Overly needy goats?

[MrsCowher]

I have a mother goat and her 3 month old female baby. Keep in mind that I've never spoiled them with lots of attention. They've recently started crying every time I go inside or they can hear me in the house talking or walking. They're fine once I go outside. When I get to the door to go back inside, they cry again.

They have plenty of food and water.

What can I do to make them stop feeling so needy? I can't stay outside all day.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Stay on a feeding/visiting schedule with them. So they get use to you being with them certain times of the day and the other times of the day they don't expect you to come and visit.

Give them some climbing toys.


Maybe mom is in heat, so she is being needier?

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

My goats are absolutely spoiled and they listen for noises in the house and yell when they hear me. I HATE that. I found myself trying to not talk so I didnt get the goats started. Now I look out the window and tell them I DO hear them and they're yelling for nothing, and mimic them a few times. They hate that! We even went and sat in the backyard talking one night so they understand I wouldn't come running when they made a noise. It seems to be working well.

 

[angelavl]

Our little guys have a couple of stumps that they stand on, so they can watch for us in the morning. They can see us moving around the house through the back windows. They used to cry (a little) when we first got them, but they don't really do too much of that now. Usually we come see them in the morning and then late afternoon. Often I'll let them out of their pen to graze (in our yard) at those times, or I'll give them some hay. I think it might just help for you to ignore them, except when you are planning to come spend time with them. Unless, of course, you think the baby needs more attention.

 

[2goats8kids]

Our girls do that, too. Seems like the more we do to keep them from being bored, the better. Climbing toys, blackberry brambles laced through the fence, even some silly things like we have a bright pink plastic cup that keeps one of ours amused for hours most days

 

[Queen Mum]

Silly goats, they are just so social. Sounds like they are bored. Throw some stuff in the yard that they can kick around. That might help. Another thing you could try is this:

Every time they are quiet for say 10 minutes, run out and pet them and give them a treat. When they are noisy, go inside immediately. They will soon figure out that quiet is what you want. Noise gets nothing. It might work, or it might not. You never know.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Hah! Mine cry to me all the time when they think I'm outside. It's really funny. They think I'm going to feed them or do something with them. They're pretty spoiled, come to think of it. There might be less complaints if I had a bigger yard for them, but I suspect they would still complain. They just like being with us. That's their nature.