# Adding goat(s)



## Tapsmom (Apr 14, 2012)

Hi All, we are going to need to "expand" our herd.  We have a ND doe and a whether so I am thinking that we need another doe.  I don't think it's a good idea to put all my eggs in one doe   My questions are as follows.  Is it OK to just add one doe to the mix?  Are there any precautions or things I should be aware of when adding here in with the other two?  I will only be purchasing form a CAE tested herd..I am paranoid that way  I am new to goats.  We have had dogs and horses for a long time but this past year we jumped into chickens and goats as well


----------



## ksalvagno (Apr 14, 2012)

As long as the doe isn't a very timid doe, things should work out. I had a doe that was just too timid and never did do well in a new situation.


----------



## Tapsmom (Apr 14, 2012)

The doe we have is pretty timid..her brother bosses her around


----------



## ksalvagno (Apr 14, 2012)

I'm talking about the new one. Make sure they aren't the lowest in the herd and very timid with other goats.


----------



## HankTheTank (Apr 14, 2012)

Something I'd think about is that goats seem to bond in pairs. I also had a wether and a doe, and when I introduced a new doe they wouldn't (and still don't really) leave her alone, they are constantly ganging up on her. Also, if you have three, and two of them are already a bonded pair, then it leaves your new doe the odd man out and won't be able to interact much with the others. Of course, my doe was the lowest of the low on the totem pole and never fought back or stood up for herself, so things would be easier with a doe who would fight back.


----------



## Tapsmom (May 7, 2012)

We put a deposit on the new doe yesterday and she will be coming home within the month.  Our stalls are being built and should be done withine the next week or two and I will have fencing up.  I didn't want to bring her home until she has enough space so that if there are any battles at night she couldn't get away.  Are there any precautions I should take when I first bring her home?  I.e. should i run here in a seperate attached pen to let them get used to each other or should I just put her right in with them?  Is there something I can do inside there stall to give her a "safe zone"?


----------



## Mamaboid (May 7, 2012)

Do you quarantine new animals?  We always keep our separated for at least 2 weeks, so we are sure we are not bringing home any problems.  Whenever you put them in together, even if they have been across a fence from each other,there will be some jostling for position.  We have discovered a trick that seems to work.  We lock our animals up at night.  We have discovered that if we put the new addition into the field before we let the others out of their night pens, so that the new one is already 'established' in the field before they enter in the morning, it seems to go smoother.  It changes the dynamics somehow.  I know this works with certain dogs, and cats.  It is a territorial thing and anything to help transition is worth trying.  Other than that, just watch them and make sure there is an escape route for new one.  They should be fine after a little headbutting and jockeying for herd position.  Good luck.


----------



## SDBoerGoats (May 7, 2012)

We always quarantine, for at least 2 weeks, and with this last bunch of does we bought, they are still separated from our other goats. They arrived in much rougher condition than we were prepared for so didn't want our goats being exposed to worms or sickness. In addition they were all bred and didn't want any fighting among new goats that could maybe cause abortion or injury. 

After quarantine, the idea of locking up all goats at night, then turning out the new one first sounds good to me.


----------



## Tapsmom (May 7, 2012)

Since I am only adding one, wouldn't that be problematic for the new addition to be away from any other goats for 2 weeks?  What actually constitutes a "quarantine?"  A toitally seperate pasture, etc?  What do you do if that isn't an option?


----------



## SheepGirl (May 7, 2012)

When you bring animals home from anywhere...their breeder, a show, etc...it is always an excellent idea to quarantine them. You have no idea what kind of diseases or such could have been harboring in the area in which your animal was at.

When we need to quarantine, we put them on a concrete pen in the barn (but bedded with straw) so that way we can disinfect the concrete and burn the bedding. This past Sept my sheep were penned next to sheep with soremouth lesions (not sure why the fair let them come in?!), so my ewes were quarantined for 3 weeks. No soremouth. But they very well could've gotten the virus and then transferred it to the property and the other sheep.

Even one animal can bring in one bacteria cell which will reproduce quickly and infect the other animals on the property. Better to be safe than sorry and end up with sick/dead animals.


----------



## Tapsmom (Jun 21, 2012)

She came home Saturday  We actually didn't keep her separated very long at all.  She came from a closed herd that was CAE negative and I received all of her health records.  Their introduction was fairly uneventful.  My doeling is now the boss and the new doe and my whether are beneath her.  The new doe is the bottom.  I am a bit worried, however, she is not eating much.  She bleats often and only seems to snatch a mouthful here and there.  Even when we take her out to browse.  She is a very timid doe and is nervous about being caught.  We are putting them in the barn at night and leading all three to another "pasture" location during the day.  That way she gets used to the idea of coming to us and being led from one place to another. I have put hay out in two or three locations, but she just doesn't seem to eat much.  She looks around nervously and will grab a mouthful here and there.  Is this just normal "settling in" behavior?  Is there anything I should supplement her with so she doesn'y lose any weight?


----------



## manybirds (Jun 21, 2012)

Tapsmom said:
			
		

> She came home Saturday  We actually didn't keep her separated very long at all.  She came from a closed herd that was CAE negative and I received all of her health records.  Their introduction was fairly uneventful.  My doeling is now the boss and the new doe and my whether are beneath her.  The new doe is the bottom.  I am a bit worried, however, she is not eating much.  She bleats often and only seems to snatch a mouthful here and there.  Even when we take her out to browse.  She is a very timid doe and is nervous about being caught.  We are putting them in the barn at night and leading all three to another "pasture" location during the day.  That way she gets used to the idea of coming to us and being led from one place to another. I have put hay out in two or three locations, but she just doesn't seem to eat much.  She looks around nervously and will grab a mouthful here and there.  Is this just normal "settling in" behavior?  Is there anything I should supplement her with so she doesn'y lose any weight?


i wouldn't worry too much, she in a new place and all of her old herd is gone, there's nothing she recognizes and hte other goats are still probably 'solidifying' there dominance. once things calm down and the other goats arn't beating on her so much and she gets used to the new place she should be fine.


----------



## Tapsmom (Jun 21, 2012)

Is there anything I should feed her so she doesn't lose weight or am I worrying too much? We have tried some "treats" and she doesn't seem too interested.  I.e. animal crackers and some cookies, banana peels.  My other two LOVE banana peels


----------



## Tapsmom (Jun 25, 2012)

She seems to be esting fine now.  She is very skittish though I'm used to the original two..they are in your pocket and come running whenever they see us.  She  will run from us and it can get tricky trying to catch her.  We try to say quiet and will catch her just to pet her and fuss over her.  She is eager to get away but won't pull or try to run.  Any suggestions on what steps we can take to help her become much friendlier?  She is a ND and she is 2 years old.  The woman I purchased her from said she came from a herd of about a hundred and they had to cach her with a pole when she got her!  I'm not sure how long she had her but her herd was about 15 goats and it was a family farm where the goats got quite a bit of attention.  She got quite a bit better with her.  Now she is in a herd of 3


----------

