# Goat bullies



## chickenrunnin (Aug 4, 2009)

My pregnant Boer doe is very mean to the babies (who arent hers). She butts them, throws them really far and tramples them. I have 3 4 month old kids in with her. We just got her and she came with the babies. She is nicer to the smallest one, but is really really mean to the Saanen. Any suggestions. They have quite a bit of room to keep away from her but she in close proximity is not very nice. Especially feeding time. Any ideas?


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## ()relics (Aug 4, 2009)

normal goat behavior...she probaly isn't trying to hurt them but is rather saying"stay away you are not my kid"...and feeding time just adds to a goats indifference to its surroundings even its own kids.


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## username taken (Aug 4, 2009)

normal goat behaviour. You have to make sure the pen is big enough for them to get away, also you will need to spread the feed out further to make sure the littlies get some. And do watch to make sure she doesnt do this behaviour to newborn kids - because occasionally they do it and they can and will kill them.


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## cmjust0 (Aug 5, 2009)

Plenty of space or total seperation is the solution here..  Our boer doe was notoriously mean to the other girls' babies, but I'm fairly certain that's why nature ensured that goat kids can run so fast.  

We did seperate the kids at feeding time until everybody got big enough to handle themselves, though..  That sounds like a huge headache, but once everybody got used to the routine...piece of cake.  They'd literally run and take their positions as soon as they heard grain going into tubs...kids went one way, adults went another.  Pretty funny to watch.


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## Griffin's Ark (Aug 7, 2009)

And now that the days are getting shorter it will get worse!  Adult does are going into heat and lookout.  The antics can be extrememly entertaining, but they can get nasty too.  I am in the process of moving girls around to where they are going to get the attention that I want them to get from a particular  buck.  But the girls were not all created equal, so it gets a little hairy sometimes.  I only had two shelters set up, but looks like I will have to have a third just to keep everyone happy and safe.  Cisco will just have to do a little more traveling while courting this fall.

Chris


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## warthog (Aug 14, 2009)

I feel for you.

I am new to goats and my 3 does, 1 - 4 months old and two 2.5 months old, all from the same source.

The problem I am having at the moment is the 4 month old doe is bullying the other two, and one in particular.  She doesn't try to hurt them as such just pushes them out the way.

At feed time she will push her out the way whichever feeder she goes into the other young one pushes back and gets to the feeder.

If i put anything into the pen for them clippings, branches etc, she will push this particular one out of the way, talk a little nibble at everything, then walk over to where the other one is and push her out again.

Anyone any suggestions?

I am making she she gets enough food, by bringing her out of the pen and feeding her seperately, but I don't want to make a rod for my back!!


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## lilhill (Aug 15, 2009)

They are just establishing their "pecking" order, and as long the one getting picked on is getting her share of feed, then they will work it out.  When the younger one gets a bit older, she'll learn to take up for herself.


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