antisocial baby goat cries when I leave him, but I have to go to work! What to do?

chicks & ducks

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Hi all,

Some of you were kind enough to help me with this little abandoned goat and his goat lice a week or two ago, much appreciated! But now I have an entirely different problem!

He's in the house with me right now. Background-5 week old pygmy dwarf from neighbours farm rejected by mama. I took him in and now feed him 4x a day and he sleeps in a crate next to my bed. We do have other goats, but this little guy doesn't want anything to do with them, both his previous owner and I think he doesn't realize he's a goat!

I took him outside to introduce him to the other goats last week and he didn't want anything to do with them, just stood by me. :( The others were a little curious, but soon lost interest in him.

New plan....
I put him in a 'tractor' in the pen with our other goats so that he could get used to them without the chance of being bullied or harmed. It's VERY big, he is safe, and can nibble grass through the bottom of the tractor. I can walk away about 8 feet before he starts SHOUTING for me to get him! Teeny tiny goat screams can break a persons heart!

Hubby and I left him in there, knowing he was safe, and went on a 10 minute walk...we could hear him crying nearly the entire time.

BUT I was just offered a new job that I can't afford to refuse! So far, at boss's suggestion, I have taken him with to this job(he's adorable so i got away with it for a day or two) but I can't get anything done, and training is not easy when I have to hold, feed, clean up after him.
The original owner has been helping, but she also works!

What do I do with this little guy? I need to be gone 5-6 hours a day, 4 days a week.
Do I leave him in the tractor by the other goats and just hope he eventually stops crying? If a neighbor were to hear him they'd be worried for sure. :(
 

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Novice; "Practicing" Animal Husbandry
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IMHO, you do what you have to do. Your working pays for the feed for all. Put him in the tractor for a few days to a week to get used to being out there and then put him with the others. As long as he has a way/room to get away if being picked on, he should get used to it fairly quickly. The longer you "baby " him, the harder this is all going to become. Also, the issue of him being a "him" has to be addressed fairly soon. Otherwise, he's going to become capable of doing to the ladies what boy goats do. Get ear plugs if you need to. :idunno:old
 

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