raising friendly goats

[glenolam]

You'll get there! Now go find some does!

 

[peachick]

I was asking the same question when I got my first two.
the one thing that sped up the taming process in practically one day was.........corn chips.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Give it time...and RAISINS!!! They love them....Thats how I trained my girls....they love them...and yes....go get does...that will put a smile on his face!!!

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

bucks will be agressive when hey get older no matter how great you train them...

you train goats pretty much just like dogs. my girls are learning to pack and harness and i got them when they were older so i had a little harder a time then you do with kids.

my girls LOVE RAISINS!!! my aunt bought me a huge 4pound box of them! like i said, just like a dog. goats are sneaky and you gotta teach them that YOU are the herd king/queen. they jump on you, put your knee up or put your hand out flat against there head and push them down saying "NO" very firmly.

goats are smarter then dogs though and you'd be suprised how quick they can learn. which also means you gotta be quick to break bad habits.

hope i helped!

 

[20kidsonhill]

You didn't mention what breed of goat, but if this is a large breed be careful feeding them out of your hands and petting them all the time. Males can get very aggresive, spoiled males can be dangerous and make it very difficult for you to work in the barn and field when you are in there.

Does are a much better choice for taming and petting. This doesn't mean your bucks shouldn't be used to you being around them and caught and led on a lead, Just some of them can really start enjoying all that scratching and hand feeding and get really bossy.

 

[julieq]

I've had better luck with goats that were a bit standoffish by keeping them in a smaller area also. And it does help to have them in the same pen with a friendly goat! Keep working with them.

 

[LadyNai]

This is what did puzzle me when I moved back with the parents.

Mom and Dad had a Boer buck, a pretty thing as Boer's go but the most obnoxious aggressive thing. (Mom named him William H. Buckley but my cousin and I nicknamed him Butthead, which stuck) Once he got his job done he became brats. Parents' theory? Too many NICE animals to put up with a meanie

However, NONE of the bucks when I was a kid were like that. I could feed them, etc even as a child. We even had a bottle baby that wanted to climb on our lap and cuddle! So not all bucks are aggressive, it's much like roosters, different personalities!

As far as taming? Bribery works, but don't overdo it. And if you're the one feeding and watering them they'll learn to love you pretty fast.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

bucks will be agressive when hey get older no matter how great you train them...

Sorry ohiogoatgirl...I respectfully disagree. Not all bucks will be agressive. The time frame you most have to concern yourself is when they are in rut and completely insane and have one thing and one thing only on their minds. During rut they are flooded with hormones and literally got thru physical changes to get the job done. They lose condition, get all oil, etc etc. You must be aware of their rut and fed them a little more and make sure he knows your the goat boss. And dont have big exspectations on his behavoir during that time..Run in change water and feed..and leave him be. Thats when they are risky..cuz they have a determination to bred..and nothing else.

But I disagree that all bucks are agressive. All goats are indivduals and some can be dangerous and agressive...but not all. Not in my expirence.

Good luck!!

 

[Roll farms]

I won't own a buck I didn't bottle raise / train 'my way' ever again.

The only 2 bucks who've done damage here / offered to hurt us or another animal were dam-raised and had horns.

All of the dairy and boer bucks we've hand reared were fine....you still have to watch them in rut of course, but they didn't just ram things at the sight of me or go tear down a door when they didn't get their way.

However, I do believe it's got a lot to do w/ ea. goats individual temperament. Some are more aggressive / dominant than others.

 

[KellyHM]

bucks will be agressive when hey get older no matter how great you train them...

Sorry ohiogoatgirl...I respectfully disagree. Not all bucks will be agressive. The time frame you most have to concern yourself is when they are in rut and completely insane and have one thing and one thing only on their minds. During rut they are flooded with hormones and literally got thru physical changes to get the job done. They lose condition, get all oil, etc etc. You must be aware of their rut and fed them a little more and make sure he knows your the goat boss. And dont have big exspectations on his behavoir during that time..Run in change water and feed..and leave him be. Thats when they are risky..cuz they have a determination to bred..and nothing else.

But I disagree that all bucks are agressive. All goats are indivduals and some can be dangerous and agressive...but not all. Not in my expirence.

Good luck!!

x2. My 4-yr-old Nubian buck is the sweetest guy ever, even when he's in full rut. He still wants to walk up and give me kisses and doesn't understand why I'm trying to avoid him - b/c he STINKS!