# Aggressive Doe



## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

It seems that our Alpine may be more aggressive towards the other goats than we previously thought. I knew part of the issue was our mini Nubian being nervous and terrified of the world, plus I had witnessed some food aggression. However, I thought it would be fine once everyone settled in and got used to each other. We even put up a second hay feeder so that everyone would be able to eat freely. 

Today though, we witnessed some pretty aggressive behavior while we were putting tarps on the goat pen. She was chasing the doelings away from the hay feeders and butting them. Plus, she rammed into our other doe so hard they rolled a large log that was pretty well in the ground over. We were planning on breeding her to Charmer in December, but I don't think we can get through a winter like this. She's a nice enough doe towards people, but we don't have room to separate anyone at night, which is really a problem with winter coming in hard. Is there anything that can be done to curb this behavior or should we just find her a new home?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I had to sell my Alpine mix for the same reason. I will not own an Alpine again for that reason.


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

We're getting a very nice Alpine doe in the spring who I know has been bred for temperament as well as conformation. I wonder if perhaps some lines are more prone to aggressiveness.


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## eqstrnathlete (Mar 16, 2013)

I also sold a doe bec she was being aggressive. Also sending other goats rolling down hills.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

Only doe I've ever had like that is a beastly brute Lamancha. It's not the breed, it's the individual animal and your better off selling her or finding a doe that will put her in her place and yet be good to the others. My Nubian and my togg both keep my bratty lamancha humble and knock her in her place which keeps her so occupied she doesn't pester the others as much.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

The worst 2 herd queens I have ever had were a Saanen/Nubian and my current Lamancha/Saanen. They look alike (but differ by 30 years) and act alike. I swear Eloise was reincarnated and came back as Rhu the old BattleAxe. Loved humans, sweet as pie to humans and goat kids but NASTY, NASTY, NASTY to adult goats.

Of course they were both the best does I had/have in conformation and production. Sigh.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

It's hard not to peg a particular breed when you have had one or more that are extremely aggressive. For me, I'm having a hard time not feeling like Lamancha's can be anything but brutal since I have only owned two (still have) and the adult doe is mean to anything walking except humans. She keeps them from the feeder, butts them very hard and just downright mean. Then I got a doeling and she is a tad bigger than my other doelings and she is worse than the older doe. She waits till another doeling is between a fence and her and them rams right into their stomachs from the side as many times as she can before they run away. I hate to get rid of either as they are both from some really great lines and I want to get at least a batch of kids out of both first. I know not all Mancha's are that way though because I've known other very sweet docile girls in the past but its hard to keep that in mind when these two are worse than any goat I've ever owned and I have had A LOT!


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

Glad to know it's not an Alpine thing! My husband and I were talking about it, and I think she'd do better in a herd with less timid does. Honestly, my adult doe is afraid of the world, so that's probably contributing to Niko's power trip. I guess we'll try to get some better photos of her today and list her. If we had more space in our shelter or if we could have more than one, it wouldn't be such a big deal. As it stands though, Beth would rather sleep in the cold than go into the shelter with Niko in there, which just won't work with the weather we're having now (not to mention the winter we're expecting!).


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## WildIris (May 29, 2014)

I had the same problem with my mini nubian doe, but she was just protecting her kids from the others. If your alpine has kids, it might be she is just trying to protect them from the others. If not you will probably have to sell her if gets any worse.:?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I had to let go of my first lamancha because of this. I think it's a personality thing. I have another lamancha reserved now - from a sweet momma and I'm getting her as a kid this time.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

The alpine I have is like that....BOSSY, hard headed, and just ornery....a hard keeper and messed up teats...but she likes me....*sigh*...just not anyone else. She hates men....and she will challenge them all.Really a pain in the butt.....hoping I have her rehomed this weekend...

Yeah, not an alpine fan over all but would look at the individual personality if I were looking to buy...but an alpine would be bottom of the list!


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

She's not as bad as some, it seems, but we've decided to sell her. I hate doing it, especially this time of year, but I want to make sure everyone has a good home. My big question is what if we can't sell her now?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I don't know if you process but we were going to have ours done but then my butcher is so busy this season with hunters it'd be a long wait....so I decided to let her go with full disclosure at a lower price.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

You could harvest her, or separate her, or if you were not able to do either, you could look into a goat rescue or contact the breeder you bought her from.


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

We don't process, and I don't think we'd get enough meat off of her to be worth butchering her. We might invest in a separate, smaller kennel to put her in at night. During the day, I worry less about the behavior since they can get away. I'd send her back to the breeder, but considering she was half-starving there, I'd hate to send her back to that.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Just a thought...even if you separate at night...it is still probably not ideal to have that kind of stress during the day for your other goats....have you thought about putting her on CL with a full description?


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

I have her on CL and FB, but I haven't had any interest yet.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

This is probably a tough time of year to sell goats.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh...I hate when that happens...I have mine hopefully sold this coming saturday...but I am only getting 60.00 for her...but I figured I'd rather do that than keep her all winter.


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## ariella42 (May 22, 2014)

She's really not that bad during the day with the other goats when they can just go to another part of the pasture easily, so we've decided to make a new shelter for her. We found a canopy in the basement that we're going to put fencing and tarps around to make more secure and weatherproof. She's still for sale, but she's not so bad that I feel we have to take a loss on her to move her. I somewhat wonder if getting a companion for her, perhaps from her old herd, would be a good idea, but I don't want to be stuck with two does who have issues with other goats.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

That's great...I just don't have room for any behavior issues here...but if I had pasture it may be different. I'd try the extra shelter first....maybe having her own space will make her less mean?


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