Buck attacked

mpete · #21 03/20/11, 09:00 PM

several years ago I had a buck climb a 5 foot fence. The 2 X 4 did nothing (he had horns)... He did not stop his attack until I grabbed the hose that had been left on for watering the hens. He was in the freezer a couple of days later....
Use caution whenever near his pen...

The_Shepherdess · #22 03/20/11, 09:02 PM

The first buck we had, a Boer cross from the sale barn, was fairly respectful of humans. My oldest brother had to take a two-by-four to him once or twice, but that was it. Unfortunately, he OD'd on the cracked corn, and we had to use one of his bottle-fed sons. That buck developed huge horns with a twist to the side, and boy did he ever use them. We were all careful around him, because those horns hurt. When we sent him to the sale barn it was because he was taking the barn apart.

For our second herd, we acquired a young Nubian buck. He was timid, and shy of humans--it made things a little difficult when he got tangled in things, but we were in heaven! A buck who respected us? It was wonderful. He threw nice kids, too. But alas, he was the first casualty of our worm infestation before we realized what the problem was.

Now we're stuck with another set of Saanen horns. Bah. The annoying thing is that he isn't even much of a buck. He has big horns, but he's not very muscular and he bleats like a baby. All in all, he's pretty wimpy. But he still tries to stick those horns into us.

All in all.....I admire those of you who take the hard-line approach and use them for dog food, but we tend to try to work around our homicidal males. All the same, I'm really enjoying my shy ram right now.

GoldenWood Farm · #23 03/20/11, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghmerrill

With some animals, such as sheep, bottled baby males are notorious for aggression issues-being bottled, they see a person as part of the flock. Since goats tend to become very friendly toward people even if they are not bottled, has anyone had bucks fed both ways, to see if there is a difference in aggression?

All the bucks I have ever raised have been on the bottle and I have yet to have problems with them being aggressive, if I did they would be eaten. I have a harder time handling and dealing with dam raised bucks than I ever had with my bottle bucks. But with my bottle boys they learn early on what is acceptable and what isn't and sometimes it is just temperament.

My new Jr. Herdsire who I bottle raised has been a pill as of late BUT I figured out why, it is because he is fearful and doesn't have the confidence my others bucks have had. I didn't handle him as much as I did my other boys but when I start giving him more attention and time with him he cleans right up. I don't put up with any of his sass right now anyways but he does better the more time I spend with him and handle him. I also put my 6yr old buck with him and that seemed to help bring him down a notch on the whole "I'm too cool for school" chain.

All my boys when in rut I treat with respect but I haven't had problems with them doing anything. They do get bucky with you but my fellows have learned that only gets them so far with me :happy0035:.

To the OP I would see how his behavior goes and if he does it again I probably would breed him then eat him. I agree with some people that their "play" can be seen as aggression which is why my boys learn early what they can and can not do "play" wise. I am like I said having problems with my new sire but since I found the root problem I am willing to work with him but if he gets worse I will not keep him around. He is the first though I ever had ongoing problems with (though I don't believe it is aggression on his part as much as being a nervous ninny), I did have one mini who tried to hump me so I just flipped him twice and he never tried that stunt again. I would invest in a cattle prod though, because hitting him on the head could have just exasperated the situation (I am assuming that is where you hit him with the board...not that I blame you mind you). If I want to smack anyone on the "head" I get them right on their nose, they HATE it and one doesn't have to do it to hard to get their full attention. I agree that a lot of it has to do with how you handle them from growing up and sometimes it is just in their bones. My 6yr old buck always produces the nicest tempered kids you could ask for and his kids pass that trait on also.

Justine

Oat Bucket Farm · #24 03/20/11, 11:02 PM

The one time BigWig wouldn't back off from something when I needed him to, I happened to have a half full bucket of water in my hand, so I plunked the bucket upside down onto his head. Not only was his head then inside the bucket which he didn't care for but his head was also soaking wet which he really didn't like. LOL, he backs off now. He hasn't ever been agressive though. Just a little pushy that one time.

where I want to · #25 03/20/11, 11:41 PM

There are truely mean by nature bucks in this world. My very first doe kidded with a buckling that attacked my ankles when he was a couple of days old. I just stood there as he wobbled, head down, into my ankles repeatedly. His mom and siblings were fine- just this little monster had a problem.
From day one you had to keep your eye on him- he certainly kept his eye on me. If I turned away, he charged. It was such a part of his personality that I sent him off to the butchers at 5 months old when I decided he was too dangerous to keep.
Never have had such an aggressive one since then but his aggressiveness had nothing to to with "mishandling." He was just born aggressive.

