# New Goats - How long for them to calm down?



## teemogoat

How long does it take for goats to acclimate to their new home? Just brought some home yesterday afternoon and they aren't interested in browsing much. Plus won't go in the shelter, even though it rained (temps down to around freezing last night). There is hay, minerals and some goat feed with probios in it in the shelter. This morning, doesn't look like they've been in the shelter yet. They were wormed before I loaded them up to bring home. They are mostly standing around alert on the back side of their pen, which is 150' x 150'.


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## GoatCrazy01

Are they used to people? Have you shown them in their shelter? Can you bring them in their shelter and pet them and calm them down in there? It usually takes about 3 days for them to fully adjust. In my experience, anyway.


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## teemogoat

They aren't "pets", but have been used to people calling them into their barns to eat. What I have is just a smaller shelter, enough for them to get out of the rain and have some feed/hay. They haven't even checked it out yet, I thought they'd be curious. Mostly just sticking together and staying around one spot though. I could corner and catch them and make them sit with me in an enclosed space, but don't want to stress them out worse. 

Do you think I'll need to catch them and probios them? Or any other meds that help with the stress of a move, losing their herdmates etc?


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## Suzanne_Tyler

How old are they? Will they let you touch them at all?

Probably the best way to get them into their shelter is to go in it and sit and read a book or something. Curiosity _always_ gets the better of them :lol:


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## teemogoat

2 yearlings (10 mo's) and one about 22 mo's. Not hand friendly yet, but I plan to get them there with treats.


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## Jessica84

They should calm down enough to at least go in their shelter soon. There is all kinds of new smells and sounds that they don't know about. They are prey animals so they are not going to let themselves be cornered when they think all these new things are out to eat them. I wouldn't force anything, just let them figure it out on their own.
Browsing it will depend on if they did this at their last home or not. I've bought dry lotted goats and they can take a week or more to realize head goes down in that big green area to get a full tummy. They are not stupid and they will figure it out although feeding them in the shelter will probably make it a bit longer till they figure it out, but that's fine unless you want them to really be grazing. Really just give them their time, it will all depend on how stressful they think this all is but they will survive so don't stress to much


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## teemogoat

Thank you, that's what I was worried about most was stress killing them. I've only put a little goat feed in their feeder in the shelter so that they know what it's for. I'm aiming to end up with browse, minerals and hay only other than treats to keep them tame. Just gotta get there. Electric is new to them, but they aren't dry lot goats, they had pasture in their old home. I'm just going to have a lot more browse such as brushy stuff once I let them out of their inner pen to the larger. Can't do that until I can get them to follow me anywhere or come to my voice lol.


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## goatblessings

If they are standing out in nasty weather, I would lock them up at night in their shelter if possible. They will quickly learn where the feed and dry area is.


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## teemogoat

Do I need to worry about giving them anything? They were wormed as we loaded them. I put probios powder on their food, but they haven't been in the shed. Keeping in mind I'll have to trap and catch them.


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## groovyoldlady

Can you just take a chair out and sit in the doorway of the shelter for a while and read a book? Have some snacks at hand. I'd be totally surprised if they didn't come over to "check you out". Then you can start the building of trust!


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## teemogoat

I'll give it a whirl, thanks.


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## Jessica84

teemogoat said:


> Do I need to worry about giving them anything? They were wormed as we loaded them. I put probios powder on their food, but they haven't been in the shed. Keeping in mind I'll have to trap and catch them.


Usually what I do before they are unloaded is worm them (I know they have been covered so skip), a copper bolus if they look like they need it, and give them whatever vaccines I vaccinate for (cdt, ONCE PMH, and cl if they are open) but since they are out and about I wouldn't stress about it right now. Wait till they calm down to give them any vaccines you wish to give them. I just do it this way so I don't have to mess with them again and they can just focus on their new living quarters and how things are done


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## spidy1

my Lamancha doe takes over a month to settle down in a new place, she is super tame thou, I can't imagine what she would do if she wasn't, taking her on slow walks with her 'security blanky' her daughter who is very bold, to show her the world isn't going to eat her helps.


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## teemogoat

They are much better today, got one of the three to eat out of my hand. Got all three to discover and go in their shelter. They spent the day walking all over their pen and browsing. They have a protien tub, minerals, hay and a little bit of goat feed with probios. They were interested in all, but not for long as they have 150' x 150' of growth that didn't get cut last year in their pen.


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