Lunatic Buck Behavior Advice Needed

bethh

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 29, 2018
Messages
514
Reaction score
1,143
Points
233
Location
Duluth, GA
As many of you know, we are relative newbies to all things goats. We bred our goats and had a poor kidding season. Our bucks are in rut and losing their minds (that’s assuming they had any to begin with). We want to breed soon for spring kids. We thought we’d see how things went and put each buck in with specific doe/does. The buck that was with 2 girls got lucky and one of the does seemed to be amenable to being bred. The other buck wasn’t so lucky. By the time we put everybody back into the respectable yards, the unsatisfied buck had rubbed, butted his head so much that it was raw and open. How can I prevent him from hurting himself in the future or is this just to be expected?
@Senile_Texas_Aggie @B&B Happy goats @chickens really
 

B&B Happy goats

Herd Master
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Messages
4,845
Reaction score
12,865
Points
623
Location
North central florida
That is typical buck behavior here lol, ...the girls will let them breed when THEY are ready, the boys are just acting like male goats in rut...they won't kill them selfs, perhaps drive you crazy yes...
I would just leave him in with the doe you want bred and let it happen when she is ready.
 

Senile_Texas_Aggie

Herd Master
Joined
Jun 3, 2018
Messages
1,870
Reaction score
5,464
Points
343
Location
western Arkansas
Miss @bethh,

I feel quite honored that you would contact me regarding your goat behavior. Regrettably, the only thing at which I am an expert is tearing up farm equipment. I see where Miss @B&B Happy goats answered -- she is really smart and knows a lot about goats. Another person who knows about goats is Miss @rachels.haven. Miss Rachel, do you have anything to add?

Senile Texas Aggie
 

rachels.haven

Herd Master
Joined
Jun 7, 2016
Messages
3,102
Reaction score
12,393
Points
523
Location
zone 7a
Bucks really beat themselves up in rut. Look up the average lifespan of an intact male goat, then compare it to a female. I think it's like...6 years for a buck vs 10-12ish, or longer if you let the doe go dry and unbred. I've seen several stories where one year they may not pull out of rut and will do themselves in, either parasites, weather, or just randomly. Too much invested in rut time for their brains to work. They're not wethers. You can select for better rut behavior in the future if you want by selling off your more wild bucks, but even my chill, mellow dwarf guy has butted and scraped his head bloody on top. My lamanchas are more chill in general and mostly just pee themselves into urine scald.

And technically they don't need to be bred to be "satisfied" as bucks. They mainly just need to be separated sight, scent, and sound from the does and they are so much more happy and peaceful. They are perfectly happy to go after each other or not at all (yeah, they are animals on the former).
 

bethh

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 29, 2018
Messages
514
Reaction score
1,143
Points
233
Location
Duluth, GA
That is typical buck behavior here lol, ...the girls will let them breed when THEY are ready, the boys are just acting like male goats in rut...they won't kill them selfs, perhaps drive you crazy yes...
I would just leave him in with the doe you want bred and let it happen when she is ready.
Thanks for letting me that they are just dumb. If he keeps it up, I guess we will see if he has any gray matter in that hard head of his.
 

bethh

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 29, 2018
Messages
514
Reaction score
1,143
Points
233
Location
Duluth, GA
Bucks really beat themselves up in rut. Look up the average lifespan of an intact male goat, then compare it to a female. I think it's like...6 years for a buck vs 10-12ish, or longer if you let the doe go dry and unbred. I've seen several stories where one year they may not pull out of rut and will do themselves in, either parasites, weather, or just randomly. Too much invested in rut time for their brains to work. They're not wethers. You can select for better rut behavior in the future if you want by selling off your more wild bucks, but even my chill, mellow dwarf guy has butted and scraped his head bloody on top. My lamanchas are more chill in general and mostly just pee themselves into urine scald.

And technically they don't need to be bred to be "satisfied" as bucks. They mainly just need to be separated sight, scent, and sound from the does and they are so much more happy and peaceful. They are perfectly happy to go after each other or not at all (yeah, they are animals on the former).
They can’t be separated by sight, scent and sound so I guess we will see how they fair.
 

chickens really

Herd Master
Joined
May 8, 2017
Messages
1,864
Reaction score
5,453
Points
363
Location
The Funny Farm
I don't have experience with bucks in rut. Although I'm pretty sure it's no different than any other species during breeding time. The males don't think about much other than the task at hand. He sounds like he is demonstrating how big and strong he is for the ladies. Hopefully he doesn't get too beat up looking.
 

bethh

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 29, 2018
Messages
514
Reaction score
1,143
Points
233
Location
Duluth, GA
I don't have experience with bucks in rut. Although I'm pretty sure it's no different than any other species during breeding time. The males don't think about much other than the task at hand. He sounds like he is demonstrating how big and strong he is for the ladies. Hopefully he doesn't get too beat up looking.
Currently the doe I have chosen for him isn’t impressed.
 
Top