# To collar or to NOT collar?



## norcal (Jun 21, 2009)

Are there risks to collaring your goats, specifically young goats?   
Like 1 month?   
I'd like to get mine used to it, as I already have one who is a handful.  
He doesn't want to come when it's time to go back in the pen.


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## norcal (Jun 21, 2009)

I put this in the wrong place, but I can't find the delete button (to move it elsewhere).    Sorry.


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## helmstead (Jun 21, 2009)

I wouldn't collar a youngster.  They climb, frolic...and are way too likely to get hung up on something.


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## bheila (Jun 21, 2009)

I used to collar my goats then I noticed they kept getting their horns stuck in each others collars when playing.  Besides, without the collars on I don't have to worry about them getting hung up on other things even though I know I've taken every precaution in the world to make their pasture and shed safe for them  Accidents happen


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## sunnygoats (Jun 21, 2009)

I collar them once they get bigger, BUT I use the plastic break-away types. There have only been a couple of times their collars "disappeared" and I found them in the woods. The plastic will not be strong enough not to break if the goats pulls, but is strong enough for me to hold onto it and lead the goat where I want her. I have some extra connector links on hand in case I need to make repairs. 
Also, my goats have all been disbudded so getting horns caught on the collars is not an issue for me.


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## mully (Jun 21, 2009)

For young goats I would use a body harness... you can make one or find one. Goats also do not like to be lead by the neck and a body harness gives you good control that they do not seem to mind so much.  Just do not leave it on the animal.  If you do use a neck collar get one that will break apart if they really pull especially if you intend to leave it on.


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## Chirpy (Jun 21, 2009)

I, also, don't collar young goats.  I keep a horse lead rope handy and just use that if I need to lead them somewhere.  I just put it on, take them to wherever and immediately take it off.  I double the lead rope and wrap it around the neck and hold it together with my hands.  That way, if they start bouncing around to where they might 'strangle' themselves I can just let go and it falls to the ground.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Jun 21, 2009)

Mine are collared, and they're both fine.  Then again, neither of my goats have horns.  And I watch them like a HAWK whenever I let them run.


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## username taken (Jun 21, 2009)

no way in hell will my goats ever have collars on again

I lost my best boer doe (imported as an embryo from south africa) because I left a collar on her - she stood on a fence with her front legs to nibble leaves off the tree in her pen, got the collar hooked on a branch stub, I found her dead in the morning, she had hung herself. 

Never again.


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## norcal (Jun 21, 2009)

Thanks for the replies.  I figured like w/ cats & collars, that it was not the greatest idea (w/o a snap-off).   When they are let out of the pen, they are with me, so I wonder if I could leave one at the gate and put it on Blanco while they're in the yard w/ me.   I'm getting tired of picking him up & carrying him back to the pen, and he's only 5 weeks.      Teeny still just follows me.....he's a cutie patootie.


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## kstaven (Jun 22, 2009)

We collar all our goats with cheap cat collars from the dollar store. The plastic is so cheap if you tug on them they break. In 5 years we have lost a few collars but never a goat because the collars aren't sturdy enough to hang anyone.


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## username taken (Jun 22, 2009)

do you have large cats or small goats? lol 

a cat collar would only fit my kids, wouldnt even come close to fitting my goatlings and adults, and by that I mean standard dairy, boer and angoras ...


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## rbbaker (Jun 22, 2009)

Mully,
Where do you find a body harness for a young/small goat?  I have 2 miniMancha doelings, and I would like to be able to take them for "walks" around the neighborhood.  Is this like a harness for a dog?  

Thanks,
Rachel


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## kstaven (Jun 22, 2009)

username taken said:
			
		

> do you have large cats or small goats? lol
> 
> a cat collar would only fit my kids, wouldnt even come close to fitting my goatlings and adults, and by that I mean standard dairy, boer and angoras ...


Ha ha

I have toggenburgs. I was referring to cat collars in reference to the original question on kids. But you can get larger cheap collars from the dollar store to fit adults.


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## username taken (Jun 22, 2009)

lol now I getcha!

ever since I lost my boer doe to the collar (I was milking her daily, hence the collar) the only thing I will leave on them is one with a plastic snap buckle that can pull open. 

Its a catch twenty two, because I like to leave collars on my dairy goats, with a clip on the collar, so that when I go out to milk I just find them wherever they are, clip them to the fence and away we go milking. But I'm really worried about collars now. And with my boers and angoras, it is quite handy to put the collar round the horns, they can hang themselves, but the dairy goats are the ones that really need the collars and they are dehorned ... 

anyway I'm just rambling here ...


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## norcal (Jun 22, 2009)

There's a person down the road that has a BIG wooden spoon tied/taped between the goats horns.   What is that for?  To keep her from getting stuck?


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## Farmer Kitty (Jun 22, 2009)

norcal said:
			
		

> There's a person down the road that has a BIG wooden spoon tied/taped between the goats horns.   What is that for?  To keep her from getting stuck?


I'm guessing to keep her from sticking her head through the fence and getting stuck. We have tried a halter with a pipe on it for calves for this purpose.


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## username taken (Jun 22, 2009)

yup, stop her getting her head stuck


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## nightshade (Jun 23, 2009)

accidents happen this is the case with anything, they can get their head stuck in the fence with or without collars/ with or without horns. They can jump off something wrong and get hurt and die. They can try to jump over something and land on it impaling themselves. 

With that said all of my goats have dog collars with small bells on them so that if anyone gets lose I can find them. I also have collars on them so that I can work with them about being led on a leach and are use to going for walks and such just like a dog would.


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## FlipFlopFarmer (Nov 5, 2010)

how to make any collar a safety collar.... this coms from doing this with my horse halters.  Get a lil bundle of that leather string, about the same size as shoelace string would be, it is sold at most every livestock supply place or saddle shop. on a regular dog collar, instead of buckling it, tie the buckle to the other end by running the leather string through the holes and the buckle. so, it is strong enough to lead the goat with, but if they pull back, the leather will snap. you will have to fetch a collar or two out of the pasture, but it beats a strangled goat.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Nov 5, 2010)

I personally dont collar...but its up to you..there are safe alternatives out there if you want.  I have a face harnus and lead...and I need someone..I just go get em!  Thats all...and they really dont like to be lead by the neck anyway...I have a few that I dont even have to rope..I just put my hand on thier head and they follow...and I said a few...LOL


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## Ariel301 (Nov 5, 2010)

kstaven said:
			
		

> We collar all our goats with cheap cat collars from the dollar store. The plastic is so cheap if you tug on them they break. In 5 years we have lost a few collars but never a goat because the collars aren't sturdy enough to hang anyone.


I use those cheap collars too. My goats get their first collar at around a week old, which is when I start training them to walk on a leash and behave in public. I never have a problem with them, but my goats are in chain link pens and we have no trees.


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