# need help deciding if i should sell my goats??!!



## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

HI
Idk if any of you remember me, but i bought two wethers about 5 months ago (that;s how old they are) and i bottle fed them. I know this seems crazy but I'm beginning to think of them as annoying and my brother's goat is the dumbest thing iv'e ever seen! I am tempted to sell them at my fair this year after my brother and i show them for pack. They are still kids, but I am not sure if their bad behaviors and dumbness will go away as they age. I got them because I thought goats would be fun and smart, but it turns out they are the complete opposite. At least these are!! Lots of people have told me goats are stubborn and will be like 2 year olds, always getting into things, but i didn't think they were that much of a pain. My goats cry and cry and cry all day long. We have them in the barn, because we are still building a pasture. I was planning on putting them in with a horse, but now that i think about it, id have to find a horse used to goats (not very easy). They are the sweetest little things, and i like my goat, he's not loud or or anything, and he learns quickly, but he is very stubborn. I think he would be a nice goat if i worked with him a lot more, but my brothers goat is bad! He looks for places to get out he jumps onto everything and eats everything in his path and he is extremely loud. He wines for attention all day!! Plus he always gets his head caught in between things. I truly believe he has a half a brain. Even my neigbor says he is unussually dumb for a goat. So i'm asking for opinions on whether to sell them or not. If i sell one i have to sell the other, or it will be by itself, or if i;m lucky i can find someone who might trade my bad goat for one of thiers.


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

He might be smarter than you think he is.

Probably what happened was he got stuck
and started to cry. You or your brother rushed to his rescue. 
So he learned that if I get stuck. I get attention.
And if I scream louder they come help me. 

I know the neighbor had a goat. He use to get stuck in the fence.
So I would hike up the hill and get him out. I had not gotten even home before he got stuck again. 

Well I had to go to work. So he got left in the fence. I did call the neighbors and tell them that Cougar Bait was stuck in the fence, again. 

Well since it ended up that they were not home either. The goat was stuck there a while. I guess he got it. Because he quit getting stuck. Or they fixed it so he could not get stuck. Not sure. LOL.

As for selling it. I am not the one to answer that.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

You might try duct taping a stick across his horns at the base so he can't push his head clear thru. There is an age where if they are gonna get stuck they will and then they figure out it gets them attention.
Also, do they cry when no people are visible? Or just when they see you. If so they are spoiled and you should spend a lot of time ignoring them while you are outside. If they are crying when no one is around they may not have enough to eat. Don't know if they are on pasture or not but you might just give them some hay twice a day to see if that gives them something to do.


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## cassieb (Nov 6, 2009)

I have a little one who also yells anytime she sees me. I have learned though that it is because she just loves people. She will cry untill she gets tired of me ignoring her, then she gives up and finds something better to do.

My first doe I sold because I hated how loud and annoying she was, but this new little girl I have got alot of attention from me early in her life and that may have something to do with how loud she has become.

Do you ever just sit in the pen with them when they are loud? Or do you ignore them when they scream?

I tried the ignoring thing with my young doe and it works after about 5 minutes. My old doe would scream for literally an hour or more and she didn't care if I ignored her or not. She did shut up if I gave her attention, but after all the trouble she was, I didnt even _want_ to be around her...

Anyways, don't give up yet.

The young ones in general are louder and usualy quiet down with age. Or you could be selling one of your best future packers!

On the other hand - dont keep one you truely do not like. It is not worth it.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

You might try borrowing an older goat. The dynamics of the herd change immediately. It will give them security that they won't need when they get older. The older goat may actually discipline them as well. If you're in it for the long haul, it's too early to bail out. Even if they don't work out, you will learn through it which will help you on the next round.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

If you are getting a horse anyway, don't worry about whether it is used to goats. Just get the horse that _you_ like and bring it home. You can introduce it to the goats across the fence at first. He'll get used to them. Most horses will bond with goats pretty quickly, especially if there are no other animals around to bond with. He may end up doing a really good job of calming your goats down. The only caution is that some horses are mean to goats, but most horses are not so mean that they have to be separated. Also, goats are pretty tough. They may get knocked around a bit at first until they learn to respect the horse's space, but they'll survive.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks guys- Yes i do give the goats free choice hay and grain twice a day, which they act like they cannot live without. I also have a mineral block in their pen and pigs are right across from them in another pen, so I don't understand how they (the one in particular) can be so bored. I do not take them out much, not every day at least, and i'm criticizing myself for that, but mostly the goats just cry if they hear someone walking towards the barn and around certain times of the day. Such as when my brother and I come home from school, and in the morning for feeding, and night feeding. But if i go outside and do something away from the barn, but they hear someone, they will scream fo awhile. Like i said before I bottle fed them, so i think they're used to atteniton, plus the person i purchased the one goat from had 3 kids and they paid lots of attention to their goats from the day they were born. So i think he is attached to people, but in an utterly annoying way. He does nip at me sometimes if i'm in his pen not petting him or if i'm giving hime water. I'm not sure if that is aggressive behavior or just a "hey buddy, pet me!" sign?! I'm still not sure if i want to keep them. I like my goat, but the problem goat, (my brother's) is bugging the crap out of me! My brother doesn't even like his goat that much!


