonder if I got sheep from a rescue place... I'm not planning to do meat or dairy production, just need foraging to keep the grass in check on steep hills. I'm only planning to get 3 or so wethers and let them live out their days with me if they can help me with the grass and weeds.... if I go this route, I will ask a lot of questions based on your experience. (For now, it's all just a pipe dream. Or counting sheep when I fall asleep...)

@homesteadingwithPJ 7 месяцев назад

Oh yeah, so long you have enough land, the sheep will probably just take care of themselves. If you get old sheep, chances are they are good sheep.

@cottagecreekfarm3800 2 года назад

So sorry all this happened to you

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Live and learn! We are moving forward. Thank you.

@arthurharvey5419 2 года назад

Sorry to see what happened to your RAM that's very sad

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yes, that was sad. We were thinking of swapping him out any way (he became REALLY mean, and I wanted to cross my sheep with something else next year), but its still hard.

@ianspingle8865 2 года назад

Great videos, I heard that dorper are prone to foot problems what do you think?

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

I don't have anything to compare it to, but I would be inclined to agree. Mine had no problems in Utah (dry), but here in North Carolina (wet), I saw some of sheep start to limp in the rainy season. Usually a sign of bad feet. But after a week of dry weather they usually heal up on their own.

@okaminess 2 года назад

Buying a sick lamb - yes, huge headache. It had a crazy mouth disease that didn’t improve even after the vet intervened. We saw the people likely sold it because of that.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Ugh, that's awful. Sorry to hear it.

@okaminess 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ We had to give the lamb away to someone who wanted it. They liked that this lamb had all black wool so they were happy to have her for free. Somehow they got the disease under control, but it likely cost them as well.

@kishstreedragons8393 2 года назад

I am sorry that this happened to you. Please please, isolate any and ALL new stock you purchase. It would have saved you a lot of heart aches.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yes, I agree. I just didn't have the infrastructure at the time. As always, my ambition exceeds my infrastructure. Next time though...

@taraseltz9801 2 года назад

Pssst......add a little St. Croix ;) You are not far from some awesome sheep. Sorry for your loss and bad luck.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

I am absolutely considering St. Croix. I'd like to see how a terminal X situation would do, like a handful of St. Croix ewes with a terminal Dorper sire.

@taraseltz9801 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ Keep working on that pasture. As it is, even a St. Croix would have a tough go of it. It all takes time. A grazier once said that the top 1/3 of the grass is the cream, the middle third is the milk, and the bottom third is the carton. lol. Plus that bottom third is where all the parasites are hanging out. I started with pure St Croix and don't see myself changing breeds for anything. Great sheep.

@itisfinished7377 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ what do you mean by terminal dorper male?

@vandres1328 9 месяцев назад

what dewormer do you use on them ? care to share the name of the antibiotic that you gave them ? i have one that i have heard coughing .

@homesteadingwithPJ 9 месяцев назад

I didn't use an antibiotic, the dewormer I've used is cydectin, and sometimes safeguard. Although coughing probably is separate to a worm issue. I'm not sure what drugs you'd give a sheep for coughing. I'd rather them get over it eventually, which mine did after about a month.

@kanddfamilyfarm 2 года назад

So sorry that you lost your ram, is it possible that it was barber's pole worm that you mentioned. That one is nasty and wormers and 100% effective.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

It's possible, however I dewormed with cydectin like 6 weeks beforehand and he was eating hay almost exclusively. So I think it was pneumonia more than a worm, but it could have been the BPW.

@SuerteDelMolinoFarm Год назад

Oooh. Good things we wish you.

@samuelgriffith86 Год назад

You need to learn how to use copper sulfate to deworm with. Probably wouldn’t of saved a sick sheep but could have helped with your sheep you moved.

@Not_all_as_it_seems 2 года назад

Just out of interest, did they shake the cough? i would assume so once thier throats healed & allergies left, from eating the hay. I still feel you did ok with the deal, life is a learning platform, this is where that *experience is gained. Enjoy your sheep :)

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thanks for the great message. So true. Yes, they did shake the cough. Took almost 3 months, but they all shook it. All three lambed, however one got worms over winter (which is crazy because we had a very cold, snowy winter, and fed dray hay all winter). The one I had to deworm was a shifty mother, but eventually accepted her lamb. She's cull stock though. But 2/3 making a full recovery isn't bad!

