Noisy gals

[EcoHomesteaders]

Hello. I am new to this forum. My family has been slowly becoming more involved in homesteading over the last few years. We have self sufficiency as a goal. We have gardened organically for years, and kept chickens for a while but are new to goats. We picked up our mini alpine does, sisters (two) this week. They are lovely. We spend a lot of time with them in their stable which I built new last month. I have done tons of reading and research so that I would be able to take good car of these girls. The problem we have is that we are zoned rural, and are allowed to have animals on our property. We have three acres. I obtained this property from my family who has owned it for 40 years. However, our property is borderd by a subdivision. There are six homes that border our property line. All these homes have been built in the last 30 years. A majority of the homeowners are not friendly to our homesteading ways. We have been careful to not cause any problems with neighbors, such as not keeping a rooster for the noise issue. New problem I did not expect is how when we leave our goats after hanging out with them, they call for us. And they are already pretty noisy. How do we correct this? Will they "grow up" or mature out of this? They quiet down as soon as we go back to them. They even bang themselves against the walls in protest. When they finally calm down, they seem perfectly happy. They have a very luxurious stable, even heated. I am afraid that the neighbors will complain to our township.

I hate being suburban homesteaders, but we are kinda stuck here. I want to play by the rules, but I also do not want to have to follow the rest of the "sheep" that do not want to live sustainably and grow their own food. Any ideas on keeping these gals quiet? Thanks!

 

[OneFineAcre]

I hope somebody else can offer you some advice, because I certianly can't. And, we are in very similar situation.

Our goats can hear us when our feet hit the floor in the morning, and let us know it's time to feed them. When I pull up in the driveway in the afternoon, same thing

When we had our first three, and Ginger was very vocal, I tried to break her with a water spray bottle, and then the water hose.

She just moved out of range and yelled at me.

Maybe your neighbors will appreciate some homemade cheese?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

They are still adjusting to their new place. DO NOT run out to them every time they make a noise. Give them treats and praise while you are out there and when you leave don't make a big deal of it, just walk away and ignore the behavior, they should calm down once they know you aren't going to cater to their every want.

 

[SheepGirl]

With my sheep, when I'm done feeding them I say "Bye girls, bye babies, bye Hank" and they baa at me but once I'm gone they stop bleating. It took them about a month or so of me saying that to them everyday for them to understand once I say "Bye," I'm not coming back. When I don't say "Bye" and I walk away and don't come back, that's when they start making lots of noise!

 

[EcoHomesteaders]

WoW! I am very impressed with all the prompt responses and insight. I never thought of training them with a farewell type word phrase or command. We will definately begin this. We have already been trying to have routines that they can pick up on. We are also not giving in each time we hear them. However, i have three young girls (human, lol) that want to run to them each time they make a peep. So far, we are hoping that nobody take issue with our four footed friends. I really dont understand how anyone could have a problem. The neighbors dogs are far more nuisance than these does will ever be. I have been told by a good nieghbor that there is a slight murmuring about our endevour... but, it is silly. The original house on the property here was built in the mid 1800's. Certainly there were horses and all sorts of animals here, all while the subdivision was corn fields. I simply do not want a fight is all. I will deffinately offer to share our treats when they are available, but its going to be a while before these gals give up the goods. thanks for the advise!

 

[bigmike]

I can't give you much advice as to how to quieten down your goats..Mine are pretty vocal when I come home and they see me but once I go see them and feed them they quieten down...I live in town, at the edge of town but in town..It is a very small town in a rural area and I have never had any complaints about the noise the goats make..The dogs here in town are louder than the goats are..........And even though you are trying to be a good neighbor if your land is zoned rural property and is zoned agricultural then there is not much the people that have chosen to build next to you can legally do..If you were trying to set up a commercial pork operation it might be different.But having a few chickens and a couple of goats for producing food for your family should really be no problem.....I wish you the best of luck and hope everything works out well..

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

You are very kind to your neighbors. You say zoned Rural, is that the same is agricultural, meaning you are within your rights to have your animals?

Then unfortunately, I think your neighbor's would need to get over it. I have such a problem with that. Good friends of ours have a very large farm. The farm next to theirs was sold and sub-divided. The houses that paid extra for their lots that border the farm, now complain when they harvest crops because of the noise and dust and of course they love manure.

I live on 4 acres, have at least 15 different roosters here, horses and goats. My neighbor's (all but one), love my animals and actually say they like the noises. They moved to where they did to be in the country.

Good luck with your goats. You got some good advice. But I would not get rid of them, even if they do not quiet down.

 

[caralea]

Have you thought of playing a radio for them, we always kept a radio playing for the horses in the barn, its a thought.

 

[Jewls819]

I get so tired of that. People build these houses in a country area but want nothing but quiet with manicured lawns and mulch. I live in the mountains here in NC and I get so angry when people complain about animals. HELLO you live in the MOUNTAINS, yes there were bears, deer and turkeys and racoons ect here way before you and YES they will mess up your mulch..sheesh...I wish they would all go away! I am really luck to live near neighbors that are ok with it. I used to have a horse and donkey and let me tell you Chester(our donkey) would hollar alot. He was the neighborhood watch..lol. When we found them both new homes on a large ranch my neighbors acually miss all the ruckus at our house. Now we have goats it all starts again..lol. I am sorry I didnt have any advise like the other posters but just had to comment. Please dont give up on your homestead dream.