# My buck is not friendly anymore



## LaGringa (Jan 20, 2012)

Last year, I bought a 2 year old female and a 2 month old male. First time goat owner. They became best friends, played together, lived together, slept together. During the day, each one was tied to a different tree with 50 ft. light rope. Far enough apart to have their own food to eat and still close enough to visit each other without getting tangled. They were not free roaming at first because they made it a habit of escaping our wire fenced property. At night, both were loose together in the barn/corral. Both were so nice and friendly and the little male became like my little baby. Eventually, the female was able to be free roaming, because she developed an interest in staying home, and never wanted to leave. The male remained tied, he was more of a wanderer. Months later, the female got pregnant by this young male, which was the plan. They still remained together until about a week before her delivery. I separated them at night, the male in one stall, the female, separated by wood slats. They could see each other and even fit heads between the slats, but sleeping side by side could not be done. He was sensing a baby was on the way. After the baby girl was born, he started showing signs of aggression. He was jealous. He can see that the baby is now sleeping where he used to sleep, next to his female. The baby is now 7 weeks old, and she and mommy are free roaming the yard, while the buck is always tied from one tree to another. They all play together, the girls visit him often, and when he gets real aggressive, mommy and baby run away. Lately, when I remove him from the barn to a tree, he fights me the entire time, and same thing happens at night, when it is bedtime. He head butts me and swings his head so his horns can jab me. I have shin scars, lumps and bumps from him. He charges hard. I wanted to eventually let them all loose together, but he is too aggressive and even tries to fight with my 2 dogs. I fear his horns hurting them and also hurting mommy and baby. And he also knows how to get over my newly repaired chicken wired fence. Does anyone have any advice on how to calm him down. When I visit with him while on his leash, he gives me kisses. After the fight back to the barn, once inside, again, he is giving hand kisses. He's like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One minute his sweet ole self, next minute, a terror. I am a little fearful of him being loose and then on a charge that will hurt me or any of the other animals. I really don't want to sell him, he is a beautiful one year old. I can only imagine that he will live forever on a leash and that will probably make him more aggressive as time goes by. It's becoming very difficult day by day in moving him around. I am very upset about this. 
(Please forgive my words of female/male/mommy/baby, because I really don't know the goat terms to use to describe them) The first picture shows Chivito as 2 months, when I bought him, and the goat he is today. Second pictures shows how they are separated at night, and the third pictures is how Cabrita and Chivito used to be before the baby situation.....
Thanks for any advice or suggestions, Debbie


----------



## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Well a couple of things, others will have lots of advice too. First you can put tennis balls on the ends of his horns to at least lessen the chance of injury. When they are tied out the one thing to remember is they become prey to wild animals and can't get away- which you may already know. Maybe you can fence an area safe for him and get him a wether buddy for company. Just a few thoughts. Sorry you're struggling with him.


----------



## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Well...to me, he sounds unhappy. You may want to consider getting a secure, permanent pen for him to live in and get him a constant goat companion...like a wether. I think just doing that would make him happier and calm him down a bit. It sounds like he really wants to be with the herd. Or maybe you could fence off an area so he has more room to roam and pen his "family" next to him so he can interact with them. I personally never recommend tethering a goat and if your dogs are around...the butting may not be aggression, but fear and him trying to defend himself.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I agree with the others. I think you have a very unhappy goat. If there is some way you can fence in an area for him and get him a wether buddy, I think things will settle down for you.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Yep, I agree. And a unhappy goat can really hurt you. You have to remember he has his testosterone and he is a buck. Not all get mean but some sure do, and beings he was able to be with "his girl" and now he cannot. I would not want him to be tied to a tree where that 7 week old baby doe can get to him, he will breed her when she comes into heat, and you don't want him to hurt her.

 You could talk to a vet and have him fixed or castrated. He might still be able to be banded, that way he can be with the girls all the time and not worry about babies. 

 I had a huge white buck that was about 300#. He was sweet as ever for years. I could go in with him and pet him, pick up his feet and all the works, then one day he turned on me and he came after me. He butted me so hard he sent me flying. I slammed up against the horse trailer, and came after me again. (I was in between his girls). Well he was sold a few weeks later. No way was I going to have an aggressive buck at my place.

 All my goats have horns and some are huge, my goats are all Cashmere.



 Female= Doe
 Baby is Doeling- I call them that up to a year
 Male intact = buck
 Male fixed Castrated = wether

 He is a pretty boy.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, poor dude.


----------



## LaGringa (Jan 20, 2012)

Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions. This whole situation is really pulling at my heart strings. I see so many goat farms on the internet where all the goats are happy running and playing together and I can't manage 3. Very disturbing. Won't he just fight the wether and still want to be with his Cabrita. So much to think about. Again, thank you all for all your suggestions......
Debbie


----------



## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

Ya, what a tough situation. I too think that what would make him happiest is if you could neuter him and put him back with the girls. Barring that, a safe pen with a wether friend might do the job. He might fight with the wether at first while they established a pecking order, but they would get over it.


----------



## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I agree your dealing with an unhappy goat. I am forced to keep my buck(intact male) Dante tethed because he just harasses the girls non stop even when they are not in heat and I have not built another pen for him since I'm planning on moving soon. I work with him by lunging him like a horse, doing draft work, learning tricks among other things to keep him happy. If I can't do it two days in a row he acting up. If I wait a week he acts just like your buck. He throws fits swings his head around inevitably hitting me with his horns in the process. At this point I think wethering(castrating) him would be your best option as well as working with him a bit to help get him back to his lovey self since he has now learned theses habits. If you wether him he would make a nicer pet anyway. Chances are if you want to breed the doe(female) again you can find someone in your area with a buck you can bring her to to get bred. And if he's a wether you don't have to worry about the kid(baby) getting bred too early.


----------



## RedGate (Dec 7, 2012)

Truth is, bucks don't make good pets. I love my boys but it comes with a healthy dose of respect. They will always been driven by their hormones- throw in the fact that he's lonely too and you no longer have a suitable yard animal. I don't care for overly friendly bucks because i've noticed they have a tendency to turn on me or find me attractive- eeeek :O The happy goat families you see don't usually have intact males running with the girls all year round. Especially not his young daughters. He WILL breed her, and momma goat again when she comes back into heat. Neutering him would be the only responsible way to have them reunited. If you are really not up for neutering him, I agree, get him a buddy in a fenced in yard away from the girls. Anytime you add a new animal, they have to establish a pecking order, so they will butt heads a bit, but it will all settle soon and he will be happier guy.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I would just see about getting him fixed. Give him a month or two before you put him back with his friend. Yes he will still bant to be with the mom, but they will get a along a lot better, and then you will have a happy boy again.


----------



## pubgal83 (Oct 31, 2012)

Agreeing with everyone as well on this one. Sounds like he's unhappy. I think fencing in an area and building housing for him with a buddy will be best. Once you figure out what makes your goats happy, you and them will be loving life, hang in there.


----------

