Pgymy Goat purposefully getting her head stuck?

[winterduchess]

Hi everyone,

So we've had a couple pygmy goats for a year now. We had put up wire fencing that has larger holes near the top, shrinking down to smaller ones near the bottom. For most of this year, this was no problem - the goats would sometimes stick their heads through the top holes, but never had an issue tilting their horns back and removing their heads from the fence.

We used to store their alfalfa and grass in another area of the yard, but a month ago, we moved it closer to their pen so that we wouldn't have to carry it as far. I guess it was too close though, because they started sticking their heads through the fence and stretching so they could just barely get at the food. We found they were starting to stick their heads through the smaller holes - where they could get through it forward, but wouldn't be able to back out of it because of the horns. After a day or two of having to rescue our older goat "Boots"who would get stuck (we'd have to push down on her neck and flatten her out so her horns could clear the wire) we finally moved the hay away from the fence, as it just wasn't worth dealing with trapped goats.

However, that was a few weeks ago... and Boots still continues to get stuck in the fence. It's not an issue for our other goat at all. One day, I went out and wrestled with Boots to get her clear of the fence. As soon as she was, she walked about twenty feet down from me, and stuck her head back through the fence again! She'll do it in spots all over the pen, even areas where there was never any food.

We're planning to put chicken wire up all over the fence so that Boots can't do this anymore, but it's slow going as it's been about 105 degrees out every day. I know that there's probably nothing else we can do but re-do this fence... but I'm insanely curious as to WHY she's doing this? And if there's any short-term fixes?

Thanks!

 

[lilhill]

Because goats always look for ways to kill themselves.

 

[ksalvagno]

Because there is always something better on the other side.

 

[LadyIsabelle2011]

There is really no telling what is going on in that goats head. If she were mine (and there was no chance of her choking) I'd leave her there for a little bit...not long since it's so hot but long enough that she would catch on that being there is incredibly uncomfortable and gets her no where and no attention either. (she may just be an attention hog, even if the attention is negative ). My girls were doing something very similar but they learned better very quickly when they realized that I wasn't always gonna run to the rescue when they purposely got them selves in stupid situations. Beyond that I couldn't tell you what to do but to get that fence done, which may be the only real fix for this if you have particularly hard headed goats. :/

 

[meme]

That's one good reason to dehorn goats, but it's a little late now! I guess a new fence really is the only option.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I saw a picture recently of someone who took a foot or so long piece of pvc and taped it (I want to say electrical tape but I could be wrong!) horizontally a few inches from the tips of the horns so the goats couldnt get into trouble like this. I remember they were lamanchas but I have no clue who or where that picture was. It would be a good temporary fix for you maybe.

 

[LadyIsabelle2011]

I saw a picture recently of someone who took a foot or so long piece of pvc and taped it (I want to say electrical tape but I could be wrong!) horizontally a few inches from the tips of the horns so the goats couldnt get into trouble like this. I remember they were lamanchas but I have no clue who or where that picture was. It would be a good temporary fix for you maybe.

I saw that picture as well...can't remember who did it but it seemed like a good idea for keeping goats with horns out of trouble.