# Weird head twist motion?



## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

I have never been able to figure out why some goats do this, I have had several goats that have done this in the past. I took a video of my doe doing it, what do you think it means? lol


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

HA I am not the only one with weird goats!!! Mine do that too...not all of them but most!


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

That ain't nothing compared to our Nubian. I mean she looks like Linda Blair in "The Exorcist"!

Bob


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It must somehow feel good. Maybe they just like stretching their neck. :think:


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## mbodjanac (Apr 11, 2011)

My boer doe does that too! She's the only one in my herd who does that, and she first stands her front feet up against the wall, then twists her head around. Maybe like a chiropractor adjustment? It hasnt seemed to have any negative affect, so I don't worry about it anymore.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Haha, our goats do it too. We had one that used to put her front feet up on the fence, wall, pallet, gate, etc. and do that as if she were trying to figure out a way to get in/out/whatever she's wanting to get too lol It's pretty hysterical sometimes!
Our young does do it more than the older does that we have.


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## Ninja Goats (Sep 6, 2011)

My friend's Arabian mare does that when she's looking at you. That's her version of giving you the finger. lol Not sure what it means in goats!


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

lol I think its because they want horns to scratch that itch. Just kidding. My goats do that when they want me to pay attention to them or they feel frisky. It is often accompanied by running sideways.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

My doe Busy Bee and her daughter Noodles do that. I think they may be stretching, or perhaps trying to scratch their back with their nonexistent horns?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It is a goat thing


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## goattee22 (Nov 7, 2009)

I have a doe who has done this since she was little, i just figured she was wierd and didn't think nothing of it. Well i sit in the deerstand alot, not only to hunt but i love watching the deer...well i notice doe doing this alot and they are smelling the air around them....so i guess thats what my goat is doing! I notice she does it more around feeding time and when my dogs are near the barn, so it makes sense!


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Oh thank god, beau started doing this last week at first I almost panicked, I was like oh come on not another thing to obsess about!


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## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

My boer doe use to do that all the time. She is now about 1 1/2 years old and doesn't do it as much. It is a strange move and wonder why.


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

One of my boer does does this.
She does have horns so it's not really an itching thing. She would stand with her feet on a wall & flip her head back like that & her ears would flop over. We decided she looked like a bat when she did that. Always good for a laugh.
I think it's some sort of stretching combined with "look what I can do!"
Atleast that's what it looks like when my doe does it.


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## desertlily (Jul 22, 2011)

I've only had one goat do that. It was the first doe I ever had, I bought her when she was about 2 yrs old. She did it ALL the time- I was new to goats and I thought she had some kind of nervous tic or something! ;-)


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

My little boer does this but is disbudded so I always just thought she was trying to scratch her back. It's odd because I have never seen my nubians try this before.


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## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

I just got the doe in the video afew weeks ago and I think she may be doing it because she is nervous, or maybe stretching, no way to know for sure though. Lol, I guess the true meaning of their head movement is a mystery. xD


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

Its just a goat thing
Every one of my wethers iv had for show (7 counting this years) and both of my does do it
2 of my wethers don't do it when your looking but iv.cought them in the act (I feel like a detective saying that hahaha muahahhaha)
 don't worry about it


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

The year old buck does it all the time.


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## RedGate (Dec 7, 2012)

Oh my gosh, I thought my Nubian buck was just crazy. He'll be so happy when I tell him he has plenty of company . Lol. I call him the ballerina goat, he is so tall anyways, but he stands up on the fence and then stretches his head back. Usually while talking to me. It's almost like he does it to show off.


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## fd123 (May 29, 2012)

All of mine do this too!! I always thought maybe it gives them a "HEAD RUSH". and they get a "QUICK BUZZ" from doing it!!...... lol....


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

*say in Tootsie role guy comershal voice*
The world may never know


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

With our Linda Blair wannabe, it's like she's actually looking at what's directly behind (upside down) her without turning around. But our Yorkie does the same thing when I'm holding her on one arm and my wife is doing something behind her.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

goatgirl132 said:


> *say in Tootsie role guy comershal voice*
> The world may never know


:laugh:
This just cracked me up!!! Priceless!


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

My buckling boer does the same thing but much harder and longer until his very long ears are slapping around. It is too funny. He also does the standing up against stuff with his head laid back and ears hanging like the "bat" description earlier. Some of my does do the same thing but not as much as the buckling. It looks like from all the post that it is totally "normal" goat thing


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Yoko and Artie both do that. Mostly when they are excited for food, and I am dawdling with said food. They stand up against the fence or run around and head flip.


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## Goat Hollow (Apr 1, 2012)

When I first got my doe Comet, she did this ALL THE TIME! I wasn't sure what to think of it. Well, then she taught my wether to do this. What a bunch of lunatics!


