Southdown Babydoll Sheep

What’s not to love when you meet these smiley faced sheep. With their sweet teddy bear faces and wooly charm, Babydoll sheep attract people looking for gentle pets or the cutest lawnmowers you will ever see. They’re tiny and full of personality. Our buyers purchase for many reasons, some for their cashmere-like fleece, while others buy to let them eat the grass and weeds in their orchards. We have sold many that go to new homes as first time 4-H projects.

Here’s the scoop on these little sheep with the smiling faces.

Officially known as Babydoll Southdown sheep, they originated in the South “Downs” of Sussex County, England. There, they were known for their hardiness, fine fleece and tender meat. The breed made its way to the United States around 1803, according to the Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep Registry.

They are very gentle and they aren’t real big so they’re easy to manage. And let me tell you-they are so full of personality. One of our ewes named “Daisy” loves to nudge you in your shirt pocket looking for her daily graham cracker.” Rosie” loves vegetables from the garden but little “Lulu” won’t touch her veggies; she prefers her grass hay. We have a very bossy black ewe named “Cleo” she will race all of them to the feed trough and push everyone else out of the way.

Babydolls are most often white or off-white, with their muzzle and legs ranging from very light tan to brown to cinnamon to gray, according to the North American Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association and Registry (NABSSAR). Babydoll sheep can also be black, which is a recessive gene. Black sheep always have black legs and muzzles. We have one black ewe and a black ram here on our farm. During the summer the black turns to a cinnamon color.

Babydolls are only about 18 to 24 inches tall when they are fully grown. They can weigh between 60 and 125 pounds. Babydoll sheep can be easily contained with small, low fences. They won’t try to jump them or barrel through them. The main danger isn’t that these really cute animals will escape; it’s that predators can get to them. That is why we suggest they are brought into a barn or corral area at night.

Both Babydoll ewes and rams are naturally polled, meaning they are born without horns. They are non-aggressive by nature and get along well with other livestock.

Babydolls are good mothers and often have twins or triplets. They like to stay together and don’t typically wander off and get lost. They do best with companionship and you should never have just a single Babydoll sheep. What we like about these sheep is they have a strong flocking instinct. We turn them out in the pasture in the morning and holler to them in the evening to head home and they come running as fast as their little short legs will go.

Meet the girls

• Cleo
• Daisy
• Petunia
• Bella