[Steph Hen]

 Wanted goats for YEARS. Got two Anglo Nubian castrated kids in spring, who were delightful, but it's not working out too well.

They are rubbish in the field, by which I mean they spent months standing by the gate calling for me, getting thin. If I'm with them they will tear into the weeds, trees and all the overgrown hawthorn, but otherwise are  unhappy. They did reach a stage where they would wander a little way into the field to graze, but mostly just sat in the field shelter. I've never seen them 'play' like I thought they would. I tried tethering them (just to try to get them used to being away from me in a field, not as a proper grazing plan) and while I'm within eyesight they munch away nicely, but when I went out of sight they go mental. Will respect electric tape in the shed (along the top of the wall) but outside they go straight into it, once I'm out of sight.

Then one broke its leg Somehow and had vet to splint and sort it, so they've been in for a while. When I've tried to put them back in the field, it's the same thing as before, running up and down, calling, climbing the fences, standing about not eating.

I find their eating habits frustrating, they like me to cut leaves for them, which I have been doing all summer. After a meal of leaves, they want hay, not more leaves. (As well as hard feed). But won't eat two meals of leaves or hay in a row. I don't have leaves for the winter.

But the main problem is that One now goes for the dog, who was run over a few weeks ago and had a big hip operation and worse, He goes for my son (who is one and a bit), trying to head butt him (knocked him flying once!)
The other (larger one) is still lovely for my son to stroke, as they both used to be. But this means that I can no longer take them for walks with my son as we did in the summer time and was part of my plan for getting them. If I had a pony who was aggressive like this I'd get rid of it. But has anyone stopped a head butting goat once it's started doing it? The other is lovely as anything.

Both were disbudded, but it's still a very deliberate blow, and it aims for my sons head ?

[Caroline1]

I have only had my goats (2x Toggs and 2x AN) about 3 or 4 months and have 4 girls they all play together well and eat so fortunately I don't have that problem. They head butt each other in play and a couple starting trying to headbutt us, but I just push their head to the side and stop interacting with them. One has now stopped the other does it rarely but gets the same reaction. I never push head on as I assumed that is what they want and don't want to encourage.

In kids I read this is play but can get to be an act of dominance, which is why with them only being about 6 months old I am getting them out of the habit now.

It sounds like yours have become a bit dependant on you, do you have anything for them to play with? We have an old solid wood picnic table which the Toggs love jumping on and an old tractor tire that they all like to jump on and curl up in.

[Anke]

Depends what you want goats for - but in most cases it would be easier to start with an adult female in the mix to act as herd leader and tell the youngsters their place. The kids just see you as "mum" (not eating when you are out of sight for example) and also now have started to challenge you for herd leader. Goats don't do very well if they are not brought up in a "proper" herd and sadly starting two kids together (as only goats) is often difficult to translate into a herd in due course...

To be honest (and I know my reply to this question - which comes up regularly - is brutal) eat them soon and start afresh with an adult milking nanny (if it's milk you are after eventually) or a couple of Boer (or Boer X) nannies, preferably already in-kid. You are always best to start with two adults that already know each other, and where one can easily become herd leader. Ideal combo is - adult milker with kid(s) at foot (either suckling or being bottle fed) and her goatling daughter. Ready made herd - you can run/milk the nanny through for the first year, get the goatling in-kid, and either sell or keep any female kids and eat the male kids (which should be castrated btw).

[cuckoo]

I would eat the horrible one and get a friendly adult for the other one - with calm company he should be fine.

[devonlady]

I'm with Anke here! Take courage and book them into the abattoir. Problem over and a freezer full of good food. Your animals should be a joy, not a worry!!

[Steph Hen]

 

Thank you for your replies - I think!

I wanted boer goats (crosses) but at the time couldn't get any... I wanted them for tidying up the scrub around the farm (at least 10 acres in bits here and there), and loved the idea of harness training them, getting them to carry a pack with lunches out for picnics and going for walks with them. Basically weed eating pets! If it had gone well I'd add to them, get pregnant nannys, eat the boys and grow a little herd.

I've had ropes and harnesses on them, had them walking harnessed side by side, and walking out ahead of me. They are very amiable to these things.
I'll have a think.

[Lesley Silvester]

I had a female like that. She was bottle reared by me and handled a lot but when she grew into a full sized goat, she took to pushing me - not butting because I had trained her out of that one - but coming up behind me and shoving. I'm not very steady on my feet so I would fall. She would butt anyone else though. I had trouble getting into the yard because she would barge the door out of my hands. She did present me with beautiful twins but the behaviour got worse and no one liked her. In the end she went in the freezer and I so enjoy eating her. Revenge is sweet.

[Penninehillbilly]

If you can cope with another why not try and get an adult goat, hopefully they would accept that as herd leader and learn the herd ways and follow it out to grazing? then maybe cull the naughty one (though a boss goat may teach him a lesson or 2).
shame to lose them if you've been training them.

[Dogwalker]

Your son is very little.  His safety should be foremost.
It sounds like these are the wrong goats for you just now and they're not giving much pleasure.

I'd put the aggressive one in the freezer before he does some real damage.

[ScotsGirl]

I agree I think. Eat them. It's easier to eat them if they have annoyed you! May be the wrong breed for you. Goats Are very sociable and so love human company. Mine must drive the neighbours mad as they call to me constantly if I am in the field or garden.


Try and spend some time with other breeds. Boers are definitely more relaxed and easier I should think than AN which I love but I found more demanding.

[Penninehillbilly]

AH - hadn't noticed it was AN's, crossed one of min with one once, noisiest goat I've ever had, sweet and friendly though.
My Toggs like to have a look at what I'm up to then wander off, lovely to look at as well with their long coats, The boers can be noisy when they want something, but are very sweet natured and placid.
I'd agree dispose of these 2, then have another think on breeds but don't give up on goats :-).
Save keeping them over the winter as well 

[Steph Hen]

Thanks for your replies. I am thinking it over...

[fiestyredhead331]

what do you know about their background, upbringing etc?
my 1 castrated male is in with the female herd and he follows them around all day, apart from tonight when they ditched him and I had to go find him in the rain 
Boer's are famous for their need for human contact etc but I would be more tempted to go for a different breed if they are just to be pets/mulchers for the land. They also need someone to be the boss and its sounds like you are it rather than a caprine leader? Eat the mean one and find a companion (or 2 ideally) for the other.