The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: chickenfeeder on November 23, 2010, 04:08:06 pm

Title: training goats
Post by: chickenfeeder on November 23, 2010, 04:08:06 pm
We have three bolshie Anglo Nubians and i wonder if any one has any advise on  training them for showing and easer handaling thx :goat:
Title: Re: training goats
Post by: jinglejoys on November 23, 2010, 06:15:37 pm
Well .....if you must have AN's what do you expect!? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: training goats
Post by: little blue on November 23, 2010, 07:30:59 pm
be patient!
keep at it!

and good luck!   :lol:
Title: Re: training goats
Post by: buddy on November 23, 2010, 11:18:39 pm
good choice of goat, we have loonies and this September we bought two beautiful nubians. These babies were born in May and hadn't really been handled. I put them in a stable for a couple of days and bribed them with half a rich tea biscuit everyday. Put a collar on them on day three and walked them out to a very small grazing plot by a lead. This routine was kept up for a week or two and that was all it took. Now have two bigger babies that come to call, love a stroke and walk to heel perfectly. I dare say though if I were to want to show it would be a lot more involved. We adore goats, love our loonies (pygmies) but the nubians are very regal and sophisticated, run like deer. Spending time being near them and with them, being very calm and consistent is key to perfect relationships, wishing you all the very best of luck.
Title: Re: training goats
Post by: ballingall on November 24, 2010, 10:14:07 am
Hi Chicken feeder,

How old are they? It's probably easiest to train them when they are young, but you will just have to try starting now. I would do as Buddy suggests and work with them every day. If you are putting them out in the field, put them on a collar and lead to walk out instead of just letting them run. Once they are used to collar and lead- take them for walks, just up and down your drive or something. If you have time in the daylight, try and do it with each one on their own, so they get used to being walked away from their friends. That can be one of the hardest things, nubians get very attached to the other goats they live with, and they can get really upset if taken away. We have 3 nubian goatlings, that are 18 months old, and they don't like being separated, and they have used to getting separated as some of them might go to a show, but not all of them.

Beth
Title: Re: training goats
Post by: chickenfeeder on November 24, 2010, 10:54:13 am
Thank you for you’re comments.They are 8-9 months old :goat:
Title: Re: training goats
Post by: ballingall on November 24, 2010, 11:05:58 am
That's not bad chickenfeeder, you should be able to persuade them to be a bit better behaved. They like treats too- so reward them with digestive biscuits or extra strong mints or something.


Bteh