disciplining a goat?

perplexed · #1 06/12/08, 12:21 PM

I've had my mama goat and her two kids for a month now. She was super sweet in the beginning and now she is starting to butt me and hook me with her horns. She isn't highly aggressive, mostly she just gives me a push when I am separating her kids from her at night. She does try at other times too. Is she pushing me to see what my boundaries are?

I smack her in the nose when she does it. Are there any other ways of dealing with a goat to actually teach them?

hiswife · #2 06/12/08, 12:24 PM

Some people might disagree, but they are "dumb" animals and don't understand corrections (unlike a dog or other "smart" animal). All you'll teach her is to be hand shy or scared of you. Try using a long stick to keep her back away from you to minimize her contact with you. I'm sure those horns don't feel too good!

wildhorse · #3 06/12/08, 12:57 PM

perplexed keep doing what your doing be persistent goats can be stubborn but they can learn manners....give them and inch and they will take a mile.

cjb · #4 06/12/08, 01:00 PM

I definitely believe that they can learn. Bring a spray bottle in with you and blast her everytime she invades your space or butts you. I think smacking her face may be like butting to her and she may take it as a challenge. if she continues (and you're physically able), grab her and flip her on her side or back next time and hold her down for a minute. She needs to get that you're the boss.

Or, ground her from her cell phone for a week. That works great for my teenagers...

DQ · #5 06/12/08, 01:07 PM

squirt bottle usually works. or....while your carrying their water buckets and they crowd you......dump the bucket on their head, and you will instantly get soaking wet goats standing and watching from a distance as you casually open the gate to bring the now refilled bucket back in.

Cygnet · #6 06/12/08, 01:08 PM

Goats are smarter than dogs, actually, and I say this having trained both. However, they're not "cooperative" animals and they have absolutely no desire to please you, like a horse or dog might.

Make it unpleasant for her to butt you, and establish you're above her in the pecking order, and she'll quit. I tend to very firmly smack noses for butting, and I've never had a goat get head shy. If you look at how they treat each other, a swift slap is NOTHING compared to the way goats beat on each other to establish pecking order.

A squirt gun only works as long as you have the squirt gun in your hands.

Ernie · #7 06/12/08, 01:18 PM

Spend some time watching your goats. In a herd you will have an alpha goat, or a boss goat, but the other goats pretty consistently challenge her. What benefit they get out of being the alpha goat, I don't know ... it doesn't bring them extra food but it keeps them pretty busy having to keep the other goats in line.

And I think goats, or at least my goats perceive us their human caretakers as simply "ugly, two-legged goats". They don't really recognize that there are boundaries between them and people. Mine seem shocked every time I go through the gate, as if they're saying, "Why is HE allowed out there in the orchard and we aren't?"

So while you're going to have to discipline your goats, it's my experience that it never really stops. They never really stop trying to do something they want to do.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 06/12/08, 01:49 PM

Goats are to farm animals as cats are to domestic animals.

Intelligent and independent.

I recommend the spray water bottle.

nehimama · #9 06/12/08, 02:46 PM

A loud, firm "NO" accompanied by a good smack works for my horned goat whenever she decided she'd like to challenge me. You have to MEAN IT, too.

NeHi

BothFeet · #10 06/12/08, 02:49 PM

Its never occured to me to try to discipline a goat, they seem too stubborn. My strategey is to go in the pen already on the offensive. We bring food in white buckets and white bucket = chow time. I usually wade into the pen holding my feeding buckets high and kneeing and hip checking the little monsters so they wont push me over.

DQ: LOVE the water bucket! Tomorrow I am going to fill one of the white buckets with water!

PETSNEGGS · #11 06/12/08, 02:58 PM

thanks I needed this info too... water in bucket... to funny... can't wait to go back down there

BethW · #12 06/12/08, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rose

Goats are to farm animals as cats are to domestic animals.

Intelligent and independent.

Exactly what I was getting ready to post. Goats aren't remotely stupid. They just don't live to please people...just like cats

hiswife · #13 06/12/08, 04:41 PM

I never said they were stupid ... my grandfather refered to herd animals like goats and sheep as "dumb", in that they rely on us for care.

