New Kid

drdoolittle

True BYH Addict
Joined
Oct 15, 2010
Messages
615
Reaction score
143
Points
223
Location
Saint Joe, IN
Ok, so in case you didn't see my post in Everything Else Goats, titled "Jumped Back Into Goats", here is a quick summary:

I decided to get back into goats after not having any for a few years. I found a 4 1/2 month old ND wether someone just wanted to give away to a good home due to him having jumped their fence and getting attacked by a large dog. I brought him home 2 weeks ago and bought an ND doe from someone else that day too.

Because the doe had been with her year old twin doelings since their birth, she was jumping my goat pen fence into my fenced back yard and running around yelling. I went back the next evening and bought her doelings.

I hoped all 4 would be great friends, but of course, the wether was being somewhat ostracized. So today I bought a little ND wether that I had originally been planning to get for the 1st wether's companion.

The new baby is only 8 weeks old and newly weaned, eating well on his own and very spunky. However, when I go outside he constantly yells for me (or yells for something). He probably desperately misses his momma and I know that's normal. I was expecting my 1st wether (Pogo) to be so happy to have a friend closer to his own age.......he's not mean to the little one (Pickles), but kind of ignores him and does his own thing.

I guess my only worry is that because Pickles is kind of on his own, will he be ok loose in the pen tonight? We haven't had an issue with predators (we have 2 LGDs), but it is going to be chilly tonight and I'm picturing him standing in the middle of that huge pen in the dark not knowing what to do and being cold and scared.

Besides my mini barn, there are 2 8'×8' covered dog kennels, a large doghouse and another fibreglass shelter he can go into for shelter. I'm just nervous and worried because I most of my kids had their moms with them or were locked in a barn or other shelter at night.

Should I lock Pogo and Pickles in one of the shelters for a few nights or let everything be as is? I really don't want to lock all 5 goats up together, but could.

Thanks in advance for any input!
 

Hens and Roos

Herd Master
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
5,487
Reaction score
5,208
Points
483
Location
South Central WI
Are the does mean to the new weather? If you shut them all up in the same area is there enough room for them to each have a corner for their own? As you probably know it does take a bit for everyone to learn their place in the herd. They might surprise you and settle in nice together for the night once you are out of sight.
 

drdoolittle

True BYH Addict
Joined
Oct 15, 2010
Messages
615
Reaction score
143
Points
223
Location
Saint Joe, IN
Are the does mean to the new weather? If you shut them all up in the same area is there enough room for them to each have a corner for their own? As you probably know it does take a bit for everyone to learn their place in the herd. They might surprise you and settle in nice together for the night once you are out of sight.
The does do butt the wethers a bit. Fortunately, none of them have horns. It's quiet out there now and everyone is loose. I may go out a few times to check on him. If Pickles were older I wouldn't worry so much.
 

drdoolittle

True BYH Addict
Joined
Oct 15, 2010
Messages
615
Reaction score
143
Points
223
Location
Saint Joe, IN
Well, everything was fine with everyone being loose last night. I went to check on them and all were in one of the covered kennels....although the new babe was just inside the entrance.
Of course, seeing me caused everyone to get up and come out into the pen.
 

Hens and Roos

Herd Master
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
5,487
Reaction score
5,208
Points
483
Location
South Central WI
Glad to hear that they were doing good. Yep, we have the problem too, once they see you then they all get up so they don't miss out!! I'm guessing as time goes on, your youngest goat will adjust into the herd and the others will be kinder to him.
 

messybun

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
550
Reaction score
1,174
Points
228
We had trouble with our goats like that too. Make sure everyone has their own shelter so that they don’t have to *gasp* share. If he’s a small goat you can get a Velcro dog jacket to put on him for the really cold nights. Just be careful because a coat can make him not build up his own cold proofing. What made a huge difference in our herd was two older goats who came from a herd of forty some and were hand trained etc. The older goats were bigger and kind of straightened everyone else up. We kind of lucked out on them, not all will do that.
 

Latest posts

Top