# Taming a dangerous buck



## Horsefly (May 2, 2010)

I just thought I would share this discovery I made.  It has made life so much easier.
We have a 1 1/2 year old fainting goat buck and he is really pushy and even dangerous.  He was the first animal born on our property and our first kid.  Being we were new we made mistakes with his upbringing, when he was small we would think it was funny and let him play push us and butt us.  I knew we shouldn't let him do it but the rest of the family did anyway.  We also didn't get him dehorned or wethered like we should of.  As he grew bigger he got pushier, smellier, and learned how to use his horns (prod you, rip the fence up if he was irritated, etc.).  We could handle him some but it is almost inevitable to come out of "battle" with him with bruises on you legs from him hooking you.  His favorite was to catch your arm between his horns and twist.  And finally he got to big and strong to be able to flip and win.  I was always scared to have people over to pet the goats and he had to be locked up if there were others around.  Then he would prosede to rip the fence off the post.  It was also a big ordeal to find someone who could handle him when we went out of town.  He was almost sent to the butcher several time but for some reason we never did.  In short he was a danger.  I tried pinching him over his neck and that helped or pushing him in the chest but he would still try again and again to catch you off guard.  After searching the Internet I found some site that said goats hate water and to use a spray bottle to get rid of unwanted behavior.  I never tried it with "Chilly" (buck) because I figured he was to aggressive.  
So when we had our new babies this year we got another buckling.  We started him off right and he is dehorned and we just banded him.  We don't tolerate pushing and when he was pushing me a bit 2 days ago I remembered the spray bottle and decided to use it to help train him.  When I went back out with the spray bottle Chilly aproched me and started pushing and rearing thing to me and I squirted him, you would think I shocked him!  He jumped back!  I was just amazed that a little mist of water could deter him.  So the past couple day we take a spray bottle with us out with the goats and it is amazing the difference in him.  He doesn't try to run you over or push you even if you don't have the bottle, he is now easier to be around and we don't have to worry he will hurt some one.  I am so happy we tried this with him.
We are planning on selling him in the future and I am sure it will be much easier to sell a friendly goat than one that wants to gore you.  
I thought I would share this story for anyone going through this.  It doesn't hurt him and just shows what is the correct behavior.  This was more longwinded than I set out to write but hopefully it helps someone.


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## SarahFair (May 3, 2010)

Have you tried putting tennis balls on his horns? This wont stop his behaviour but it might be more comfortable for you 


Great you found something that works!


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## haviris (May 3, 2010)

He's not to old to castrate.


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## Horsefly (May 3, 2010)

Our bander doesn't fit him anymore and I wouldn't want to stress him that much because he is bigger.  He has been behaving himself the last few days and hasn't tried to challenge me.  We are probably going to sell him in a few months and get a new dairy buck.
I haven't tried tennis balls, may have to if he starts being pushy again.


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## haviris (May 4, 2010)

You could also band his horns if they aren't to big. Personally I would not allow an aggressive buck to keep his man hood. I've never had an aggressive buck, but I have castrated adults (not w/ a band, the oldest I have banded was 6 months)


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## Horsefly (May 4, 2010)

His horns are really big and thick.  He is sooo pretty though.  We will see what happens with him.


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## Mini-M Ranch (May 4, 2010)

I completely understand you not wanting to keep him. Aggressive animals don't stay on our farm...BUT, I don't think I would sell him to someone else the way he is.  I'd either pay to have him castrated by a vet or...well...our aggressive rooster went to freezer camp.

I know it sounds cruel, but I would not want an aggressive buck to hurt anyone, even someone I was just selling him to.  Unless I could find someone who totally didn't care if he was aggressive to take him, I wouldn't want to pass on the problem.

BTW - he is lovely!


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## Horsefly (May 4, 2010)

Yes I wouldn't want to give him to an unsespecting person to handle.  The main reason of my post though was to share how I had found a way to tame his agressiveness and teach him to respect me and have manners.


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## peachick (May 20, 2010)

Thank you for this post. 

Im brand new to goats....  this is something  I will try if needed.  Watter bottles never worked with my dogs...  they love water 
(actually  I have a naughty peacock  I might try it on)


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## dkluzier (May 20, 2010)

> ...well...our aggressive rooster went to freezer camp


same here though - had a roo that was floggin my baby goats and he tasted rather yummy.

we haven't done that to any goats yet but believe you me - I have threatened our one goat several times and there are days I would consider him for the dinner table.  He throws beautiful babies though, with spots that are popular in our area and so far all girls that have not been aggressive.  

I try not to enter the pen with him unless I absolutely have to and he is now housed with a wether only since he seemed at his worst when the girls went into heat and another buck was in the pen with him... he gave our disbudded pygmy a nasty black infected eye once.


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## bbredmom (Aug 31, 2010)

I had a local goat lady tell me this weekend to tape pvc pipe across the tips of a bucks horns and leave it there for a month. She's done this with all her aggressive bucks (and some does) and its calms them down. She doesn't know why, she learned it from her momma (old goat family), but she says it works.

Here is her company BTW. Very nice lady.

http://arkansassoapcompany.com/index.html


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## peachick (Aug 31, 2010)

I was thinking that tennis balls on each horn would look cute


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