Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Life In Prison

without parole. Or maybe death by electrocution? Meet Watson the ram from hell. He is almost two years old and has been the sweetest most calm laid back ram until about a month ago. This is when he decided he had to go back in with the ewes. He started by getting threw gates so I went to town and bought chain to fasten all the gates between him and the ewe's.
Most times when he got out I had my back up plan. One more field and another gate to go threw in order to be in with ewe's I did NOT want bred. He can not even see the ewes from the boys field. This got Watson thinking and he became more resourceful in finding ways to break out.

Pull fence with horns up root t-posts and over the field fence and in with the ewe's. OMG he knew he could  get out there and there was no stopping him!
So the next plan of attack was to get him in a smaller pen without field fence and all livestock panels. This would keep him out of the field with the other boys. My only other pen like this is right next to the ewe's but he could not go over the fence or uproot t-posts. To stop him from bashing the panels I set up some electric fencing about one foot off the ground. After I set up all the hot wire I walked down the hill to plug in the charger. BAM he hit the fence before I could get the charger on and broke the electric line. Back up the hill I went to fix the wire and I ran to the barn to get the charger on.  Yes! back up the hill I went, but wait why is Watson laying on the ground? His body was pulsating every two seconds like short seizures.  Sh#t his horn was caught in the electric wire. Run back to the barn to unplug the fence. I have to admit as I ran back down the hill I thought I might have killed him and was relieved that all this crap was over. Fear not Watson is fine and I have finally won this battle. Watson is still in his new home (three days now and has not settled down yet) and has learned to stay about 10 feet away from all fences with electric wire! The ewe's don't bother him because as they poke their cute little noses threw the fence they get zapped too. As much as I hate electric wire I could not have stopped Watson without it!
I bought more insulators for the electric fence to go along the field wire I've fixed and hope to keep him in with the other boys so he can go out a graze in their field. Not for awhile though I'm scared to death this will all start over again.

11 comments:

Laura said...

Ok, so I'm a sick person - I was laughing out loud...

I never had a problem with my rams when they were behind an electric fence, though Tuck once ripped one open (which I repaired).

I'm glad you've solved the problem for now. I would not have wanted to keep running up and down the hill. Maybe you can get a cut-out switch right by the fence and just switch it off (leaving it plugged in in the barn)when you're working on the new fence, and then you can throw the switch when you're done and it's hot!

Sorry, I just keep giggling...

Anonymous said...

What a tough ram! Glad he is behind and respectful of electricity now!

Nancy K. said...

I did have one ram that jumped through my seven strand electric fence when there was a cycling ewe standing on the other side, batting her eyelashes at him. (I had no idea the girls were cycling at the time)

Three times I put that guy back and three times he took the hit and jumped through that fence.

I finally moved the ewes!

Good luck.

Nanzilela Obejane said...

A better idea would have been to bait the fence with a bit of treacle to encourage the goat to test the fence with his tongue - works a treat. http://www.agrisellex.co.uk/bait-caps-1871-0.html

Saying that testosterone can often overcome anything.

Carolyn Jean Thompson said...

Even tho it is still winter, must get to the ewes before the others do. It's elementary, Watson.

Tammy said...

Gosh, I'm sorry, but I was laughing too. Only because I've 'been there' and it's never funny when it's happening, but oh I can relate! --and you tell it so well. One good thing about it--Watson's dramatic encounter with the electric fence has surely made a lasting impression on him whereas just touching it might not have. Thanks for sharing and I hope the bugger settles down!
Tammy (enjoying a ram free year!!)

Dianne said...

What a picture you painted! He sounds like one tough boy...maybe that's why they named that truck...hmmm is it a Dodge Ram?! I think I might have had "mixed" feelings also as I want running down the hill to unplug the electricity. Maybe he's a pretty smart fellow, after all, if he's staying away from the electric fence part!

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

Laura, you're not alone LOL
I wish I could have been a fly on the barn wall, if I'd been there in person it wouldn't have been funny, cause I'd have been plugging in the fence, leaving no need to run up and down the hill :)
Thanks for the giggle Mim, although I hope you and Watson can work out your differences :)

Sharon said...

I was just thinking the other day when our two female llamas did the mating dance how unbearable it would be if we actually had an intact male on premise. And then I couldn't help think that if male animals are so driven, what's behind Heads of State, who are always male????

Ebonwald Cardigans said...

ugh don't those rams just make you SICK sometimes? And angry!

I had one that was a barn/fence/other ram basher. I wanted to use him badly as he was spotted, katmoget, and carried moorit. beautiful large sweeping horns, lovely fleece (with low micron/sd/cv) and yet I never used him after two years of bashing my property to bits.

He's mighty tasty now!

And i'm glad i didn't continue with those genetics...as it seems to follow lines.

Glad the electric wire stopped him! i should have tried that too! My ram even tried bashing cement walls.....

Unknown said...

How do I contact you? I raise shetlands near Auburn CA and would love to talk with you. you can contact me at rrbarfarm@gmail.com