# I made a mess that I can't clean up



## kinnip (Mar 14, 2010)

I have a year old LaMancha doe I just can't handle.  She came to me still bottle feeding at four months old.  At the time, I was rather ill and made a mistake in weaning her too quickly.  It seems to have caused some psychological damage that's getting worse (I got her last April).  She jumps all over me desperately shoving her nose all over looking for a teat.  It's sad, but it's also dangerous, she's not small.  I don't bottle raise my babies, because I'm not their mama, and I don't want to be their mama.  The other bottle babies I've purchased have figured it out pretty fast.   This little girl hasn't gotten the message yet.  I have to shove her off of me and move fast before she charges me again.  I've tried spending a few minutes petting her and talking to her, but I think it's too little too late.  The extra attention just seems to make her more desperate for suckling.  I'm at my wit's end.  She's a beautiful doe, but I can't handle the emotional baggage.  Anybody have experience with this kind of thing?


----------



## ksalvagno (Mar 14, 2010)

I don't have any experience with it but I can sympathize with you. Hopefully someone with more experience can help you. 

My only thought would be to find her a new home but make sure you clearly explain how she acts and the situation and make sure the people will take good care of her.


----------



## michickenwrangler (Mar 14, 2010)

I have a 7 week old 35 lb LaMancha buckling (with horns--bad disbudding job) who is pretty obnoxious. He was actually lifting his dam off the ground when he nursed, so I began bottle-feeding him again so poor mom could stop limping.

He reared, put his feet on me and grabbed hold of my sweatshirt in his teeth. I usually have to spank him, tell him "No!" (which usually scares him but he does come back.) He only gets attention or bottle when all four feet are on the ground. We also take him for short walks to let him climb on the remnants of snowbanks.

But, with the no petting or scratching unless all four feet on the ground, he still tries to rear and put hooves on me, but he's getting better. If she gets really obnoxious, give her a spank on the butt or the flank and don't be a wimp about it. Don't beat her just for the sake of beating her, but a firm open-handed spank with a firm "No" will give her the message.


----------



## aggieterpkatie (Mar 14, 2010)

Weaning a 4 month old goat is NOT too soon.  Many wean earlier than that.  This is what I personally hate about bottle fed goats.  They tend to be CLINGY.


----------



## dkluzier (Mar 14, 2010)

4 months is not too young to wean cold turkey.  

I have found that lifting one knee up when I can see that the goat is going to try to put their front hooves on me helps deter them from doing so.  Catching my knee in their chest area usually gets the idea across at a young age.


----------



## Horsefly (Mar 14, 2010)

I haven't experinced this and am still kind of new but I have read that a spray bottle is an efective tool for training a goat.  Goats generally hate getting wet so when you goat isn't behaving and is harassing you a spray in the face should teach her how it is acceptable to be petted.  Good luck getting your doe in line.


----------



## FunnyFarm (Mar 30, 2010)

When I first got my pygmy buck I got some great advice from someone on BYC. They told me goats discipline each other by ear biting. So anytime he did something that was not acceptable I would give him a pinch on the ear & firmly say no. It doesn't have to be a hard twisting pinch, just enough to get the point across. I used the pinching technique to train my wether from the time he was born & he is the most well behaved little goat I have. I didn't realize how well until I rescued another wether the same age that had been with people that had no clue about goats. My rescue is still getting a fair share of pinches.


----------

