I fed Biddy half a cup of grain before opening the gate and letting her back in the barnyard with the rest of the sheep. It was already starting to warm up this morning, but there was still plenty of ice on the ground.
As she walked to the feeder, I saw Biddy slip a bit on the ice. It made me wonder if that wasn’t what happened to her two days ago when I found her laying on her side. Maybe she slipped on the ice and couldn’t get back up.
But the ice didn’t seem to be an issue when, after eating just a mouthful of hay, Biddy and Socks started butting heads.
Maybe, as happens when the sheep are shorn, Socks didn’t recognize Biddy because she was in the barn for a couple of days. Or maybe they had been butting heads two days ago and that was what caused Biddy to fall on the ice and not be able to get up.
Whatever was going on, they would butt heads a few times…then stop and chew on some hay together.
Only to begin again.
As I watched them, I saw that it was Biddy who started the head-butting each time.
A few times Robin got into it, butting both ewes, but that didn’t last long.
It went on for a while, this head-butting between Socks and Biddy. At one point I got between them and stopped it. But then, they just went back to it. I figured they had something to work out, so I mucked out the barn leaving them to it.
By the time I was done, with all the morning chores, I saw Socks and Biddy nuzzling each other. Socks even gave Biddy a lick on the nose.
There was not more head butting after that.
I love your pictures of this drama!
Thanks Peg!
Those are some great photos of the two butting heads.
They kept at it, so I had a lot of opportunities.
I didn’t know ewes head butted.
They do it often Tonia. I’m never completely sure why, but I’m sure they have their reasons.
I guess we all ‘butt heads’ for one reason or another.
HA! for sure.