Short and Sweet Sheep Farm
Raising Olde English Babydoll Southdowns
  Spinner's -
Interested in spinning Babydoll Southdown?
We have 2oz. samples of  roving available
$6 including shipping.

Contact us at 860-644-9687
or
llgjswanson@cox.net

Olde English Babydoll Southdowns are commonly called Babydoll Southdowns or Babydolls for short.   Babydoll Southdowns are the Heritage of American Standard Southdown. 
These wonderful sheep make great pets for the hobby farm and show animals for 4-H projects. They have a docile temperment and are very personable.  Babydolls weigh 75 to 120 pounds; rams a bit more. The breed standard is between 18 and 24 inches at the shoulder. They lamb on their own and quite often have twins.  We have even had a ewe who routinely delivered triplets.
Their Heritage......Southdown sheep were originally a short and stocky sheep raised primarily for their meat in their native homeland, the South Down Hills of England.  Standard Southdowns are still considered just a meat breed. Babydoll Southdowns are now raised as a dual purpose breed.....meat & wool....add pet to that and they can be considered at triple purpose sheep!!   
Babydolls do have a short fleece, 2 to 4 inches and it might not be the first sheep you'd think of for wool production but they produce a fine to medium weight wool.  The wool has become know among spinners in the last few years as very soft and lofty and blends wonderfully with other fibers such as llama and alpaca. 
Though I personally have not met anyone who raises them for meat, Babydolls Southdowns are raised for their wool, as pets and to help in preserving the original size here in the United States.
email me
Archibald and his Southdown sheep in 1950..... Archie raised Southdowns in Canada.  Photo coutrtesy Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Archie's great-granddaughter.
Taking Deposits for 2010
spring lambs
FOR SALE
Gussie and Suzie (sheep) at the 4-H Big E 2005
We do not have any sheep for sale at this time. Several of our wethers (castrated rams) are currently being leased for 4-H projects and may be available in the Fall.
6/19/09


Ewe lambs $500 - 600

Ram lambs $500 - 600

Wethers    $350
(castrated rams).....wethers make great pets and companions for ewes and rams.

When buying sheep keep in mind that they need a companion of their own species so two is a must.
If you are planning on breeding in the future we suggest that you start with two unrelated ewes.  The following year purchase an unrelated ram and a wether as his companion or consider leasing a ram for stud.

Contact us at:
Liz Swanson
389 Griffin Road
South Windsor, CT  06074
860-644-9687
llgjswanson@cox.net