Emma just tried to mount Honey... after she did a lot of tounge flapping and pawing at her! We have a little stormy weather rolling in late this afternoon, so we'll see!
Sorry to break in here but is that mounting a "normal" thing for two girls? Mine do the same thing so was just wondering. Have only had them a month tomorrow. One of them is preggers so didn't know if this is strange or not. Thanks, and nice goat. Hope things go well for her.
I'm not an expert, but I'm seeing this as a change of behavior, this particular doe has never acted this way. I'd see it as normal with new goats trying to establish dominance, does in heat or other hormonal changes (which is what I suspect with my girl). Did you get your girls from the same place or are they new to each other as well?
I bought both girls from the same woman but they had never been in the same pen together until the morning I got them. She put them together to see if they would be alright and she said they were fine. One does tend to head butt the preg. one more often. She will go for the head mostly but occasionally will go for the sides. I have tried to stop it when I am in there with them but I can't be there all the time. The mounting concerns me as well since she will use her front legs to "hang on" around the preg. one. Don't think that would hurt her but never know how far they will take it. Could get rough. Other than that they are getting along well. I wasn't given any instructions and I thought I knew how to do things so didn't ask. I have one feed bucket that they share most of the time alright. There is some head butting there once in awhile. I have a little food in it most of the time since the "more dominate one" is so skinny. Her sides cave in starting at the back bone and you can feel her ribs. Trying to fatten her up a smidgen. It isn't working. She has been this way since I got her. My main concern I guess is the head butting on the pregnant one since she is due within a month or so.
It does look strange when the brown one will try and mount the black one though since they are both females. I thought I got strange goats at first till I read that others do this. Just wondering if this is abnormal behavior or what?
Crazy rain last night and again today! no babies though... Emma is doing a bunch of yawning today, and her ligs are softening even more! Honey is still all mush. It was pouring on me so I forgot to check out either udder...
Mitransplant:
Sounds normal to me, if they are new to each other they will headbutt to establish dominance. They figure it out soon enough. But then again I'm not an expert. You'll get a lot more responses to these questions if you post it in the behavior section. As far as the weight issue, has she been wormed? If you're trying to fatten her up and it's not working I'd think worms (though I have a doe that I can't fatten up even though I have wormed her!) I would try fattening her up with hay instead of more grain though!
And let me tell you, you can to the right place for questions! This forum is awesome, and if others see you post on this thread, they will chime in to help, but you'll get a lot more attention on a thread of your own