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

What breed of goats are they?
I think they need more excersize and time.
Do you have any toys in their pen? 
Small trampoline? or Teeter totter?
Or stump or log to jump on. 

I hate compareing animals to humans.
But.... How would you like being in the same room.
4 walls. Day after day after day. 

The crying is all for a reason.
They are creatures of habit. 
If they are use to being fed at a certain
time. They will start reminding you it is
time to eat. Even if there is food still in the dish. LOL

If they were milking does. They would do the
same thing. Reminding you it is time to be milked.

They know you are coming home. And hear
you. this is normal. Ignore it. It will take time
but will get less and less.

Just my 4 cents worth.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Do they have any toys to play with? You might give them some stuff to climb or go under or both.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

No unfortunately i cannot put any toys in their stall/pen because they destroy everything! I had little wooden spools for them to jump on and they broke those! They like to climb on boards and stand on their hay feeder though. But i'm afraid if i put anything else in the pen they will use it to jump out or destroy it. I gave them a kiddie slide once when they were still being bottle fed,and they loved it, but now they either slip and fall when they try to get on it, or the bad goat knocks it over and tries to eat the plastic it's made of!! I'm telling you this goat i don't like is very dumb and destructive! Today he was bouncing off the walls of his stall and he looked like he was about to crack them. I really need a pasture for them, but my dad is soo busy we haven't worked on it forever, plus it rains here like everyday.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

It sounds to me like your goats just don't have enough room to play like goats should. It doesn't sound to me like your brother's goat is "dumb"... he's just bored. A goat needs room to run around and stretch his legs and he needs interesting things to keep him occupied. Our goat actually runs around on a 60-foot dog chain on a regular basis, just so he can get out of the yard for a change. We also take him for a walk every day (unless the weather is just terrible). Our goat gets destructive and starts acting dominant with Phil and I if we keep him cooped up too many days in a row. 

At one point before we had the electric fence, any time Phil and I were late taking Cuzco for his daily walk, he would stare at the window and start baa-a-ah-ing. Then if we didn't respond within half an hour or so he would climb or jump the wire fence and get out. It didn't take him long to utterly destroy that fence, so I put electric up to discourage him from leaving the yard. That worked to keep the mischief down, but the fact of the matter was that our goat needed some exercise, companionship, and entertainment. He wasn't a bad goat, just a bored goat.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

I second that. Your goats need exercise and more space. They aren't dump or destructive. They are young animals who burst with energy and the need to explore their world.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

If you can't provide them what they need you should sell them. It's not fair to keep them locked up. Bad habits that you list are largely due to boredom.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Ok guys, I have finnally came to answer, I'm selling them. Unfortunately the goats got out and ate all of my dad's newly planted trees, they went right for them, instead of all the weeds we have around. That got my dad very upset, and he insists we sell them. I truly do not like my brother's goat and I cannot just sell one and have the other alone, so I have no choice but to sell them both. We do not pack them, so really they are no use to us. I feel as if i've wasted my time with this whole project and I was planning to show them at fair, but that's out of the picture now. They were very destructive goats though. I have seen many other peoples goats and they were nothing compared to mine! I guess I just had bad luck with getting my first goats. Although I will never go back to having goats I might still contribute to this sites questions (if that's ok) I can still rememer having goats  - Hannah


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

You need to tell everyone some info:

Where are goats located?
What are you asking for them?
Age?


And it was not a waste of time.
You learned many things. 

I would not say the word NEVER. 
When you have a place of your own.
Kids of your own. They may want goats.
And you will have some insight as to how 
to take care of them. 

