Bottle raising a buck?

Goatsandsheep · #1 04/04/10, 02:51 PM

We are get two La Mancha does and a long with them a bottle baby that will be our buck. I've raised bottle babies, but never one that was going to be used for breeding. Anything special I should do? I worried about him being over friendly. Shelly

shiandpete.1 · #2 04/04/10, 06:56 PM

Shelly,
Our lamancha buck was bottle raised, he is well behaved, friendly and a joy to have around. We use a lambar to feed. If you see hand raising the best thing I could tell you is not to allow him to lay in your lap or later on you may have a stinky lap goat.

farmmom · #3 04/04/10, 08:27 PM

I'm raising my Nubian buckling on a bottle. He'll be my next herd sire. He's not allowed to jump up,or sit in laps, and is trained to walk on a lead. He's 11 weeks old now, and is fairly well behaved. It's good for them to be friendly, but can lead to being stinky when they rub on you while in rut.

shiandpete.1 · #4 04/04/10, 10:01 PM

Hawkeye always jumps on the fence and wants to kiss....but he pees on his lips so....I THINK NOT!

motdaugrnds · #5 04/04/10, 10:33 PM

I have bottle fed two bucks. My herd buck, Roman, and his son, Alginon. Both are over 250 lbs now. I have cuddled with both when they were young, letting them sleep in my lap. The older they got, the less they wanted to be with me and more they wanted to be with the does. I have never had any problems with their trying to sleep in my lap since they've been grown, simply because I don't set up any situation whereby that would be possible.

One important thing to remember is "how goats play". I never "play" with my bucklings.

[My son "played" with an Alpine buckling we had a few years ago. That Alpine had "not" been bottle fed; yet when grown and playing with my son, it never once tried to hurt him. He would run toward my son, raise up on his hind feet (making him over 7 ft tall) and then come down right in from of my son, gently pushing his hard head into my son's chest. It was wonderful to see them play like that.]

Good luck with your buckling. I would just suggest you let him know from the beginning he is not to push you or put his hooves on you. They learn quickly.

Goatsandsheep · #6 04/04/10, 11:56 PM

Thank you. I figured we would need to set some bounds like you all said about climb in the lap and such. We always had a rule about messing or playing with a breeding males head. I'm guessing this was worrying me because I would never keep a bottle raised ram. Shelly

Wags · #7 04/05/10, 11:48 AM

I think it has more to do with a individual goats personality than bottle vs. dam raised. We have super friendly dam raised bucks & does that beg for attention and bottle raised ones that are catchable, but definitely don't actively seek attention.

Pony · #8 04/05/10, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goatsandsheep

Thank you. I figured we would need to set some bounds like you all said about climb in the lap and such. We always had a rule about messing or playing with a breeding males head. I'm guessing this was worrying me because I would never keep a bottle raised ram. Shelly

You have the right of it in that you need to set boundaries in the relationship. They are the livestock, you are their manager. Period.

Just as you would not play aggressive games with a strong-headed breed of dog, you would not do that with a goat who will be 250 pounds of "HEY! Let's play head-butt!"

<shaking head> I watch Beaux Tie play with our little pygmy wether, and think, "Good for you, fellas. Just don't ever try that with me!"

jBlaze · #9 04/05/10, 02:21 PM

I prefer my bottle raised bucks. They are gentle and easy to handle.
When they were tiny we fed them in our laps, but after a couple weeks, they are big enough to not need the lap, lol. As with all kids, I try to stop them jumping on me, that is never ok.
I have borrowed dam raised bucks and it is such a hassle to handle them!! They run away from you, don't know how to lead, etc. I am not saying that is always the case, but usually a dam raised kid does not get enough handling to learn manners. Dam raised does are easy to gentle when they kid, but I have not enjoyed the dam raised bucks.
Exception: this year our herd queen had one boy, and we have decided to keep him a buck. He is the most loving little thing out there, lol, and we never gave him a bottle, and did not try to make him a pet, but he sure wants to be. I really like that. His sire is a very sweet and gentle guy as well, definitly happy with that temperment.

yarrow · #10 04/05/10, 02:36 PM

I won't own a buck that wasn't bottle raised..(we DON'T use lamb bars, all our babies..even the boys sit in our laps at bottle time.. until they get so big only the front halves fit.. then they'll stand with their legs folder under them, balanced up on my lap. Since I bottle until 5 months.. I sometimes have BIG boys in my lap LOL)
when handled gently (we NEVER play head rubbing, pushing games with them EVER...) they become just a pleasure to be around. gentle, kiss-y faced guys who crave attention. We don't have jumping, climbing issues.. simply because I never let it start.. (we do things in a way that don't lend towards bad behavior.. we feed from the outside of the buckpen, so we don't get ganged for food.. we take them to a *neutral* breeding area.. away from the other bucks.. so they are easy to lead (they quickly figure out that a leash on that collar means they are going somewhere FUN!! LOL) ... I don't really treat my adult buck ANY different then I do my does.. I've never had one give me any attitude, not even a second of *stink eyeing* me.. the thought to dominate a human.. just never enters into their goatie brains..
susie, mo ozarks

deineria · #11 04/05/10, 06:38 PM

I think the more friendly the better. Our buck, Ace, is more friendly than a dog. Yea, when in rut, it is kind of gross that he wants hugs and things, but otherwise, it makes him a lot more fun to keep and own. I also wouldn't want to own a buck that wasn't bottle raised and friendly is he was a large breed buck.