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Yay! I thought my new doe had terrets or something haha! My other three don't do it


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

lovemykidds said:


> Yay! I thought my new doe had terrets or something haha! My other three don't do it


Apparently it's a dairy thing. Lol my Nubians do it, my friends lamanchas... It's hilarious.


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## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

The black doe's expression :laugh:...she looks like her friend embarrassed her.


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## NigerianGirl (Jan 30, 2011)

My friends Lamanchas do it all the time


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

My doe Babette does this a lot, she is the only one I have ever had that does it. She does it when she's just standing there, when I'm holder her collar or leading her, she does it a lot. It's the weirdest thing, I don't know why she does it.
Whatever floats their boat =)


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Maybe its brain damage from disbudding


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## Grainneismygoat (Sep 14, 2012)

This makes me feel SO much better! my weather does this all the time.


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces-ADG said:


> Maybe its brain damage from disbudding


Hahaha maybe their heads are too light without their horns! Haha no my saanen who does it almost constantly has her horns still  They are funny and yes Frazzle watches Blossom like she's not right. Haha blossom, the blooming idiot. Haha just teasin. I love my girls


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## christinajh (Jan 24, 2013)

I always tease my goats that do this saying they watch my Arabians too much!


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

christinajh said:


> I always tease my goats that do this saying they watch my Arabians too much!


Hahaha


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

Mine do it when there is a change in light. It's like they are looking at the sky for signs of rain.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I have NEVER seen my goats do this! it's hilarious, but can be disconcerting at first....i'll have to watch them more closely for this motion from now on!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I'm sorry, but reading through this thread just made me laugh and laugh! Goats are so weird, and we go crazy trying to figure out why they do all these weird things. Lovemykidds, that picture is one of the FUNNIEST I have ever seen! :ROFL: :slapfloor:
My horned wether does it. I wondered if he was trying to scratch his back with his horns, but it didn't look quite like that. Somehow it doesn't look like a motion that just "feels good." It looks like an instinct or reflex, that he does for a reason and without thinking about it. :shrug:


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I have goats that do it as well.


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

milkmaid said:


> I'm sorry, but reading through this thread just made me laugh and laugh! Goats are so weird, and we go crazy trying to figure out why they do all these weird things. Lovemykidds, that picture is one of the FUNNIEST I have ever seen! :ROFL: :slapfloor:
> My horned wether does it. I wondered if he was trying to scratch his back with his horns, but it didn't look quite like that. Somehow it doesn't look like a motion that just "feels good." It looks like an instinct or reflex, that he does for a reason and without thinking about it. :shrug:


I think it's just entertaining... Maybe goat yoga.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Maybe they slept the wrong way and got a kink in their neck :ROFL:


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces-ADG said:


> Maybe they slept the wrong way and got a kink in their neck :ROFL:


Haha maybe They (ESP kids) lay in the oddest positions


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

My very "special" Boer doe Starlight will run circles in her pen with her head back like that, baaing her heart out at dinner time :laugh:


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

TrinityRanch said:


> My very "special" Boer doe Starlight will run circles in her pen with her head back like that, baaing her heart out at dinner time :laugh:


Hahaha I would love to see that!


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Lol tonight. She's such a dork


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

My Sissy does this also,my only goat that does. I'm guessing she's checking to see if it is going to rain soon? That way she can make it to the house before anyone else! Lol!


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

Or for another theory, maybe it has to do with food or water going down the "wrong pipe"...I've read that kids need to reach their heads upward to nurse, or be bottle fed, otherwise the milk goes into the rumen where it doesn't belong, so maybe the adults can also have something go into the wrong section of stomach and are trying to correct it by doing this backward stretch. Do they always do it in the same direction? My doe does it, but I haven't taken careful notes!
But it also looks like a good neck stretch, if nothing else.


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Goat_in_Himmel said:


> Or for another theory, maybe it has to do with food or water going down the "wrong pipe"...I've read that kids need to reach their heads upward to nurse, or be bottle fed, otherwise the milk goes into the rumen where it doesn't belong, so maybe the adults can also have something go into the wrong section of stomach and are trying to correct it by doing this backward stretch. Do they always do it in the same direction? My doe does it, but I haven't taken careful notes!
> But it also looks like a good neck stretch, if nothing else.


They just do it for entertainment lol


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## Winrie (Apr 26, 2013)

Hmm, do you think they are trying to scratch there backs? If they had horn's they could probably reach. I've seen my neighbors Boer's scratch there backs with there horn's. It's really funny


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## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Winrie said:


> Hmm, do you think they are trying to scratch there backs? If they had horn's they could probably reach. I've seen my neighbors Boer's scratch there backs with there horn's. It's really funny


Lol no my saanen has horns and she does it


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