Argh these dam raised kids!!!

Donna1982 · #1 04/12/13, 02:03 PM

We let Pepsi's raise her own kids because well I have enough on my plate with the 13 bottle kids. I am use to having to beat the kids off with a stick, I am not use to them running away from me. They will see me and run like I am this big bad mean lady. What can I do to tame them? The boy is being sold and the girl is staying here but I will NOT have a wild goat on my hands. They are cute little buggers but I have never had any this wild. They scream when you pick them up, it takes 10 minutes to just grab one... yeah drives me crazy!!!

PS had to throw in a picture of Dopey in his hay. Yep hes to cute!!! and the tn children.

GoldenWood Farm · #2 04/12/13, 02:06 PM

My best advise is go out for a hour and just sit in the pen with them. Kids are curious creatures and hopefully they would get curious and come investigate you.

My mom started coming out and spending time in the barn while I milked, she would sit in the doe pen with the kids and now I can't keep the little buggers off me! They got curious and started playing around her and then on her and now they won't leave people ALONE! They are WORSE than bottle kids I swear

.

I feel for you though and that is EXACTLY why I never dam raise any kids I want to keep back. I just don't do it because in the long run it is more time and work on my part trying to tame them down the rest of their life.

Justine

Minelson · #3 04/12/13, 02:54 PM

Frankie and Flossie were dam raised...I spent so much time with them though so they are ''almost'' like bottle babies. I always used to think that they were as friendly as bottle babies, until I got bottle babies! I would suggest you put them in a small area so they can't run too far away and sit out there with some raisins and corn chips. It will take more patience since they are a few weeks old now. But you are going to have slice out a few times a day of your time to spend with them if you want them super friendly. They sure are cute little buggers!

And of course Dopey stole my heart a while ago....I just love him to death. How is Monkey doing? She is one of my favorites also

mammabooh · #4 04/12/13, 03:47 PM

My dam-raised babies crawl all over me like puppies. In fact, I get that comment whenever anyone comes to visit...folks are always so surprised how dog-like the goats are. Do you go in there and hang out with them?

Crazy Farmgirl · #5 04/12/13, 03:52 PM

I make a point to be with the babies in the pen daily and have never had skittish dam raised babies. You have to spend time just sitting and let them discover you.

**mygoat** · #6 04/12/13, 03:55 PM

Our herd is too big to guarantee tame dam raised kids. We don't have time to tame 'em all. All my dairies get pulled to raise on the bottle, because there is absolutely nothing worse than a wild goat you intend to milk. The boers are all dam raised, occassionally I'll bottle raise a doeling. Generally, they serve their purpose well enough without being tame. I have enough goats that do want scritches and not enough hands already anyways.

The more you chase them, the more they learn to hate you... never chase them. Generally works best to start from a young age... walk up, scritch shoulders. They learn that people are great at getting itchy places they can't reach - shoulders, topline etc.

And then some just think you're always out to 'get' them.

Donna1982 · #7 04/12/13, 04:14 PM

From day one I've held them loved on them. I'm out there everyday for hours while they browse. They just dislike me LOL. Michele monkey is doing great fat and sassy

MaddieLynn · #8 04/12/13, 04:24 PM

I bought my show wether when he was 3 months old. He had been dam raised and was hog wild. I tamed him by setting his food out and backing off far enough for him to feel comfortable eating. Then I'd ever so slowly scooch towards him while he was eating. If he freaked out and backed away, I'd freeze. When he started letting me get fairly close I started offering treats by hand. It worked wonders! Now he comes when you call his name.

Minelson · #9 04/12/13, 04:32 PM

I bet when he leaves she will warm up to you. They are probably really just relying on each other. Did you check your breath?

mammabooh · #10 04/12/13, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

I bet when he leaves she will warm up to you. They are probably really just relying on each other. Did you check your breath?

Or maybe it's the new blond hair...hee hee hee!

Donna1982 · #11 04/12/13, 05:00 PM

Bahaha hey it maybe the hair. LOL

Backfourty,MI. · #12 04/13/13, 03:49 PM

Our Dam raised kids are always really friendly too but we have a small herd & spend a lot of time with them. You've already been given good advice about spending time in their pen. Hopefully they will come around.
If I remember though Pepsi is a little standoffish too isn't she?

Donna1982 · #13 04/13/13, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

Our Dam raised kids are always really friendly too but we have a small herd & spend a lot of time with them. You've already been given good advice about spending time in their pen. Hopefully they will come around.
If I remember though Pepsi is a little standoffish too isn't she?

Yep she was major flaky until she kidded, and she was bottle raised. I actually got a hold of Clover (the girl) easy today so hopefully things will be better.

jcatblum · #14 04/13/13, 05:52 PM

The ones who have skittish mommas do seem to be much worse. The bottle raised moms somehow tell there kids us human care takers are really jungle gyms.
With enough treats they will come around.

Minelson · #15 04/14/13, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcatblum

The ones who have skittish mommas do seem to be much worse. The bottle raised moms somehow tell there kids us human care takers are really jungle gyms.
With enough treats they will come around.

Maybe that is why my Frankie and Flossie are so friendly...their mama Gretta was a bottle baby

noeskimo · #16 04/14/13, 12:57 PM

The dam raised ones get ever so much friendlier when they are weaned and get their food from you instead of mom.

where I want to · #17 04/14/13, 01:42 PM

All the Boers are pretty much mom raised. I can't say that they were any less friendly than the one (and last I hope) bottle baby I had.
And yes, I pick up babies from the point they are too young to even see me coming and scratch and nuzzle. They know no other way of life.

dbarjacres · #18 04/14/13, 05:00 PM

I've found that some dam raised kids are just insane, think sometimes even those ones would be iffy when bottle raised.

I spend as much time as I can with my dam raised kids but it isn't a huge amount. I hold each kid daily and rub and scratch it until it relaxes and then set it down and hold it until no fight and then release. I do the same for older goats but use treats for them too.