# How to introduce new doeling to the herd



## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

In two weeks I will be bringing home a 2 month old Saanen doeling. Ideally I would like to pen her with my doe and her two kids. Has anyone done this with success?. The other option is to pen her with my two wethers. They are rowdy boys so I'm not sure I want to pursue that option with her being so young. How should I introduce her to my doe?. My doe has a really sweet temperament but I don't know how she will react with a kid that is not hers.


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## GoatGirlZ (Apr 24, 2014)

Introduce her slowly i did this with my Saanen doe and my boer buckling if there is a big enough space for all of them she should be just fine if not keep them seperated by just one gate and they should get used to one another. hope all goes well keep us posted on how everything is going and post a pic if you can when your Saanen doeling comes (Saanens are my FARVORITE breed of goats)


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

How old are your doe's kids? I know my does view a new kid - even if that kid was born in the herd and has been gone for a week(bottle baby) - as a threat, will greet them with hostility, and beat them up. Your doe may not do that but, if you decide to go that route, keep a very close eye on the baby so you can intervene if needed.


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

When the doeling comes the kids will be almost a month old. The pen opens up onto a small pasture. I'll probably leave the gate open so that the doeling can retreat if need be. There should be enough room for everyone. I have a dog house she can take shelter in if my doe will not allow her to sleep in the main shelter. She is a very sweet girl so I'll cross my fingers. 

I really love Saanens as well. My doe is 3/4 Saanen and 1/4 nubian and she is so patient with me. She is a ff and doesn't kick or dance when I milk her. She has small teats and it took me awhile to figure out how to position and operate my hands on them. Even when the food ran out she just stood there chewing her cud while I figured it out. I hope my new doeling will be this patient as well. 

Thanks for the input guys. I will sit and observe and see where we go from there.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

You don't want to give her access to pasture when she first arrives. Keep her penned in a secure pen for the first week or two until she acclimates to you and her new surroundings. If you turn her out and something spooks her, she can easily go through/over/under the fence and you may never see her again. It is not uncommon for a young, spooked animal to literally run themselves to death. Have another secure pen ready in case you need to separate.


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## GoatGirlZ (Apr 24, 2014)

Oh I had a Saanrn Nubian that just died a month ago and she was just like that i lovrd her im glad you have such a good doe


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## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

Ok so I jut got a new doeling. The best thing and the best way is to introduce her slowly so she doesn't get stressed out. If you have a field where they can graze I would let your herd out there and just let her kinda roam around with them. My goats didnt seem to care. But when they are in smaller places that is where it gets kinda harder!!:/


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

The fence around the pasture is electric so she'd probably get zapped if she tried to escape. It is kind of a pasture within a pasture. The main fenced pasture has horses and donkeys. I fenced off the small pasture in order to keep the kids safe from getting trampled by horses. There's not much grass growing there, it's more of a run then anything else. If things don't go well between my doe and the kid, I can easily divide up the pasture. The second pen I have doesn't allow for goats to see out very easily. It is mostly a sleeping area for my wethers at night. 


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## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

Well goats et stressed out really easy especially new goats... So if she is in a bigger erea then she has more places to go and get away from bullying!! but she should be fine but for your sake I would keep her seperated for a few weeks just incase of any sicknesses!!


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

Good news! My landlady's tenants at her other property left behind a large chain link dog run. It is happily sitting next to my Doe's pen. I'll put my new doeling in there for awhile and eventually I will convert it into a kid pen or creep pen or whatever those pens are called 


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## GoatGirlZ (Apr 24, 2014)

Any pics i just adore little saanens or any kind of goat really


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

I'm going to pick her up tomorrow 


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## GoatGirlZ (Apr 24, 2014)

Yay!!! Hope to see her soon


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## GoatGirlZ (Apr 24, 2014)

Any pics


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

I'll take some tomorrow (;


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

Here she is :-D


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

My doe was good with her at first and then decided to ram her. She is in her own pen but badly wants to be with the other goats, poor girl. She gets along well with my doe's kids. Hopefully some harmony will be reached eventually. 


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## GoatGirlZ (Apr 24, 2014)

Oh she is beatiful and wonderfull confirmation!! Thanks for the pics hopefully the other die will start warming up soon!


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

Thank you .Yeah she's a beauty. The breeder I got her from has achieved master of breed status in Saanen and Alpine. She's a little skittish yet but we are working on it. I really do hope my doe will adjust to her. She is a bossy thing but I am sure the order will be established. My doe's kids had a play date with her today. They were so cute.


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