# can they live together?



## JumpingGoat (Mar 10, 2016)

At the moment my 3 does, 1 buck and 1 weather are living together. They are all very happy and the buck treats the others very nicely but in the next month all 3 does will be separated because they are due to kid soon and i do not want the buck with the kids. The weather lived in with our kids last time and he loved them, he was kinda like a big brother. We only had one doe kiding and she was very happy with him there as well. But my question is will a buck and weather be happy to live alone together? The buck has bullied the weather in the past but they are getting along a lot better now and just seam to keep to themselves but im worried that the weather will not be happy with just the buck as company. My other option is to just leave the buck on his own and put the wether in with the does, the buck would still be able to see them and i just do not want him to be loneley. They are my only real options at the moment and im thinking they will be okay with just the two of them but i wanted a second opinion


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

They should be fine. I would not put the buck by himself.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Are you concerned that your buck will be mean to the kids? You might just try it and see because every one of my bucks has been nothing but sweet and protective of the kids born here so I leave them together until the does start cycling. Once your does and kids start coming into heat, though, you'll still be faced with separating your buck, at which point I would put him with the wether so he's not totally alone.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I have a buck and wether that are best friends. I always keep my buck separate from the does unless breeding them..works very well for me.


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## JumpingGoat (Mar 10, 2016)

Damfino said:


> Are you concerned that your buck will be mean to the kids? You might just try it and see because every one of my bucks has been nothing but sweet and protective of the kids born here so I leave them together until the does start cycling. Once your does and kids start coming into heat, though, you'll still be faced with separating your buck, at which point I would put him with the wether so he's not totally alone.


That is really intresting, i have always assumed that the buck could be a bit rough with the kids, especially because he has horns and non of my does do (he dose not use them that much and it has never been an issue). I will definitely think about that because it would honestly be so much easier if we could keep them all together and seperate them later down the track because we have just moved with the goats and everything is a bit crazy at the momment!



goatblessings said:


> I have a buck and wether that are best friends. I always keep my buck separate from the does unless breeding them..works very well for me.


I will be definitely be doing that after everyone has kidded this year as i do not want the does accidentally bred right after they kid or for a while after that.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Keep in mind, bucks can chase and stress the does even if the does aren't cycling.


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

It's so interesting to see the wide range of experiences and ideas on this forum. I can only offer my opinion or experience and this is my stance on your question, JumpingGoat. 
While I don't "believe" my buck would "intentionally" hurt a baby or one of my pregnant does, why take that chance? I have the sweetest wether in the world, and while Pogo (my buck) can get a little out of line with him, they typically get along. Trip (my wether) knows when Dad's pissed, he needs to get out of the way. My place is big enough they can get away from each other. Now that I have my 2nd wether, Hamilton, it's even better, Pogo is alot calmer he has his 2 sons to boss around, my gelding who surprisingly seems to adore the little turd and my mini donkey. My does are in their own space and with the baby turn out (ex riding ring) in between the buck and doe pastures,there isn't a lot of "teasing" going on. 
So to make a long story even longer, I believe that as long as all your animals have a friend or companion they will thrive and there will be less injuries, drama, and unwanted pregnancies.


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## JumpingGoat (Mar 10, 2016)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Keep in mind, bucks can chase and stress the does even if the does aren't cycling.


I have always keeped a close eye on my buck and he has never harrased a doe, he lived with does at his old home as well


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

Has he been in with the doe when he is in rutt? My buck wants to mount anything that will stand still long enough. I know that when I put him in with the girls and they aren't receptive, he pesters and runs them ragged.
True story, you know what a blow up doll is, yes? Well Pogo had one of those large exercise balls that he played with and used at his blow up doll. For over a year until it finally popped. He loved it.


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

Great. Now I gotta buy my bucks an exercise ball/sex toy to keep them happy until September.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

HA! Love the exercise ball as a "blow up doll" toy. Hilarious! 

So much comes down to the personality of the bucks. I've had four different bucks running with my herd and three of them have been gentle, mild, and careful of does and especially of kids. The other day one of my bucks was letting kids climb all over him while he just laid there with a long suffering look on his face. You can tell that both my current bucks know the kids are theirs and are proud of them. My bucks have been gently sparring with the young bucklings, but they don't interact with the doelings much. I'm sure that will change once rut begins and the girls start cycling, but right now they're all one big happy family. I keep the buck aprons on in case someone comes in heat when I'm not watching. 

It helps that I have two wethers who are older and larger than the bucks who tend to keep them from harassing the ladies. It's great when you have different ages in your herd because the older ones really keep the young whippersnappers in line and teach them good manners. 

I'll never forget the time I brought home my first young buck. He was about nine months old and had been breeding for three months before I got him. He was very pumped up about my does even though they weren't in heat. The second he started blubbing and swatting at one of my doelings, my old pack wether stormed onto the scene and plastered the little cad into the ground and used him for a floor mop! He smeared my buck about thirty feet across the back yard, and I tell ya that young man kept his eyes up and his comments to himself after that! He was allowed to interact with the ladies as long as he was a gentleman, but if ever that tongue came out my wether was on his butt like a tornado. The only breeding that took place was in the private breeding pen. He was a nice, gentle buck and took lots of time to woo the ladies and ask permission after that. He loved the babies when they came that spring and would cuddle up with them on a regular basis.


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

I keep my buck out till the kids are able to run well, as I think he would trample them while chasing their mamas if they couldn't keep out of his way. He wears an apron to prevent "Irish Twins."


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

How does one put an "apron" on a goat, and how does it prevent him from doing the "deed"?


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

http://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/buck-anti-mating-aprons.188318/

These worked well for us last season. I modified mine a bit by running a piece of paracord from the apron to the collar to keep it from being able to slip off the back. One of my boys was determined to rub his off on trees and fences. He hasn't lost it since I added the string and no accidents so far.


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

When he rears up, the apron hangs down low enough that it becomes a physical barrier. They're very effective as long as they stay on.


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

Thanks for the explanation. My warped mind envisioned a red/white gingham ruffled apron looped around the neck and tied on top of the back in a bow! Boy was I wrong...


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Well, I have seen them in Day-Glow pink! Mine's is black to be less obvious (I hope) & avoid awkward questions from neighbors. Already get enough awkward questions when you own a buck--"What's that goat doing, mommy?"


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