# May Have Made a Mistake Introducing New Goats



## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

A few months ago, we bought two Boer/Kiko crosses, at least that is what we were told they were. They were 8 weeks old when we got them. The breeder wasn't honest and we ended up losing one shortly after we got him (about 3 to 4 weeks). The other one was depressed, so we decided to get him some friends. I came across two, 14 month old Boer/Myotonic crosses that someone was giving away and we just brought them home today. The original goat is about 5 months old, and we didn't think it was going to be an issue bringing the three together, but within 5 minutes, I noticed the doe being aggressive to him. It started out innocent, but then she ran at him and flipped him. The wether didn't really want to have anything to do with him. I'm not sure if it was just the new situation for her, or if I am going to have issues keeping the three of them together.

My question is, what is the best way to introduce them so I don't end up with an injured (or worse) kid? So far, we have had them on different sides of the fence other than the initial meeting.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Honestly IMO the whole threw the fence meeting is a waste of time. I have does separated by a fence and when I didn't tie the gate they got together and it was a huge fight! I'm sure my answer isn't the most popular but when it's time for new goats to go in I just put them in and let them figure it out. I think they are going to do what they are going to do and there's no way around it. The only time I step in is if it's hot or when the new one is showing signs of being totally worn out and they are still going at her. You can try separating the more aggressive one by herself and see if that helps any


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is a big age difference. The little one can get seriously hurt.


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## brigadoonfarmgal (Jul 14, 2016)

I agree with you both, I would normally let them figure it out for themselves with a few exceptions age/size/health status/degree of viciousness being distributed. I will not tolerate an abusive "bully" goat in my herd (keeping in mind goats will be goats). I also would not want to further that trait in my breeding stock.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

I'm not sure if she is being a bully or if it is just the new environment. I can't take the chance of her killing the little one, it's a money over free kind of thing. Both of the new ones are very skittish and won't let me get near them, and the guy we got them from said they were tame. He even sent a picture of his young daughter playing with them, so I may end up going with the new environment thing and just give them a few days.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

It has nothing to do with the environment and everything to do with goats being goats. Herd structure and pecking order is very important to goats. This goat sees the opportunity to be queen of her new "herd" and she is establishing that. It is very typical goat behavior but often hard for new goat owners to accept or watch. Certainly with the age difference, injuries are a concern. 

The new environmental may be the issue as to why they won't let you handle them, but it doesn't explain their behavior to the other goat.

I would reintroduce them in a big neutral area. Multiple sources of water and hay. And some structures for the little goat to get on and under to get away from the bigger goats.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Remove the Dominant doe and pen her up in a secure area. So she can see them.
Leave the wether and the youngster in the pen together, so they can bond. In 2 weeks, try to reintroduce the doe into the boys pen. Have a creep feeder so the kid can escape if she gets mean again, feed them in different area's. It is usually the dominant thing when it is feeding time. Or put the feed in the creep feeder for the little one.
This time the doe is the newbie, but by now the two boys should be buddies. 
If the wether and the doe are brought in together initially they are bonded together and will go against the little one.

If however, that doe continues to be mean. I would sell her.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

Today was a little better. The two new ones let me get about 6 inches away from them and touch their heads a little, but I think that was only because I had a pan of sweet feed at my feet. The doe seems more interested in my little billy, but I'm not sure if she wants to be nice or take another mouthful of fur off his hide.

The guy we got them from said that they will freak out if they are separated, and my husband got a little taste of it when he was putting them in the back of my poor SUV to bring them home. They are very touchy with each other and I don't know if putting a fence between the two of them is going to trigger the freak out session or not. I suppose it doesn't hurt to try. 

If the doe were bred, would she be a bit calmer around the little one, or would that just make the situation worse?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It would make the situation worse to breed her.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

ksalvagno said:


> It would make the situation worse to breed her.


Well, we won't go that route then! The goal is to eventually breed her with the young billy, but she has to at least like him first!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Just an FYI, if they are the ages you posted, the buck is plenty old enough to breed your doe. If you don't want her bred, you will have to separate them now.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She will have separation anxiety definitely, make sure the fence is high enough so she doesn't try to jump. 
The situation is going to get the little one hurt, broke or dead. I hate saying that, but we need to protect those who are weaker because this is a baby getting beat up and it sounds like she is not easy on him. 
One thing to consider is to sell the doe and replace her with a more docile doe if possible. Not all does are mean, especially to babies. Or you might sell the youngster? It is always hard when things like that happen I know.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

We don't have them together. The two new ones are in the fence, and the little one is on a tether outside the fence. They only have contact through the fence. They only direct contact they have had was when we first brought the new ones home. She sniffed him for a minute, acted like she was going to play with him, then she took a nip at him, pulled out some fur then flipped him over. Hubby wants to keep them apart until we know for sure that she isn't going to hurt him since we have a good bit of money into the little one and the older ones were free.

I'm not sure the little one could breed the doe, even if he wanted to! He's so little, not even to my knee yet. I am seriously doubting his breed at this point.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If he is 5 months old, he can indeed breed. If there is a will there is a way.

A long time ago, I bred 24 mature Boer Doe's using a 4 month old boer buckling. He shocked me and bred everyone, we had babies from all of them, 5 months later.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

Oh my! It may be a good thing that they are not in the same pen then. How do I tell when she goes into heat? Not sure what Hubby would say if the little guy bred her! He is now on the fence about keeping the two older ones. He's more of a 'raise them, sell them' kind of guy. I am starting to feel very unprepared with them. I think I should have done a bit more research before jumping in. Honestly, I don't think we have had the best luck at this point.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

She will flag or flap her tail, rub on him or the fence between, be more vocal, she may even have some clear discharge. They come into heat every 18-21 days.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.

Believe or not, we all started somewhere and like you, I wasn't prepared or knew about goats. I did search the web, did things trial and error, lost some, saved goats. It is not like now, I didn't have TGS to help me and no vets. All vets didn't know much when I started out, if at all and even now it is hard to find a good goat vet. 
I see you are here so that deserves a pat on the back. You have learned a lot already and believe me, will learn even more. I do learn things here and there along the way as well from TGS. I wish I had it way back when I started out. 
Give yourself credit, you are here to learn more and that is a lot more than some out there, who think a goat is a goat and will live on bottle caps or tin cans.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

Update: We tried seperating the doe from the wether and she tore the fence down, so now we have no fence. Hubby works nearly 80 hours a week so I have no idea when we will be able to put it back up. We have been forced to use tie outs for all three of them, but the doe is being nicer to my little billy. She is apparently an escape artist and has been finding ways to slip the tie out, so I had to use the billy to lure her in the morning. She was playing with him rather than trying to kill him this time, so I think things are moving in the right direction.

I did notice some odd behavior though. Before I brought the billy out, she was hanging around her brother (the wether) and was humping him. He put a stop to it a few times, but she kept trying to go right back in. Is this normal behavior?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Many does will mount other goats as a sign of dominance. She is likely in heat if she is mounting him.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.


Sorry about the fence, but it seems she learned a lesson to be nice or be separated which is good.

If you can, get wood pallets, you can use them for a cheap fence fix. 
Tie them together Or buy hog panels and a tee posts. If you need to. Depending on how big the damage is.


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

Most of the fence is already made of pallets, or reinforced with pallets, she decided the one section that wasn't (where the gate is) was escape central. The gate is toast too, it will have to be replaced. I guess what they say is true, nothing is really free!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Lol. No, goats are only free the first few seconds you load them up. After that they start a tab.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I so agree. :sigh:


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