Goat Servant · #26 03/21/11, 12:38 AM

Last yr we had our own home grown sweetheart of a buck. One day I picked some stuck straw off his butt. He turned around & "gently" banged my knee.
Owie owie owie!!
A few months later I put does in with him. When it was time to remove does I had Bob come with me...that sweetheart got between me & Bob & POSTURED, ready to take him down. At the time I was the only one who went into his pen unless I needed help.
Thats when we got the hotshot. I just let him run/walk into it, shoulder height. It ony took a couple zaps for him to know you dont mess with the humans that are feeding you, even if they are taking your harem out.

While showing our other buck I walked him out. He KNEW there were does around he had seen them.
We get toward the ring & all this competition is standing around. He tried to balk I grabbed his beard & walked him in a circle a few times, telling him to settle down. Beard yanking is also a good tool.

KnowOneSpecial · #27 03/21/11, 12:54 AM

My herdsire is a bottle baby buck who is now 2 years old. He is a big baby around me. He'll see me coming into the pen and he'll do a Happy Skeedaddle over to where I am. It's the goofiest run I've ever seen an animal do. He'll then put the brakes on when he gets 3 feet from me and then he'll ever so gently put the top of his head on my thigh. He never pushes, but waits for a nice neck skritch.

He did try to rear up to me, but I put my hands up and make an awful loud noise. It scared him so badly he stayed out in the pasture for 2 days.

I think the reason he does this is because the first time he reared at me I swiped his feet out from under him. It wasn't that painful, but he never did it again until a few weeks ago. He's been on his best behavior since then.

Laverne · #28 03/21/11, 01:33 AM

This came up last year in a thread here.
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/...02398573.shtml
Bucks can be dangerous.

motdaugrnds · #29 03/21/11, 01:47 AM

I can tell my #one herd buck, Roman, is not as cuddly as he use to be should I want to sit beside him. He is 12 yrs old this month; so I figure he is just not feeling as tolerant as he use to be. Still I can see the adoration in his eyes as I scratch his neck. (I will miss this big guy!)

hyamiranda · #30 03/22/11, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PyroDon

We stopped having goats when our last decided to charge our youngest daughter.
It reared up to head but her , her german shepherd who had never bothered the goats or chickens Took it down and killed it before it could complete its drop.
Some would have scolded the dog but the dog was doing exactly what it was trained to do , protect the child . Honestly I was very proud of the dog I saw what was happening but was too far away to have stopped it

Thank goodness for your dog! And people wonder why I'm such a big fan of dogs that can protect my kids and I.

We have two bucks in a pen together and have not had a problem with them. Toby, I bottle fed and he's just an easy natured guy. When we had him in with the girls, he got out and walked right up to my FIL when he came around. I don't let them take an inch though because their mile could hurt.

I'm the only one who can handle our other buck not because he's mean but because he was dam fed and 3 months old when we got him. I was able to get him on a bottle and I can do pretty much anything with him, but he won't approach anyone else.

Oat Bucket Farm · #31 03/23/11, 11:38 AM

BigWig must take after his daddy because he is such a big sweetie. He is actually one of the easiest goats to trim feet on or do anything to because he is such a gentle well behaved guy. He comes running when he sees us and loves to get scratches. In fact the wether has been more trouble than BigWig. The one time there was a weak spot in the fence, it was the stupid wether that broke through and harrassed and chased the does around. Then he wouldn't let me catch him. I finally grabbed the idiot by his long ears and tossed him back in the buck pen while my hubby fixed the fence. All the while BigWig stayed in his pen where he is suppose to be.

wintrrwolf · #32 03/24/11, 10:34 PM

I think I was just too trusting, all my previous bucks were ND's or my mini Saanen's and never had an issue. Either they were friendly or human shy. He has been very attentive from the get go not shy at all, always nibbling on my fingers, ect... So I was very surprised that he did what he did. Because of his papers and nice bloodline next year after breeding, I may see if I can trade him for another papered buck (sigh) making sure of course that the person(s) are aware of his dominance issue. He hasn't tried anything recently but I haven't gone into the boys pen this week either. I consider myself lucky as it is, though my back is saying otherwise I don't want to push it again right now.