Does this seem unusual?

[Shinsan]

1. We inherited a Boer nanny, (Bella), when we bought our property,and she has now become a much loved family pet. She was on a chain, and the previous property owners said that she had always been on one - didn't like being without it. Well, we took her to a different pen and let her off the chain - and she went beserk! Raced back to her normal area and started pawing at the chain and bleating like the sky had fallen on her. Put her back on the chain and she straight away calmed down, and has been happy ever since. The chain actually broke once when we were away, but she didn't leave the property - just came up on to the back porch and waited for us to come home. Don't know what to make of it.

2. Today the cat followed me into 'Bella's territory', with the dog following, and I picked him up and held him against my chest. Bella seemed to resent this; gave be a good head butt in the backside, and acted very aggressive. She also butted the dog, which is about parr for the course, but then positioned herself between me and the dog. When I put the cat down she immediately became very friendly again. Is jealousy a normal trait of pet goats, or is this one a bit unusual?

Shin

[chris30523]

Sounds like she thinks she is a dog.

[pookshollow]

Is jealousy a normal trait of pet goats,

It sure is! of all goats that have been socialized. Mine all like to crowd around me and get fussed over, and boy, do they get jealous! If I pick up one of the newer kids, Emily, my four-month-old bottle baby, insists that it's her lap. She's too darned big, but that doesn't matter.

[~PrairieGirl~]

Maybe you could start by leaving the chain on her and taking if off whatever it is hooked to, that way maybe she will feel more "grounded" You'll probably have to watch her while then chain still hits the ground that she doesn't get caught up and then maybe the chain could just get shorter and shorter until it is gone?

Mine all seem to butt the dog. It is usually whoever is the "boss" goat is at the time. Everybody has to know thier place ya know That is just the lab though b/c she is so laid back and in thier space. Now if I let the aussie out they are all freaked out and trying thier best to hide behind me. Mind you the dog has never done anything to them ,not even a chase.

[Janis Sauncy]

Personally, I think any goat that has spent its entire life by itself (and at the end of a chain) is going to have "issues." They're herd animals and need the company of others (preferably their own species).

Some years ago, some neighbors behind me had an Alpine wether that lived his life at the end of a 12-foot chain. He was so miserable, always pacing back and forth the length of his chain. The neighbor dogs attacked him and chewed him up pretty good. At least the owners did have the vet out.

Eventually, he started getting loose and coming to "visit" my goats. I took him in, with the blessing of the neighbor, but he was always crazy. We named him "Knuclehead."

Some very nice people who bought some baby goats from me, for some reason, fell in love with "Knuckles" and since I knew he'd have an excellent home, I let him go. The husband, especially, bonded with him and when they moved to California, they not only took the ones the had bought from me but "Knuckles," too.

Anyway, have you considered getting her another goat? Depending on how old she is, though, she may not bond right away with another one. But, if you got another one, maybe on a "trial," to see if she would accept it (it could take a few days, or more), perhaps you'd have a much happier goat. When I was selling, I wouldn't even sell a single unless I knew it was going somewhere where there was at least one more goat. I also wouldn't sell if I knew it was going to end up on a chain 24/7.

Janis

[mygoat]

First, I suggest you NEVER allow her to butt you again, no matter the reason. That is VERY bad, imagine if she did serious damage to you, a neibor, or worse, a small child? From a very young age my kids are raised to distinctly KNOW that butting people is a HUGE mistake.

I don't really like tie outs for goats... they are rather dangerous. I've never had any serious injuries by them here, and I have used them, but I much prefer a pasture because goats need the activity and browsing that only a pasture can provide. You'll cut down on feed bills if there is a pasture involved, too. The best thing for her would probably be to build her a pen, and cut off the chain short (like a foot or so, so it dangles from her collar) and leave her in the pen with just the short chain on her so she gets used to the pasture. after a while you could just take the chain away entirely... Or just make a straight transition from chain to pasture, she'll get used to it. I also suggest she gets a buddy,as goats don't get along well alone. She may seem okay, but she is probably bored out of her mind most of the time and would really benefit from a buddy. That way, she'll have one of her own kind to butt around with, hehe.

Oh, and all my goats attack my dogs, hehe. Our neighbor's pitbull is terrified of my goats, hehe.

[Shinsan]

Thanks guys. Following your advice, the plan now is to put Bella in a pen with some chain attached to the collar, but not the post, then later remove the chain completely.
We have a Boer stud not far from us, and the owner offered to take her for a spell to be with other goats. He also said he'd check her thoroughly and see if she could be got with kid if we wanted. I'm are pretty happy about that, as it was my original intention anyway. The neighbours on each side have offered us the use of their back paddock, each of 1 acre, so I'll use one for the goats and the other for a couple of Dexters, (or can they be run together?).

Shin

[HazyDay]

Originally Posted by Shinsan

The neighbours on each side have offered us the use of their back paddock, each of 1 acre, so I'll use one for the goats and the other for a couple of Dexters, (or can they be run together?).

Going by what most do, it can be done. Just use good goat and cow friendly fences!

[Ernie]

The butting is something my goats occasionally do as well. They'll pester the chickens and the barn cats but about once every other week the alpha female will decide she's going to butt me or jump up on me. It's a constant testing of boundaries that earns her a reprimanding slap across the big goat nose. She still gives it a try periodically, assumably to see if I've come down in the pecking order.

Ironically, she doesn't do this with my wife.

[Lizzieag]

My goats always acts like cats are some horrible monster. Dogs are fine, but cats..well they must be deadly!

I second what everyone else says. Gradually work her off of that chain, into a paddock. I think breeding her is a decent idea. She needs a goat friend and might have a hard time adjusting to a full grown goat, but will probably accept her own kids well. Does she have a dog house that she sleeps in and the chain is attached to? She may get a great deal of security from that dog house and that "spot" in the yard. Sometimes it is a good idea to place a paddock around her and the chain and then gradually move her somewhere else. Cattle panels are a good way to make a temporary place.

Another thought is, that she might be able to interact with the family more where her chain is compared to the place you want to pen her. If she doesn't have a goat "buddy" in the penning area, she may panic because she doesn't want to be alone.

A friend of mine, had a goat that was totally happy on a chain because it could see in their sliding glass doors. (it was on a chain because it was injured and had to be separated from the other goats for a time) Anytime they moved the chain or tried to put the goat back in the pen, it just freaked out. I guess it was addicted to watching them through that slider...TV for goats maybe.