# Horns



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

My boys have gotten so aggressive towards each other and towards my new girls. And the girls are just babies. When I got home and fed last night it looked as if they had gotten one of my girls down. Is there anything I can put on the horns to help to not hurt them? They even hook each other now. Why are they acting like this?

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

If you can't separate them, bubble wrap and duct tape make a nice semi-temporary solution, though I don't really know how to make a permanent one without dehorning them.


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

What about putting the small Kong dog toys on there? Someone suggested that. Would u glue them or duct tape them.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Are these bucks or wethers in with does? Is it possible the does are in heat and they boys are fighting over them?


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

kccjer said:


> Are these bucks or wethers in with does? Is it possible the does are in heat and they boys are fighting over them?


That is what I was thinking!!! But she did say they were babies:0 they might just be seeing who is more dominant!!

Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


----------



## RhinoWhite (Nov 17, 2013)

To me that sounds as if they are fighting over the pecking order, since new goats arrived. If you are lucky this is over in a few days and you do not need to do something risky over those horns.


----------



## MaAdMtns (Oct 4, 2013)

I take mini tennis balls and carve out little holes, then pop them on.

I use vet wrap all around the ball and around the horn about an inch, then use sports tape (touching horn and wrap) to hold it on. This is a less permanent fix then using duct tape as I only put them on when children are around.

Duct tape and gorilla tape will definitely hold them on longer and stronger, but will be way more difficult to remove.


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

I'm almost in tears. They hit one of my girls and pinned her against the fence. Nothing I could do. Before that happened I was putting hay in the feeder and was charged and got hooked with horns. I grabbed him and spanked him and said no no. Made him madder. These are my babies and it's tearing my heart out over this. They have never been aggressive to me. :'(. I guess I'm going to have to separate them. And to answer ur question they are wethers. I just feel bad to be after them the whole time cause this is a change in their lives too. Should I spank them or just let them slam into the girls???

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

They sound like they are being dominant. I have a wether like that so I make sure that I have tennis balls taped to his horns all the time and at least he can't do much damage, like hooking someone or goring them.


----------



## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

Wow that's crazy! I would NEVER let one of my wethers get away with banging up on me or repeatedly and violently beating up on my girl. So by spanking them you are doing the right thing. It could just be dominance but still they need to know that you are boss. Something that I found works with aggressive and scared goats is laying them down on their side and holding them down until they relax and submit. It sounds crazy but it works and gets them out of that aggressive state and makes them see that you are tougher than them. They might need more than a little spank. 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

TheGoatWhisperer said:


> Wow that's crazy! I would NEVER let one of my wethers get away with banging up on me or repeatedly and violently beating up on my girl. So by spanking them you are doing the right thing. It could just be dominance but still they need to know that you are boss. Something that I found works with aggressive and scared goats is laying them down on their side and holding them down until they relax and submit. It sounds crazy but it works and gets them out of that aggressive state and makes them see that you are tougher than them. They might need more than a little spank.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


I agree they need more than a spank!!! I get a flexible branch and whip them with it if they hurt me or another goat!!!

Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You need to separate them. You could end up with a dead goat.


----------



## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

Haha yes goats are tough and are tough on each other. They aren't going to take offense from you pushing them around a little. 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

cteague said:


> I'm almost in tears. They hit one of my girls and pinned her against the fence. Nothing I could do. Should I spank them or just let them slam into the girls???
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


As Karen said , you could end up with a dead goat. I would separate.


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Thegoatwhisper so If I lose my temper I'm not being bad to them. I spanked him then popped him on the nose then grabbed his horns. So I might have to throw him on his side? After I do yhsn I might het the girls and set in him too lol. Word that help

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

No. You are showing him not to mess with you but it won't help the girls. At this point I would be separating them.


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

cteague said:


> Thegoatwhisper so If I lose my temper I'm not being bad to them. I spanked him then popped him on the nose then grabbed his horns. So I might have to throw him on his side? After I do yhsn I might het the girls and set in him too lol. Word that help
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


Never ever ever ever grab a buck by his horns!!! That makes them mean and they get really mad if you do. Actually it's better if you don't grab any goats horns!!

Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

Haha right you aren't being bad to them. Although grabbing their horns is a no no and that can make them think you are challenging them. This is probably why they came right back at you. I should have said this before but like everyone else is saying you should separate them and work on it with them alone. Once they learn to respect you you might be able to reintroduce them but at this time I would separate them and work on their tempers. lol Just don't want to risk them seriously hurting your girls. 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Ok I think u are right. I will just separate them for now.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Oh and the grabbing horns thing I know probably wasn't a good idea but I wasn't hunting hit or hooked again on my knee. I did it out of reaction. But i will try not to anymore. Cause he did get mad.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Wanting not hunting lol

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

cteague said:


> Oh and the grabbing horns thing I know probably wasn't a good idea but I wasn't hunting hit or hooked again on my knee. I did it out of reaction. But i will try not to anymore. Cause he did get mad.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


Ok well as long as your not meaning too!!! Sorry I thought you were just grabbing his horns for no reason!!

Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

Well good luck with helping them! Hope you can get them together again so they can be a herd.  


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Thanks everyone for all ur help. Hopefully all my babies will get to be a family one day. 

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

I went down to feed this evening and Molly is grinning her teeth together:-(. I think the hit she took yesterday has hurt her. She would eat but cry when she would eat. Not the regular sounds she makes. But a cry. If she don't make it....I won't be getting anymore goats. It is too sad when I lose one. And I know that is expected to happen sometimes....but not like this:'(

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

Don't give up ... There are many goats that live peacefully together.. Before u decide no goats maybe decide a specific goat is not fitting in with what u are wanting to do.. It is ok to have an animal not fit ... It happens a lot, cull and move on ... They are such wonderful little beings... Most the time  I hope your girl gets better .. Maybe a trip to vet if still painful tomorrow to check for internal damage . 
My thoughts are with ya


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

4seasonsfarm said:


> I agree they need more than a spank!!! I get a flexible branch and whip them with it if they hurt me or another goat!!!
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


How are you going to handle it when you aren't there?


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

cteague said:


> Thanks everyone for all ur help. Hopefully all my babies will get to be a family one day.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


At the risk of sounding like I'm coming down on you(not my intent), it sounds to me like you need to change your paradigm. There is nothing wrong with having 2 or even 3 "families" of goats and it is preferable to having even one goat killed/hurt by another one. You, as the owner, have a responsibility to keep all of your goats safe and you need to give up the notion that all goats will live happily ever after in one herd. Learn to recognize aggressive behaviour and separate as needed.


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

MsScamp said:


> How are you going to handle it when you aren't there?


Well only if I see them do something. My goats are good most of the time but my buck wet through a bully phase so that is what I did.

Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Exactly, and I doubt that it was a phase. Don't kid yourself - goats are smart, they know exactly when they can get away with bullying and when they better behave.


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

I knew there was going to be some fighting. Because of the pecking order thing. I just didn't see the boys being this aggressive because they were so gentle before I brought the girls in. And they had never showed any aggression towards me. That is my shock. And I am new to having goats so I didn't know they would be this way. Eye opener for sure. And learning experience.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

How's your doe this morning?


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

cteague said:


> I knew there was going to be some fighting. Because of the pecking order thing. I just didn't see the boys being this aggressive because they were so gentle before I brought the girls in. And they had never showed any aggression towards me. That is my shock. And I am new to having goats so I didn't know they would be this way. Eye opener for sure. And learning experience.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


I would suggest if you want the easiest way of keeping the wethers on with the gals is to sell one. It might help stop the tempermental part.

Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

MsScamp said:


> Exactly, and I doubt that it was a phase. Don't kid yourself - goats are smart, they know exactly when they can get away with bullying and when they better behave.


I'm not sure if I was or not but now my buck is kind and gentle towards me at all times but he does have a habit of butting the other goats away if there is a doe in heat.

Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Ok, from my own personal experience this is not going to end well. Please don't try the "throw them down and sit on them method". It's most likely not going to work and will either make them more aggressive toward you or make them afraid of you. It isn't going to do anything about the aggression toward the does. You absolutely NEED to get these separated. Trying to establish pecking order is one thing. Attacking YOU while doing that is another entirely. AND...going after another to the extent of hurting it is also another thing. At MY farm, those wethers would be GONE...as of now. However, I DO understand that the wethers are pets and you probably really don't want to get rid of them. They will need to be kept separate from your does. Period. If that isn't going to work, you'll have to make a decision about which to keep. Not a fun thing. Sorry. 

I sure hope your doe is going to be ok.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Your healthy doe will need a buddy if you lose the injured one. There is no way she can go in with the wethers. I would take the hurting doe to the vet there may be internal injuries.


----------



## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

How is your doe doing? Have you tried anything with the wethers? And I'm just going to disagree with someone on here for a second, please don't take offense, but I have seen the "laying them on their side until they submit" work time and time again. Some goats just need to be taught, they are smart and can learn what to do and what not to do. I have never had goats be aggressive or scared of me after. In fact just the opposite, one of my wethers was terrified of humans when I first got him but after using this method and spending time with him he has turned into a lap goat that follows me around everywhere. I know things never work out right all the time so I'm sure people have had this method not work for them, but just giving my experience so you can see it does work. Don't be rash in your decision to sell one of your wethers. Just keep them separate for now. Work with them and see if you can help them first. Ultimately you just have to do what is best for your herd but I would never just give up on a goat and sell them point blank. Just my two cents and what I would do. Hope no one takes offense! :-/


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

My girl was up this morning. Her and my other doe were by themselves picking. I'm seperating them. And the boys are my pets. And I'm not going to give up on them yet.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Thanks everyone!

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## cteague (Aug 17, 2013)

Goatwhisper my husband did what u said. Total attitude change. Thanks.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


----------



## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

Awesome! Glad it is working.


----------

