I have 3 goats -- 2 does and a wether -- and the older doe (2 years) is aggressive towards the doeling. Now, the older doe is Mama Doe, so the younger are both twins. Ever since they were born, Mama Doe has been mean to the doeling but has no aggression towards the wether. The behavior towards the doeling is mainly headbutting unnecessarily (i.e. when all three are eating hay and randomly headbutts doeling out of the way, does not always happen). Mama doe has always been this way, but the only way I can think to compare this to human words are "wishy-washy feelings towards the kid." I know that there is herding order, but from what I can tell, doeling does not show or express any kind of dominance. She is the most loving out of all of them and the calmest. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help?
Doe being aggressive towards other doe
- Thread starter apb9114
- Start date
I have 2 does and 2 wethers, and the wethers bully the does (especially the big boy, Gary.) One of the does fights back and has enough bad attitude to just get them to lay off, but the other one runs into the barn and hides. I have started just not letting them bully her at feed time by getting in the way and pushing them away from her until she starts eating and they give up, it sometimes takes several rounds of pushing them away and getting her back to the food. I have found if I do this, they seem to ease up. However, when they start up again, I have to do it again. I am not sure if there is a specific time when the bullying happens when you could just show some displeasure at what is going on?
Others may know more tricks, but that is what I've done and for the most part, it works for awhile.
Others may know more tricks, but that is what I've done and for the most part, it works for awhile.
chickens really
Herd Master
Nothing to worry about. Just the Queen goat keeping her position in the herd. The oldest Doe is always the the highest ranking. I have 4 goats. 2 Does and two wethers. My one wether thinks he is boss until he makes my Oldest Doe mad. She quickly reminds him who is in charge.
Bunnylady
Herd Master
Dominant goats don't need provocation to remind lower-ranking goats of their dominance, they do it as a matter of course. Driving other goats away from a resource like food or shelter is typical dominance behavior. If you are concerned that the doeling may not be getting enough food, you need to make sure she gets her share, and that generally involves feeding in more places than the dominant goat(s) can defend at one time, separated either by a barrier, or enough distance to make it not worth running back and forth. You can try standing there and interfering, but the effect of that will only last as long as you are standing there - when you aren't there, they will go right back to it again.
Yep, goats are just like that. My head doe is like that with the other does but singles out one other doe in particular and I have no idea why. But the picked on doe just learns to stay out of her way as much as possible. The worst is probably my Jellybean, a bottle baby from the spring she seems to be hated by all the does, especially her mom. I have her in a stall/run with 2 other doelings and they do pick on her a bit but it's manageable, not like when I tried her with the grown does.
But my bucks all get along wonderful, I do keep them housed far from the does though.
Now my 2 rams (father and son) was a different story . I finally had to separate the 2
But my bucks all get along wonderful, I do keep them housed far from the does though.
Now my 2 rams (father and son) was a different story . I finally had to separate the 2
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Some does choose one kid to prefer over another. She apparently allowed her to nurse though and took care of her long enough to get her grown. If you remove the wether, it will be less apparent that the mama (herd queen) is picking in the doeling. Next year with another group of kids, things will stabilize again, particularly after the doeling has kids of her own to add to the herd. The herd queen will also be top of the heap and in charge and will have to prove her dominance to the others. This is natural in a herd. The current doeling, unless she is exceptionally timid, will move into second position, and the incoming doelings will all jockey for positions as well. Herd hierarchy is carefully maintained until something dire like the death or severe injury/illness of the herd queen occur. Then they will all jocky for osition again. The herd queen keeps everyone in their assigned positions to keep order within the herd.
