Addy's Settling In

[NH homesteader]

My herd queen is my smallest goat... So size isn't everything! Some goats are more aggressive than others, but they all will fight for dominance when you first put them together.

I would definitely not let her be outside without fencing.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Well ya never know just how those things will turn out and don't ever underestimate a pygmy, even tho ya are probably right; weight plays a bigger part than size (height). The status of Queen protects her offspring from the others. Also, if it were me, I wouldn't let her out until you can enter her pen and Addy allow ya to hook a 20' lead to her collar. This comes from experience. It is really difficult to catch a goat that won't come near ya and unless ya are willing to go thru brambles, briars, up and down hills, and under short limbs on trees you will never catch it. So, it is for your benefit and hers.

 

[NH homesteader]

My 50 lb herd queen is very in charge of my 92 lb wether!

The isolation is more for transmission of diseases like CAE, CL and Johnes disease... Among other things. Is your herd tested? Very important, especially if you plan to milk!

Wow her sire was way over height! She's a good looking doe though, and I don't care much about height for my girls.

 

[Lanthanum]

I'm not entirely sure who's in charge in my herd because I only have four goats, and it's Bonnie and Clyde and their daighter Scout at the top of the hierarchy. Bonnie won't hesitate to hit Clyde if he's out of line but Clyde will hit her back (not hard though he just lightly rams her horns). And no one messes with Scout. Everyone picks on Bobo though, he is the newest and the smallest, he tries to hit back sometimes but he does one hard hit then runs away. I think Scout has a high place in the herd though because no one hits her but she will rear up at anyone who gets on her nerves, and since I keep her seperate from the others now since she went into heat, she wanders the yard around the pen. I had her in my seperation pen but now that is where Addy stays so she won't run away. Scout keeps trying to headbutt Addy through the fence, she is acting in a very, "I'm in charge, you need to leave", kind of way. Addy just stomps her feet at everything. She is scaring the dogs (who are absolute sweethearts) whenever they come into her sight because she rears up, snorts, and stonps her front feet hard on the ground. She does it repeatedly until they leave. Is this normal behavior? All my other goats are fine with the dogs.
Also, as a friendlier update, I have gotten her to take bread and leaves from my hand, but she only will nibble the very tip of the snack as not to touch my hand. She only does this when I'm outside her pen though, I tried giving her a snack while sitting in the pen, but the second I opened the gate she high tailed it into the back of the shelter and wouldn't do any more than poke her head around the corner

 

[NH homesteader]

I bought two goats this summer that had never been around dogs before and they pretty much did the same thing. They were terrified! They pretty much ignore them now... She should get used to them if they're calm around her.

 

[Lanthanum]

If I sit there a while she'll lay down in the entry

But here is what she does when I get close to the pen

 

[CntryBoy777]

Well I would keep working at it and give her time to get comfortable, she will come around. The foot stomping is a warning and done when they feel threatened so don't force the issue, she will calm down and get more settled each day, she is still processing new people, animals, sounds, and smells. Just put yourself in her "Hooves" and try to understand these things from her perspective. You'd feel the same way if someone dropped ya off in a foriegn land and pushed, shoved, and placed in a strange situation that ya couldn't control. It would take you time to adjust and so it will be for her, be patient and understanding.

 

[Latestarter]

Grab a lawn chair and a book and something to drink and take a seat inside her enclosure. If you have some crackers or raisins or something along just make yourself comfy and read. Pay her no mind at all. leave a couple treats close to you for her to smell and find. make a small trail of treats from the opening toward you. Goats are curious... eventually she'll come over to see if what you're reading is edible

 

[Lanthanum]

Grab a lawn chair and a book and something to drink and take a seat inside her enclosure. If you have some crackers or raisins or something along just make yourself comfy and read. Pay her no mind at all. leave a couple treats close to you for her to smell and find. make a small trail of treats from the opening toward you. Goats are curious... eventually she'll come over to see if what you're reading is edible

Ooh, good idea. And I LOVE to read so that ought to be perfect. I'll try that tomorrow

 

[Lanthanum]

She's still headbutting and stomping/snorting at everything that comes near her, especially dogs and other goats. I'm getting kind of worried, she's fine with me and the chickens as far as aggression goes, but other animals, not so much. She has learned that I am okay if I have food and stay as still as a statue at every moment in time