Raising bucks

[NH homesteader]

Well, with kidding season coming, and some of us awaiting the arrival of future herd sires, I thought it might be an appropriate time for this.

I've heard horror stories about bucks. I was going to purchase a buckling once and the man was horrified that I would allow my child to be anywhere near a buck (as if I was planning on sending her in the buck pen alone right....) I have also met amazingly friendly ones.

Genetics aside, what are some tips for handling bucklings to help them be friendlier and more respectful of humans?

 

[Hens and Roos]

we have only a year of experience in dealing with a buck(s) so we are learning as we go. Our older buck was 2.5 years old when we got him and wasn't use to day to day handling like our set up has so it has taken him a bit to get use to this. He isn't mean and is pretty mellow(except when does are in heat-then he loses his mind ) but we have had to work with him on respecting our space when we are in his area. He gives my DH more space then he gives me and my DD- for the most part DD only goes into his area when myself or DH are not around to do chores. Given that he pees on himself, he isn't the nicest to pet but we do(or at least I do). We retained 1 buckling from our 2016 kids and he has been handled from little on so he just goes with the flow-unless the does are in heat then he gets somewhat obnoxious- we have to watch that he doesn't try and jump up on us.

hopefully others with more experience will have more thoughts on this @Southern by choice, @OneFineAcre , @Goat Whisperer @Ferguson K

 

[NH homesteader]

My first buckling was the sweetest thing in the world but I didn't do anything special, I just hung out with him a lot and he just was like that. I had to wether him anyway. I just thought there might be others who had questions too so it would be a good topic to have a discussion on. And I'm getting two bucklings this year so I would like to have two friendly (and not over-friendly lol) bucks!

 

[Southern by choice]

I yield to @Goat Whisperer on this one because she has taught manners to some young bucklings we have purchased that were not corrected and they learned HOW to be gentlemen.
I do want to say genetics does play a role BUT much of the time things can still be curbed.
One of our bucks and all his offspring are the gentlest goats ever. We have had people that had HORRIBLE experiences with bucks, even dangerous experiences that swore they'd never have a buck again end up getting a buck out of our boy and now they are hooked! They have several bucks now.
One of our bucklings came to us and was sweet as could be but his sire was a freaking nightmare- not mean just wild during rut- jumping fences and crazy. This buckling does change during rut but no craziness, no fence jumping, no mounting us or anything unacceptable- he just isn't a babylove.

We have had a horrible experience with a buck and it was dangerous. We did not raise him though.

I can say-
never allow them to blubber on you
do not allow them to mark you- rubbing head over and over on you
do not allow pawing at you

GW can give much more on the "how to"

 

[Ferguson K]

^^^^^^^^

This.

Rubbing, head butting, pawing, and a few other things (i.e. climbing on you) are definite no no's.

Just remember there is a difference in wild and mean

 

[NH homesteader]

So, what do you do if they try those things?

I had a doe that would do that, rub her head on you constantly. It was kind of obnoxious. She jumped on people too, which I didn't love because of my daughter being at hoof level. Actually she pawed at people too. She was supposedly "super friendly" but I always felt like she had bad manners!

We have some sort of friends that have the sweetest bucks. We were in with their boer and he was so sweet and gentle. This is what I want! Haha

 

[Southern by choice]

Does are different. Usually a doe that likes to give you their hoof is like a dog giving you their paw. When a buck does it that is usually more of a "courting" gesture.
Does rubbing their head on you is similar. You can correct them with stepping back and a sharp no while you push them away.
Bucks are marking you when they do this.
All of our sweet bucks will come beside us and when we scratch their face they will snuggle but it is sideways and not head on where their scent glands are.
We have a buck we are working with now.. he is a bit of a pain. Maybe we can get some pics.

 

[NH homesteader]

Well I have one who gives me her paw, it's cute. This one more like mauled you with it lol!

Yes I do not want to be courted. Thanks! Pics are always good!

 

[OneFineAcre]

I can say none of my bucks are mean
Rachel goes in the pen with them 8 right now with no worries
Rocky blubbers at me some time
Big Btown jumps on me sometime and rubs some
I tell them to stop but I don't put much effort into it
Moonshine is pretty friendly and Valiant is too
They like to be rubbed
Zeus and Bam Bam aren't very friendly they don't like you to touch them but if you get a hold of them they are nice
The two little guys Jupiter and Forchiny are sweet

Never really gave it much thought though
We dam raise our kids and bucklings are usually naturally more friendly than the doelings

 

[TAH]

I LOVE training all my animals even my buck so I took his bad behavior and turned into a good one.

My buck knows who he can be ruff on and who he can't. Me and my brother play, tag, hide-and-seek, and head butting with him all the time. He has been taught when I say touch it means no more playing. He is very much a love big and can be trusted with my four-year old brother alone, he even lets the kids ride him.

I love my buck .
He truly is a wonderful animal!