[Tanit]

We're scratching our heads on this query & hope someone can help with their range of experience on goat behaviour.

We have 2 rescue goats : Bonnie (Angora x Pygmy) now about 10 yo. Bertie (her son) x Anglo Nubian now aged about 7. They have been with us for about 2 years now. Bertie is a wether.

Over the past 2-3 weeks, Bertie has become "aggressive" to Bonnie (both are horned). For example, this morning when I let them in the field, he immediately butted her & then horned her under the back leg - fortunately no wound this time (although he has gored her once before when play got too rough). She is trying to get away from him (she is much smaller than he is - he is a big Nubian size, she is more pygmy sized) & hiding behind bushes where he can't get to her. She also won't go into the field shelter if he goes in so have to bring them both in if it starts raining. Neither, however, really wants to be separated from the other....he bleats incessantly & Bonnie just stands there looking for him.

Very worried about this & no idea what has caused this change in behaviour or how to put things right. No lice, fleas or damage to Bertie which could be making him irritable (he does challenge us but we know how to handle him & he can be very loving at times). Soon, though, Bonnie is going to starve as she won't get to eat much while hiding behind those bushes! Bonnie has always been "top" goat...does he sense she is getting older (she does have a bit of arthritis in one leg) & is challenging her?

Any ideas or help, pointers etc would be very welcome. We have tried putting them in different stables next to each other but Bertie either jumps in or batters down the gate to end up in the same stable as Bonnie.

 
Thanks for reading this.

 

[jaykay]

I suspect he's seeing her getting a bit older and slower, and is challenging for 'top goat'.

Many herds have a bolshy top goat - mine is Ellie. She keeps the others under her hoof, but like yourself they're also inseparable. I 'engineer out' the problem by having several smaller hay racks and several buckets, so Ellie can't police them all. My field shelter has two doors, so one goat can't stop the other leaving, or get them in a corner and bash them.  In my stone byre, the others can get up onto the wide window ledges to get out of Ellie's way if necessary.

[tattycat]

Hiya Tanit, as Jaykay says, prob challenging for top goat. I've got a similar problem with my nanny nd daughter ,posted on 'bullying granny'. Try running a strip of electric between them when out, so they can still see each other without the bullying. My girls shed is finally finished nd they are together again with no way of getting to each other, nd both much happier! Not a moment  too soon.....Now to split the other two.........

[shygirl]

have you tried a metal grid on the stable door to prevent the wether from breaking in/out? they are in catalogues such as Robinsons country leisure etc.