# Headbutting. How to stop?



## terrilhb

My 1 year old doe is being a something. When feeding her she head butts me all the time. Anytime I touch her and she does not like it she either headbutts me or takes her front leg and kicks me or hits me with it. I was going to put her down on her side but she is pregnant. I don't know if it will hurt her. Any advice on how to stop her. I grabbed her by her horns yesterday until she quit fussing. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.


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## 20kidsonhill

grab her ear, they hate their ears being pulled on.


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## terrilhb

Thanks 20kidsonhill 
I appreciate it. She is so funny but I can't allow that. I will try it.


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## 20kidsonhill

I would also probably say the same command, No, Stop or back. in a firm voice.  My bucks respond to down, when I am putting out grain. Otherwise, I had one that was constantly jumping trying to get his nose in the feed bucket, before I poured it out.


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## Ariel72

My ND did the same thing when i first got her.  She'd butt me if I touched her while she was eating.  I don't know if it was the best thing, but I thumped her in the shoulder, like another goat butting her, and said no! very firmly.  I had to do it 3 times in a row.  When she let me touch her briefly while she was eating I figured I'd end on a good note and stopped for that feeding.  The next day she was perfect.  She still challenges me sometimes, but a tap on the shoulder and saying no usually brings her around.  If it doesn't, I get more firm with her.  I make it a point to handle her at least everytime I feed her.  I never let her get away with challenging me...I call her on it every time.  She is small, don't know if it would work as well on a standard sized goat.


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## terrilhb

Thank you Ariel72. I will try both methods. She is small. She looks just like a boer. Attitude from heck. She is so sweet but such attitude. But I love her. Just have to stop this nonsense. She headbutted me the other day and left a bruise.


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## Queen Mum

The push to the shoulder is a very good way to remind her that she is out of line.  A dominant goat will do this to a "lower" goat in the her as a reminder that she is out of line.  If that doesn't work well, then grab a small tuft of hair and give it a twist and say no very firmly.   That is next step in goat language.


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## neener92

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> grab her ear, they hate their ears being pulled on.


It also works to keep them from jumping on you.


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## Ariel72

Don't you just love goats.  They can be so sassy/ onery/ thick headed and sweet/ loving/ adorable.  Its all part of their charm


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## 3kidsmom

Pinching their nose may also work.


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## SarahFair

When my herd queen starts shoving my bottle babies around Ill take my foot and give her a good shove. 
Guess who doesnt mess with them anymore?


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## Dapplepony

I have this same problem, except I have a one year old South African Boer!


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## hannahbanana3

take a spray bottle of water in there and spray her when she does it because goats hate water
good luck


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## SDBoerGoats

Hmmm, I am having problems feeding grain to my pen of does and kids right now. There is a long grain box inside their 3 sided shed. I have to walk through the pen to get to the grain box. They see me coming with the bucket and they are crashing open the gate, smashed me in the face with it one day. If I manage to get through the gate, they are standing up ramming their heads into the bucket. I am dreading grain time! I told my SIL that I wanted the grain box built on the back side of the shed, with an opening so I could just pour the grain in, he thought I was being way too fussy. I am the one here feeding the goats, not him! Should I carry a squirt gun maybe?


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## Queen Mum

Sounds like a good idea to me.


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