Taking care of sheep is something that has the potential to be a lot of fun. Some people raise sheep as farm animals because they want to harvest wool.
Others will raise sheep simply because they think that sheep are cute. Whether you’re raising sheep on a farm or if you’re just keeping a small flock of sheep as pets, it’s easy to see why so many consider them to be cute.
When you’re observing the sheep, you might notice that they will sometimes jump into the air. The leaping ability of some sheep will be impressive, and you might be wondering why it is that they’re leaping into the air.
What is the purpose of sheep jumping into the air? Keep reading to learn more about this topic.
1 – Sheep Might Jump Out of Excitement
Often, you’ll find that sheep will start jumping in the air when they’re excited about something. A sheep might get excited about being fed or something else, and it’ll show that it’s happy by leaping around.
Most sheep owners find this sheep trait to be quite endearing. Depending on the type of sheep that you’re raising, the sheep might even be able to jump quite high.
If you’re trying to figure out if this is the reason why the sheep is hopping around, then you’ll just have to put the puzzle pieces together. Is there something going on that could cause a sheep to become excited?
When it seems logical that a sheep might get excited about something, it’s easy to say that excitement is the reason for the jumping. That doesn’t mean that this is the only reason why sheep will choose to jump, though.
2 – Playing Around
It’s possible that the sheep are just playing around by jumping, too. Sometimes sheep like to play with each other and you might notice many of them jumping about.
If a sheep notices some of the other sheep jumping, then it might start doing it as well. You could consider this playing, and it’s a simple explanation for why the sheep are doing this.
Sheep sometimes have a lot of energy and they might feel like leaping. You’ll see other farm animals such as goats doing things such as this, too.
You don’t need to worry about there being an odd reason for the sheep jumping in all likelihood. It’s probably just that they’re playing around or that they have excess energy.
3 – Flocking Instinct
The flocking instinct is something that should be discussed as well. Sheep have a very strong flocking instinct that causes them to want to stick together.
Evolution has caused sheep to understand that they stand the best chance of surviving when they flock together. This means that sheep will generally not want to be separated from the flock.
Sheep are also known to follow the movements of the leaders of the flock. Generally, older members of the flock will lead the way, and the younger sheep will do as they do.
This means that if one of the leader sheep starts jumping, it’s possible that you will see the other sheep begin to do so as well. Yes, sometimes jumping is a playful thing, but it can also just be lumped in with the strong flocking instinct of the sheep.
If you know much about sheep, then you’ll likely have heard that the flocking instinct can even lead sheep to make bad choices simply because one of the leader sheep did so. For example, a sheep could fall off of a cliff and the other sheep might choose to follow due to the flocking instinct.
4 – Escaping From Danger
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that there is a practical reason why sheep would be able to jump fairly well. Sheep might need to jump in an attempt to escape certain threats.
For example, a sheep might jump to try to get away from a predator that is chasing it down. If you’re taking the right steps to protect the flock from predators, then this likely isn’t something that you need to be too concerned about.
Even so, it’s interesting to know that sheep will leverage their leaping ability to try to escape threats. If you have sheep that are afraid of humans, then you’ll notice that they might try to jump away from you when you get near.
Sometimes sheep that aren’t used to you yet might do this when you’ve recently added members to the flock. It’s not really unusual at all, and sometimes sheep just want to be left alone too.
A sheep that’s really jumpy could be scared if it senses a predator nearby, though. It could be something as simple as a stray dog in the area or it could be a more dangerous type of animal.
This is why it’s always important to have fences that can protect the flock. The sheep will be very reliant on fences to keep them safe from potential threats.
Due to the sheep’s jumping ability, it’s going to be best to keep fences tall enough that sheep won’t be able to jump them. A fence that is four feet tall will be ideal.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned about many different reasons why sheep might choose to jump in the air now. Sheep bounce around quite a bit and it isn’t something that necessarily needs a deep explanation.
However, you can easily see that sometimes sheep will start leaping when they’re excited about something. A sheep could be excited to see you or happy to be fed for the day.
Sometimes sheep will jump as a way to play with each other. They can be very playful and fun animals that like to spend time socializing with each other.
The strong flocking instinct of the sheep will often cause them to copy the actions of other sheep as well. If one sheep starts to hop into the air, then the other sheep might start doing it.
Finally, it’s possible that sheep will try to jump away from danger. They can sometimes escape predators or other dangerous situations by jumping.
If a sheep jumps away from you, then it might be scared of you or it could just want to be left alone. Now that you know the reasons why sheep do this, it’ll be easier to appreciate what’s going on.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house. Growing up, I had pet dogs, cats, deer, sugar gliders, chinchillas, a bird, chickens, fish, and a goat.