@Not_all_as_it_seems 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ nice, i instantly thought of your pumpkin trick lol, i am going to try it very soon, autumn here

@ryankullar9754 2 года назад

Where did u get that done looking sheep shelter at or did u make that shelter

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

It's from Shelter Logic.

@Doors-bv3vk 2 года назад

Thanks for sharing your experience. What the seller did is unethical and awfully. I hope that the sheep and ram are recovering

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

The ram passed away, but the ewes eventually shook the cough and just lambed!

@Kberrysal 2 года назад

What do you think about sheep tractors 🚜

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

They look cool in practice, I think The Grass-fed Homestead uses them with good success. I'm not interested in using them though. I'd rather just move the sheep with electric fence. Seems like they are good for short-term needs. I don't like the idea of sheep spending their life on pasture in a confined space.

@shanerobbins1501 2 года назад

Such a bad turn for your flock, hate that for you. I have always heard that Dorpers are great if you can keep them alive. I was hoping the truth in this statement was only due to bad management. What are your thoughts on this as far a a breed vs. others? Hope you are able to get your flock built back and stronger in the near future.

@rashonryuu 2 года назад

He actually has two videos about his comparisons of breeds. They are quite informative. He made them when he was still in Utah, so I am curious if he would change anything, but they are still good.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Yes, like Rebecca said I have another video comparing meat sheep breeds. Right now I'm seriously considering St Croix ewes to cross with a Dorper ram. They are renowned for parasite resistance and general health and hearty demeanor. Next year I'll be making some improvements to the flock.

@shanerobbins1501 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ I've been thinking about the St. Croix/Dorper cross for sometime myself. But actually that would be what a Royal White breed is, right? I've often thought the Royal White would be a superior hair sheep breed. Your thoughts?

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

@@shanerobbins1501 You're right in that a Royal White is an excellent breed, I've never worked with them, but everything I've heard is positive. And yes, Royal Whites were created by selectively crossing White Dorpers and St Croix sheep. However, Royal Whites breed true, meaning that thier gene pool is refined enough that you can reliably get pretty much the same sheep by breeding a RW with another RW. Whereas a true cross, like the D x SC would be a mutt until you selectively bred for the traits you wanted over multiple generations until you could reliably expect the same sheep over and over in future generation. But in theory a Dorper and a St. Croix could get you a Royal White, however that sheep's offspring may not breed to the same standards. Sorry for the long response, it's way more than you asked for, because you are right in that the RW sheep is a cross between D and SC.

@shanerobbins1501 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ Really appreciate the in depth response. Looking forward to how you move ahead w/ your flock. Best Wishes

@sandro5535 2 года назад

What prize would be reasonable? Knowing what you know about the sheep. What would you pay for them? 500 dollars for all three?

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Free is the only price I would have paid for them knowing what I know now. However if I had the infrastructure to truly separate them for longer, then I would have paid $500 for all three.

@johnh1353 2 года назад

Sorry about your ram, but goes to show, a good referral goes a long way ... and if not, witnessing with your own eyes the living conditions of livestock you want to purchase

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

So true, lesson learned... the hard way.

@sleepersix Год назад

How are those ewes doing now?

@homesteadingwithPJ Год назад

All of them lived. One had a complicated lambing. But all are good. I ended up selling all of them (I was 100% transparent with the buyers, they even saw this video).

@colemoore3156 Год назад

Give 5ccs la200 they'll be fine

@Kberrysal 2 года назад

Why did you have a vet check them out after buying them

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

As opposed to having them checked, before I bought them? It wasn't really realistic for me, they were delivered to me from out of state. Also they came to me with papers from a recent vet visit from the previous owner. I did not look closer at the papers from their vet.

@jenniferu8145 Год назад

Vet bills are extremely expensive

@Millenialhermit 2 года назад

Pls Give them a chance (the sheep). They are surely adjusting because they used to eat pig feeds and now they are living like sheep for the 1st time in their lives and their first time to eat grass so their rumens are still adjusting.

@homesteadingwithPJ 2 года назад

Thank you for the perspective, you are so right. They look so much better than they did when they arrived. I'm hopeful for their success over here.

@Millenialhermit 2 года назад

@@homesteadingwithPJ and thank u for giving them a better life ♥️. Loving all your episodes. I love sheep and goats too.