Thought this was an interesting little link and a funny story about this persons trials with her goat.

http://www.emmitsburg.net/archive_li...b_animalsr.htm

CookingPam777 · #14 06/12/08, 08:04 PM

I pop my goat on the rear the hardness depends on the deed done. Stomping my doelings head in the mud trying to murder her got a punch in the cheek which made her pouty for a couple days. She never attempted that again and loves me to death now. That was the worse thing they had ever done. Second might be knocking me in the mud to which they got a pop. They learned fast that I don't like to be pushed down in mud. We haven't had anything like this happen in a while in like 2 months. I think there was a disagreement in goat role and them knowing I am boss yet friend here not your slave to which eats mud every morning. Now everything has been smooth and I may give a slight pop for not getting down off the gate after I said it over and over. I try not to displine unless nesscessary. They love me and I love them!

perplexed · #15 06/12/08, 11:22 PM

Thanks all! I talked with the guy I got them from and he recommends going after them like I am going to kill them and then she'll get the message. We'll see how it goes, I have no idea how to go after a goat but I guess I'll just imagine she hurt my child instead of me.

I did squirt her with the hose once and she did not like it one bit so I guess I'll get a water bottle.

Ernie · #16 06/12/08, 11:45 PM

Ever notice how goats try to get away with different things with different people? My goats bully my 11 year old son when he goes to feed them in ways they would never attempt to bully me. So they certainly are capable of learning boundaries. It's your job to set those boundaries and be consistent.

Mine have tended to get rough treatment when they misbehave to any serious degree. A boot or an open-handed slap on the rump is my preferred method. I consider certain things (like jumping up on me when I'm carrying something they think is food) to be serious offenses in need of correction. Just getting in my way when I'm in the pasture earns them verbal rebukes, which they have learned sometimes precede a butt-slap. I do not like to punish excessively because I feel it contributes to milking problems. The goat should always feel comfortable and safe around me, and setting consistent boundaries helps them to do so.

CookingPam777 · #17 06/13/08, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie

Ever notice how goats try to get away with different things with different people? My goats bully my 11 year old son when he goes to feed them in ways they would never attempt to bully me. So they certainly are capable of learning boundaries. It's your job to set those boundaries and be consistent.

Mine have tended to get rough treatment when they misbehave to any serious degree. A boot or an open-handed slap on the rump is my preferred method. I consider certain things (like jumping up on me when I'm carrying something they think is food) to be serious offenses in need of correction. Just getting in my way when I'm in the pasture earns them verbal rebukes, which they have learned sometimes precede a butt-slap. I do not like to punish excessively because I feel it contributes to milking problems. The goat should always feel comfortable and safe around me, and setting consistent boundaries helps them to do so.

I have had goats misbehave being milked by other people. My one doe was so upset she would get off the milkstand foot in bucket and went all the way to a half quart in milk production and she is a gallon a day milker. For me she is a total angel and gives 1 quart 1/2 in good times.

Cygnet · #18 06/13/08, 09:13 AM

FWIW, I've teach my goats (and my pack goats weigh more than me and tend to be a rough bunch) to "back!" on command for a treat. So if for some reason I'm in the pen with food, and they're mobbing me, all I have to do is yell, "Back!" and the whole herd starts backing way from me.

I don't usually enter the pen with food, however. Treats are given over the gate and none of mine get grain. When I do have to give grain (pregant does, etc) I pour it over the fence into a pre-positioned pan. I like to pick my battles, and this is one I don't need to have.

-- Leva

KimM · #19 06/13/08, 09:12 PM

Just curious but why are you separating them at night at a month old? Is this how you prepare to wean the kids? Asking because I used to begin to wean my foals like that. Start feeding them in their own stall and then for the whole night, etc. I was just wondering.
How's your doe acting now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by perplexed

I've had my mama goat and her two kids for a month now. She was super sweet in the beginning and now she is starting to butt me and hook me with her horns. She isn't highly aggressive, mostly she just gives me a push when I am separating her kids from her at night. She does try at other times too. Is she pushing me to see what my boundaries are?

I smack her in the nose when she does it. Are there any other ways of dealing with a goat to actually teach them?

perplexed · #20 06/14/08, 12:31 PM

Sorry to not be clear KimM, I've had them for a month but they were two months old when I got them, maybe even a bit older. I did it so I could have the morning milk.

I got a new mama yesterday who is the queen goat and my younger mama isn't challenging me anymore.