# How do I best introduce new kids to my adult goats?



## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

We started off with twin yearlings pygoras in the fall as our first foray into goats. I'm definitely hooked! Now I'm looking to expand and have deposits on two wethers, we are hoping having them from kids will allow us to get super friendly with them. These guys will complete our herd  My question is around best way to introduce the new kids. My thought was to pen off a portion of their pen and have the little ones in there and they can get used to one another through the fencing for a little while. Or do you think that's overkill, should I just put them in? One thing to note, and I know it's a different situation, is that we recently tried introducing our dog to our goats. They've seen her for months now. But when I brought her in our doe repeatedly head butted her in the side and was quite aggressive. So this makes me a little nervous on the introductions with the kids.

Here's one of the little ones, how could I say no! The other we will go meet in April, it's a ride so we have to make a weekend of it. Can't wait to bring them home!



And here's my current ones meeting my dog, before my doe got a little nasty.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like a good plan. Cuties!


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

How old will the wethers be?


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

10 - 12 weeks old


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

Hmm. What I did was I kept my little guy separate but where they could see each other, and then after a few days I'd let them graze together while I could be there to supervise them and then separate them when I couldn't. He was about three and a half months at the time, and once I knew he could run away fast enough if needed to I started extending their time together.


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## MoonShadow (Mar 1, 2015)

I just keep new baby's in a separate stall for two or three days and spend time with them so they get use to me first, then I just open the doors and let them run with the rest of the goats, of course I do watch them for a half hour or so to make sure everyone's getting along well enough to be left alone and if they are, I call it good and leave them to work things out, I of course check on them every hour or so.
I have one kidding stall and a tack room in my barn, the rest of it, right now, is a big community sleeping/lounging area, so I make sure I have a small dog house or two in the barn, so If baby's getting roughed up they have a safe place to hide and sleep, that none of the other goats can access. Basically I always have a safe place for baby/s to go, whether they are in the barn or in the field.


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## ctopal (Jul 8, 2015)

Thanks for validating my thoughts. I bought some extra goat panels and an igloo dog house and plan to also make an over hang against rain. Then when ready, I'll cut a kid sized hole in the panel so they can go in and out.


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