Integrating new goat to herd.

[oz in SC V2.0]

Our newest little doeling is much smaller than almost all our other goats,and still quite young too.

Been having some problems getting everyone used to her,our smallest(and friendliest) doe gets along fine,in fact wants to play.

The other three are being problematic,with our Queen being especially so.

Our Queen is also pregnant so that might not help as she is grouchy to begin with.
We have her separated in an enclosure inside their paddock(a few cattle panels attached together) so everyone can see/smell each other and hopefully get used to one another.
We let the new doeling loose and while a little tense it was okay,but we then put her back in with our smallest in there to keep her company.

Anyway it seems to get worse as the day progressed to the point Anna(Queen) was ramming the fence to try and get at her.

On top of all that,it started to rain,had to hurriedly move her to an unused paddock with shelter,she smashed me in the nose when she was startled by some chickens...nose bleed,screaming goat,good times.

We put her back over in the girls paddock,rigged up a shelter in her pen and put our smallest in with her.

Still a lot of unfriendliness going on,any thoughts?

[AuntKitty]

Sounds like you are doing everything right. It just takes some time. When you let them all out together again, just make sure they have alot of room to move around, ie the new goat can run away if she needs to. With my herd queen, Lily, I try to distract her with peanut hay or some other tasty treat if things get too tense. As long as the new gal has a friend, she shouldn't be too lonely.

As to the bloody nose, now you've got your first goat "badge of honor"!

Kitty

[oz in SC V2.0]

Thanks,we actually feel we are doing things right,but it always helps to have others confirm it.

Had thought about penning up our Queen and seeing if that helps things,thoughts?

[Backfourty,MI.]

Sounds like your doing the right thing to me too. The bigger the area you can turn them all loose together in the better.
If you have a big space or even your yard as long as your out there with them let them all out together, the bigger goats will be so busy with browsing they won't pay as much attention to the new little one. Plus like AuntKitty said she'll have space to run from the big one's if she needs too.

[AuntKitty]

I think penning up the queen is just going to delay the inevitable. The main thing is to make sure the queen can't block the newbie into a small area or up against a wall or fence and just pound the stuffing out of her. Hopefully the "friend" goat will show the newbie the ropes of dealing with the queen

Kitty

[oz in SC V2.0]

Went down a fed everyone,then let the new goat out and we walked around the paddock,all went quite well,the Queen was pretty placid today until it was time to put the new goat back in her pen and then she started to butt the fence.

So hopefully it will work out.

One thing is,we have a piece of wood taped to the horns of the new goat to stop her sticking her head through the fence(visions of a broken neck from another goat ramming her) and that seems to impede her a little/make her skittish,is this just my imagination or do you think it might actually be the case?

[AuntKitty]

That makes sense and would certainly make me skittish. But the skittishness should wear off about the same time they all get used to each other, so.... It sounds like they are getting along ok, so maybe the queen just doesn't like having the fence there. Is she giving the stink eye to the new girl and only butting the fence when the newbie is near? If not, maybe its just "pregnant queen hormones", you know how those can be.

Kitty

[thaiblue12]

By separating, then putting them together, then separating you are starting the entire process over again.

Make that area you have for her accessible only to her and the smaller one, raise the panel or make a space so the big meanie cannot get in. Show the two girls how to get in and out a few times so you know they understand it. Then put them with the rest, this way they can escape your big doe and go with the main herd as they please.

Sometimes it takes them a few days to battle it out, but as long as she is not getting beaten to the point of injury and has a way to get away from her I would let them be.
I know that Nehimama ( I think) had one mean pregnant doe not long ago who broke another doe's leg to the point of having to be put down, sometimes those pregnancy hormones are too much on an already groughy girl. So keep a close watch. I would keep the thing on her horns, she will get use to it, better that then stuck and being rammed by the big doe.