Miniature Shetland Sheep.
We raise two breeds of sheep at Black Sparrow Ranch: American Harlequin and Babydoll Southdown. Although similar breeds, they do have some differences.
Miniature Sheep are ruminants and have four-chambered stomachs. They are cud-chewing animals. Male sheep are called rams. Female sheep are called ewes. Miniature Sheep mate from August to December. It takes a female sheep five months to have a baby lamb. Miniature Sheep give birth only one time a year, usually in the spring. They often have twins and occasionally triplets. The baby lambs are usually weaned between eight to twelve weeks old.
Here in Conners because the mama sheep are so tiny, we supplement feeding the lambs with milk bottles along with the babies naturally drinking from their mamas. They live 15 to 16 years. They are quiet and gentle. They love weeds, honeysuckle and kudzu. Miniature Sheep help farmers clean ground in vineyards, high bush fruit fields, and small orchards. They are small enough not to damage the fruit and do not eat the bark off trees. They keep down weeds, insects, and leave behind all that fertilizer!
Miniature Babydoll Sheep
Miniature Olde English “Babydoll” Southdown Sheep originated around the late 1700’s in the southdown hills of Sussex County, England. Miniature Babydoll Southdown Sheep were popular because of their extreme hardiness and they produced a carcass with tenderness and good flavored meat unmatched by any other breed. At maturity, our Miniature Potbellied Pigs are 10 to 15 inches tall. Their length should be in proportion to height. The average weight is 25 to 55 pounds.
A Therapy Farm Animal is born, not made. We can teach an animal mannerly behavior, but one cannot change an animal’s inherent temperament. When an animal is put under stress, poor or marginal temperament will surface. Conner Foundation Bloodlines have been producing Therapy Farm Animals with outstanding temperaments since 1993. They are friendly and outgoing to all people and other animals. They were born to bring comfort and consolation to everyone and anyone. They were born with a gift…to love and heal.
Miniature Shetland Sheep for Sale
Miniature Shetland Sheep are one of the smallest of the British sheep. Rams usually weigh 75 to 100 pounds and ewes about 60 to 85 pounds. Rams usually have beautiful spiral horns, whereas the ewes are typically polled. They are fine-boned and agile and their naturally short, fluke-shaped tails do not require docking.
Available Miniature sheep for Sale
Miniature Babydolls were imported to the United States in 1803. However, the demand for larger cuts of meat almost forced the breed into extinction. By the year 1990, only 350 miniature sheep were all that could be traced to still exist. Only after the many exhaustive efforts to form a foundation registry to preserve the original miniature sheep, the numbers of sheep have gained resurgence.
Miniature Sheep
There are many benefits to these pint-sized fluff bottoms:
Easier to handle
Safer Around Children
Excellent for Smaller Acreage
Fencing can be Shorter
Smaller Shelters
Less Grain / Hay Required
American Harlequin
Fewer than 1500 in Existence
Flashy Black and White Spots
Some Have Blue Eyes
Can be Solid-Colored
Known as “The Fun Sheep”
Check out the Harlequin Sheep Society and Registry for historical information.
Babydoll Southdown
Commonly Black or Off-White
Can be Spotted (Very Rare)
Fuzzy, Teddy-Bear Faces
Popular in 4-H and at County Fairs
Known as “The Smiling Sheep”
Steadily Gaining Popularity
Several Registries to Choose From
The registry breed standards are a height of 24 inches or less at the shoulder without wool when fully mature at age two. Babydolls get their name from their attractive teddy bear faces. Neither males nor females have horns. White is the predominant color, however, there are a few blacks. Their wool is short, stapled and fine. Fleece tests at 19-20 microns which puts it in the class of cashmere. It has more barbs per inch than any other wool types and makes it ideal to blend with mohair, angora, or alpaca to make a stronger yarn without losing softness. It also felts well.
What’s the Difference?
Although there are always exceptions, Babydolls (shown on the right) typically have broader faces, wider foreheads, stubbier muzzles, and smaller ears. Harlequins (on the left) have longer, slender muzzles and much less wool on their faces, ears, and sometimes legs. We find Babydoll wool to be shorter and denser than that of Harlequins.
Both are under 24″ tall and polled (without horns). Both breeds can either be solid or spotted although most Harlequins are spotted and most Babydolls are solid. Only Harlequins have blue eyes, although it is rare.
Babydoll Sheep
Babydoll Southdown sheep are an adorable miniature sheep which are typically priced between $500-$800 when registered. The most common colors are black (which can fade to a chocolate brown color or dark gray as the wool grows) and off-white. The original Babydoll Southdown sheep that Robert Mock gathered in the US also included spotted babydoll sheep which are very rare. Both of our rams at Black Sparrow Ranch are spotted rams registered with the original babydoll registry of OEBSSR. Spotted babydoll lambs typically bring a higher price of $800-$1200 and are highly sought after. Babydoll sheep often have sweet, docile natures and they are excellent mothers that usually lamb without difficulty. Since miniature breeds like Babydoll and Harlequin tend to be more expensive, they are usually not used for meat. They provide wool which has many craft and homestead uses (pillow stuffing, insulation, clothing/yarn, erosion control, rugs, coasters, dryer balls, felt art, weaving, etc.)
With their individual personalities and “smiling” faces, they bring immense joy to their owners, and it is not unusual for them to be thought of as more pet than livestock.
Harlequin Sheep
American Harlequins are an amazing sheep breed and incredibly rare with fewer than 1500 registered as of 2021. Typically, lambs are priced from $700-$1200 which is usually determined by the following factors:
Sex – Ram, Ewe, or Wether (Castrated Ram)
Conformation
Fleece Color / Spots
Eye Color
Generation / Pedigree
Generations are used in the Harlequin breed to determine what percentage of sheep’s lineage comes from original Harlequin stock. Foundation status is where the breed begins, whereas Purebred Harlequins are the highest generation available in the registration process.
Foundation Status – Often used to introduce new bloodlines into the breed. For example, F1 is one parent being a registered Harlequin and the other parent being from another approved breed like Babydoll Southdown.
F1, F2, FP
True Harlequins – Sheep that have established Harlequin lineage. C is the highest generation of True Harlequins.
A, B, C
Purebred Harlequins – These are the rarest of miniature Harlequin sheep. This generation can only be achieved when both parents are C generation or Purebred Harlequins.
AP – Purebred Harlequin
To reserve a 2022 Black Sparrow Ranch lamb, the deposit is $200. We ask that you read the Lambs and Requirements pages before submitting the form. Reserving a lamb with a deposit will give you first choice in any lambs born, in the order in which the deposits are received.
Please keep in mind that deposits are non-refundable. The only time a deposit will be returned is if Black Sparrow Ranch cannot provide the buyer with the lamb requested due to an issue like illness or injury. Deposits can be carried over from one year to the next. Buyer is responsible for transportation from our ranch in McLoud, Oklahoma. Lambs will be weaned between 10-12 weeks and must be picked up between 10-14 weeks unless other arrangements have been made and agreed upon. Failing to communicate with Black Sparrow Ranch will put at risk your ability to receive the lamb of your choice, and if no communication is returned within 8 weeks of first contact after lambing (March – May) your deposit will be forfeited.
Please fill out the following form if you are ready to reserve a 2022 Black Sparrow Ranch Harlequin or Babydoll lamb. Once we receive the form with your preferred payment method, we will send further instructions to your email address.
Sex:
– Ewe
– Ram
– Wether( Castrated Ram)
– Multiple ( List Below )
Breed:
– Babydoll
– Harlequin
– Either