[Roxy]

I think I will have to rehome Paddy, the British Alpine billy.  Today, while I was at work he had broken out of his stable, and got in the field with the two castrated male anglo nubians.  He seems ok with one of them, but is very interested in the other, and when I got there he was trying to mate with poor Cain.  This is not the first time he has done it, and even if he is in the other field, he will somehow break out and get in with the other goats (he is not alone he has a female with him).  He does not go near the sheep, llama, pony, or one of the goats, its just Cain.  I do not want to risk Cain being hurt.  Paddy is not aggressive with me, and as soon as I go and get him away from Cain, he will come with me.
He is obviously barging at the stable door with his big horns, and banging the bolt loose!!

[doganjo]

How about a big strong padlock?

[Roxy]

That would be the answer ....but, I never padlock any of my animals or indeed hens in a building, in case of an emergency such as fire.  I know the chance of someone rescuing the animals if there was a fire is possibly remote, but I reason that at least Paddy could possibly let himself out in such an emergency

[little blue]

What sort of bolt do you use?  we have a brenton bolt - twist and slide, as well as a gate catch
Have you tried a door chain? So Paddy cant get get through the gap, but could be rescued
It would be sad for him to have to move again, but he cant go around violating eunuchs can he?!

[Roxy]

Little Blue, he was in his last home just a week   I am wondering exactly why now .....could it have been they could not contain him?  He is still with the nanny goat he arrived with (so he lets her out too, and she climbs on walls and goes where she pleases)  and I would obvously like to take her away from him.  The way he is, he will probably demolish the building if he is on his own.

It has got to the stage that I worry when I am at work, as to where he is, and on Friday I am up in Penrith at a horse sale, so will not be around most of the day.  I have had horses in there who never tried to get out, and even Bertie the pet sheep, who is the best escape artist I know, and he did not manage it.

[Snoopy]

My Billy the little black Pygmy goat broke out of his place
earlier this week,
Joe and Tara were away so I was on my own and not up to
running around after goats.

He was scaring the cats and the hens, and so I tried to corner
him and catch him - he jumped through, over and in and out
of the post and rail fencing down the drive for fun - no point
shutting the gates then I thought

He then stopped and just looked at me, so I tried walking
towards him with a head collar, and as soon as I got within
reach of him, hea leaped at least 8ft up into the air - he's a
little squirt too - must have duracell batteries

Anyway decided I could not catch him, or close the gates to
keep him in, and Tara and Joe were at least 45 minutes away.

So got a garden chair, and sat in the middle of the drive for
45 minutes so that he wouldn't go past me and get on the road.

Just watching him playing with the cats and exploring the place
and his new found freedom was so much fun

[jameslindsay]

Aren't they just little monsters Julie? As much as you love them there are times you could just murder them.

[Roxy]

Oh Julie, I smiled at your post, but its not funny is it .....they know full well they can out run and outjump us.  I think you did the right thing sitting in the chair keeping watch - chasing your little billy would have been a waste of time and energy.

The thing with Paddy is that he has quickly learnt his way round our fields, and has not as yet, gone on the lane.  Its just if he is on the farm track, there are cottages at the bottom and cars up and down constantly, and the silly people would keep driving until he and Jasmine ran on the road at the top of the track.  It would not occur to these people to shoo the goots to the wall and they would leap back to our side again.

[Roxy]

We may have sorted the problem (no we have not sold Paddy )  OH has fastened some rope on the door, and tied it tightly on the outside to strenthen the bolt.  And so far, Paddy has not managed to head butt his way out ....although there is still time I suppose. But at least I can go to Penrith tomorrow and not worry as much (will worry, but not as much!)

[little blue]

Thats good, hope it works, while you decide what else to do!

[Roxy]

Still ok!!  I walked down the lane carrying some haylage, and Paddy smelled it (he already had some of his own!)  and decided to ram the door to get to what I was carrying.  Anyway, gave the door a few hefty whacks with his massive horns, but got no joy, so gave up.  As well as wrecking doors he has an enormous appetitie, and can put away a lot of hay and haylage.

[chickenfeed]

  have you tried pony bolts we use them on the pig runs to stop the grandchildren leting them out or getting in with them unsupervised. you need two hands to unbolt so even the cleverest goat would have no chance of escape. we buy ours from the local animal feed merchants.

[woollyval]

Hi Roxy

Can I ask a question? Why have you got him and for what purpose? It is a sad fact of life that irresponsible people sell horned entire billy kids to 'good homes' with not a thought as to what will become of them!

They are not just big and smelly but can become incredibly dangerous....I used to keep 2 or 3 stud males in the 90s when I bred pedigree goats and they had to be treated with a lot of respect when adult.....and mine were disbudded at birth so had no big horns!!!

They are a really big handful, as you are finding out! What will you do with the female goat when she kids....as she is bound to living with an entire male!......

What will you do with him long term?........Often as males become older they lose a lot of hair (esp BAs) and can get very leathery skin leading to all sorts of other problems!

You really have 2 choices.....put him humanely to sleep or have his nuts off!.......if he is not of good pedigree and CAE tested he has no future as a stud male

[Roxy]

hi thewoollyshepherd,

I must point out I am not a novice goat keeper   I have bred goats for 35 years .....all the bigger dairy breeds, British Alpine, British Toggenburgs and British Sannans.  When the foot and mouth came, I decided to stop keeping goats, and did not replace my goats when they died.

I missed my goats, so started again a few years ago, and am gradually building my herd back up again.  My main concern was the billy kids, and what to do with them.  I have solved this, as I now have contact with a lady who keeps them free range, and kills them for meat at 12 months.  The reason I have my own billy goat, is because there is no suitable billy goats in this area.  I fully understand the life some billy goats live, and they are passed on to another home very quickly because they smell.  But with having two billy goats I am well used to the smell now!!!

As well as the big goats I have a herd of pygmy goats and a pygmy billy - I already have buyers for the pygmy kids which are expected shortly.

As to what I will do with Paddy, my intention is to use him on my own goats. He is not a kid, I estimate his age at being around 3.  Its not ideal him having horns, but he is not aggressive with humans, and is easy to handle, except when he butts the door. I have 20 acres, so plenty of room for the female goats and the kids, with separate fenced paddocks, and field shelters.

[woollyval]

I see Roxy.....35 years is a lot of experience.....so really you should know what to expect when it comes to adult entire males behaviour!!!