# Mean mama or caring mother?



## newbiegoat (Dec 2, 2012)

We have two does who have just recently given birth. One to an adorable doeling and the other to a handsome buckling. The dominate mother(mother of buckling) will not let the doeling near her baby. The dominate mother gave birth today and the doeling was born three days ago. The dominate mother keeps butting the doeling away but we want the doeling and buckling to be friends! what can we do? and why is she doing this?  :question:


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Stuff like that scares me too. Keep an eye out she's not going to hurt the other baby. At my farm though, they usually don't and they get over that "overprotective" phase pretty quickly. The babies will end up being buddies whether their mother's like it or not.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I agree, they will eventually play and hopefully the dominant mom will calm down.
IMO some does can be very protective of their kids especially the first few days, ours can be that way, then they learn to relax. 

Can you make a creep area that only the babies can get into? They seem to learn pretty quickly that they can get in but big goats can't. We set ours up as soon as we can, and eventually when the kids learn to eat grain & hay we fill their feeders.


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## pridegoethb4thefall (Mar 3, 2013)

Beyond the normal protective issues a doe may have, there is herd dominance to consider.

The dominate doe may not want the other kid near hers until it's place in the herd has been established. The kid would normally have some of its mother's status in the herd, but often lower ranked does will use a kidding by an dominate doe to up its own status, and that of its kids. 

I think things will be fine once they all figure out who is where in the herd rankings. It's practically impossible to stop kids from playing together anyways, just watch out for accidental breedings, that buck can be fertile at a very young age, and might breed his own mother, or the doeling. (I'm sure you knew that though, just putting it out there for anyone who might not know)


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Momma's are protective, even a normally docile animal can become very grumpy when a new baby is at her side. An animal that is already dominate even more so. 

Consider that the gentle giant Girraff can literally kick the head off a lion when she is protecting her baby . . .


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

she will calm down...might take a few days..but soon she will walk off to the hay basket and leave her little man to play...the playful doe will learn quick to move out of her way..


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I agree to just be sure she doesn't actually ram the doeling. But, that like happy bleats said they'll leave the kids and the kids will play.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Mothers are usually the most protective during the first few days. It seems like as the kids are stronger and stronger, moms get less and less protective. Just make sure that the doeling doesn't get hurt.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Oh yep, sounds like a good mom and a protective one also. I had to separate some at times because some mom's were so mean to the other babies. Give them a week or two and they will be just fine.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Our girls just gently butt the kid out of her way if it's in her space.


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## newbiegoat (Dec 2, 2012)

her baby is going to be SUCH a mama's boy. i want the babies to bond with us too! I guess in a way i'm jealous of how much they're hogging their babies


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