Integration of Different-aged Goats

This is our second year with Boer goats which my nephew raised for the 4-H fair last week. We kept two females for brush mitigation and to eventually reproduce. The girls are 7 months old and have horns, which I am thinking to dremmel to a less pointy situation! We just took in two 14-week old disbudded Alpine wethers, who are in the "baby" pasture to heal up from their castration and to make sure they are all healthy. These are leggy guys compared to the Boer girls! They are also going to help with brush mitigation. (Another post coming for "how to train goats to lead into another area" and how to train goats to respect temporary electric fencing", along with "how to tether a goat". See why I joined up??? )

I am wondering the best way to integrate them with the two girls, who are in the permanent pasture. I had thought to separate each pair and give one older girl to each little boy to befriend, for a few days, then put them all back together. The vet said that would be stressful for the little dudes not to have each other, and thought it better to put them both in with the girls all together and just keep an eye on them. The girls are in a double pasture (I can close off half), with one 16 x 16 fortified horse stall into which they all will get closed in at night (girls using it while boys are in the baby shed for now).

Thoughts on best manner of integration? And the first night when they all need to get safely locked up together? Night is when I feed a bit of feed, all goats have a bucket, so they come right in the stall. First photo of larger half of main pasture, before the boys went to the fair. Second photo skinny, leggy Alpine dudes.
Thanks!

I agree with your vet, introduce all at once. In addition to being less stressful for the boys, I also find that the more goats=the more complex herd dynamics. This means that instead of having one dominant goat plowing into another, you have 4 goats keeping an eye on each other and butting intermittently until they establish order. Introduce them early in the day so you can keep on eye out and make a judgement call if they are okay to be locked in together. Feed them with PLENTY of room between to avoid butting.

maritown said:

I agree with your vet, introduce all at once. In addition to being less stressful for the boys, I also find that the more goats=the more complex herd dynamics. This means that instead of having one dominant goat plowing into another, you have 4 goats keeping an eye on each other and butting intermittently until they establish order. Introduce them early in the day so you can keep on eye out and make a judgement call if they are okay to be locked in together. Feed them with PLENTY of room between to avoid butting.

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Okay, I'll try this! Thanks!