Herd Queens Attitude

[SarahFair]

Ive had my herd queen since she was about 5 months old. Shes now about 2 years old..
She has always been very sweet to me and never very rough with other goats.

I kept her 1 kid until he was about a year old. I had the father of him for a little over a year.
I waited till she kidded twins to get rid of her 1st born and her buck.
Since then she has had sort of a bad attitude. She isnt very nice to Fancy (an older large mix) and herds her away from any area shes around.
Mamas always snorting (something she hasnt really ever done too much) lately.. and has become pushy.


My two nubian bucklings (only 2-3 months old) are constantly in her thunder. Shell go out of her way to shove them. Ive banded one and want to use the other for a breeder.




Ive put Fancy, Mamas twins, and the nubians in a pen all on their own to see if Mama wont soften up.
Its time for her twins to be sold off and Im scared shell come down hard on the rest of the herd.


....whats up with her bad attitude as of late?
Will she let a buckling she pushes around breed her this fall?
Anything I can do to soften her up?

 

[ksalvagno]

You changed herd dynamics so that must have affected her. I'm not sure if being her specific kid made it worse or what. She may be very "family" oriented and so upset that you took her baby away. Obviously you can't keep all her kids so do what you have to do. Maybe if you have to, separate her for a little while from the rest of the herd. Then reintroduce her and see if she is still herd queen or if the dynamics change.

 

[SarahFair]

Ive separated her from everyone and she doesnt seem to mind at all..
Her twins from this year are being sold off today.
That will leave me with 1 doe and 2 bucklings (well, one is in the process of becoming a wether). The doe is way larger and a couple years older, but fears the queen. Its weird how she always wants to be next to her even though the queen is extra pushy with her.


Im hoping the queen will take a liking to the bucklings when her twins are sold off.

 

[SarahFair]

I think Fancy (The low doe on the rung) has decided she wants a go at queen.
She has been challenging Mama and mostly winning.

Fancy just wont back down.
When Mama is sniffing at something on the ground Fancy will come and stick her nose right in it. Everything stops. Fancy Will then run her nose up Mamas leg and start sniffing a little harder.
Thats when the battle cries start and the rearing, head butting and pushing.
After realizing Fancy isnt backing down Mama will retreat, but not quietly


Guess the introduction of a new doe has everyone in a tiff