I would love your goats. But am sure
we are too far away.
R.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

total typical behaviour for goats. If you keep goats you have to accept that they will get out of their pasture now and then and will always eat neighbor's prime roses, mum's best cabbage or other things that people hold dear. They don't do it because they are destructive or malevolent but because they are goats.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

I understand that goats possess this behavior now, but I did not know that when I bought them. They act like 2 year olds and if I had known that I would not hve bought them. It is my fault completely that they are being sold, but I do not regret wanting to sell them. I was told that goats are very lovable, sweet, easy livestock to care for and are no trouble whatsoever to keep iin a barn. But only half of that is true. I do not have a proper set up for them and I was not told that one was needed before I bought them (again partially my fault for not further investigating) I guess I need to not take peoples word so seriously next time. But anyways, If any of you are interested : They are Alpine wethers, one is 6 months old, one is 7 months old. They are very sweet goats, halter broke, but need training to be pack goats. I was planning on raising them for packing at fair as 4-H projects. One is black and white one is brown with a black stripe down his back. Supposedly they come from champion lshow goat lines, but i guess i will see at the fair this year how they do. If I can get a buyer to pick them up after we show them at the fair, that will be good, but i can sell them right away if the buyer wishes. I am asking $10.00 each for them. Prefferably selling them both at the same time. I am located in Ohio. Medina county. North of Columbus Ohio. You can e-mail me @[email protected]


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

Please do not be offended.
People here love the goats.
They know what you are and have
gone through on the learning curve.

They also see that if you had the
time and help you could work out
your issues. 
It all takes experience and learning.

But without Physical and mental
support at your age we can understand 
your decision to find new homes for them.

And even though we as adults can find 
solutions to your problems. We can understand
and commend you for that decision.

Hope you find great homes for your KIDS.
R.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Thank you- Part of reason we are getting rid of them is because of my dad, the other part is my fault, like i said I should have done further researching before purchasing. Though I research like crazy before I want an animal, I seem to forget about fencing and housing requirements. I thought my dad would figure that out. But apparently he did not know that goats are like 2 year olds. Nor did I. So we did not have the proper setup for them. But anyone else reading this- please don't think of me as a mean person to animals. I love my animals to death, but I just need help trying to build proper setups for them. :lol:


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

i know this is long over but i agree on "never say never"

my family had dairy goats for about nine years. and the whole time i absolutely DISPISED goats (except that first day when they are newborns and adorable and you don't have to care for them yet). our starter goats were the delinquents of the herd that we bought 'em from (that's what i think anyway). and looking back i still don't like the goats we had then.

but now i have my own!!! after nine years of LOATHING them... and then three years of not having them... i fell in love with the little boogers :roll:

so never say never! and i know how much this is said but it really CANNOT be stressed enough: HAVE YOUR BARN AND PASTURE ABSOLUTELY READY _*BEFORE*_ YOU GET YOUR GOATS!!!!!!!


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

What is that saying, something like " how much you like your goats depends on how good your fencing is"?
How true.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

My first Ober boy was 2 months late getting to Idaho. The door knobs were polished on the barn by the time he got here. I had nothing left to do to the barn yard. Tired of waiting for the promised ride I drove the 2000 mile round trip to pick him up. We had plenty of play time to sooth his nerves about moving. It was great time and he adjusted quickly. Three years later he has never gotten out of the yard. Knock on wood. 
IdahoNancy


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

I am the expert here at learning the hard way. I figured I'd never get around to building a fence until I had something to keep in it. 

When I put up the horse panels, I let my daughter dig a hole under it lined with a 14" right angle duct to let the ducks get under the fence in their own custom tunnel. The ducks went through the fence and Larry went through the duct.

A Box elder tree made up part of my fence, and still does, but when they started climbing the tree to get over the fence I had to put stuff in the tree to prevent them from getting across.

Then an old car parked near the fence is an ideal launching pad for a goat even if he doesn't know how he's going to land on the other side.

The sections of fence made out of chicken wire eventually had to be replaced with horse fence since it somehow gets shredded when I am not looking.

Then when everything is perfect, the goats show me that not only can they climb vertical horse fencing, but they can jump right over it anytime they want. They used that skill to bribe me into letting them get a little pudgy.

The neighbors behind me don't mind the occasional trespass since they just eat their weeds. When they hop the front fencing they are still in my larger fenced yard (a 3' fence out front) but are content to eat the grapes, roses, cherries, etc, rather than leave the yard.

Nightly I let Moe and Pig roam the front and Moe somehow finds his way back over the fence to put himself to bed. When Pig is ready, he calls for me and I let him through the gate.

So if you got goats to liven things up a bit. Wait until you have them before you think about a fence.


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