# How do I make unfriendly goats friendly??



## Schroeder_Farms (May 14, 2018)

Hello all! I'm new to being a goat mama, but I sure love it so far! All of the farms I have visited, the goats (all breeds), have been so sweet and tame. I'm sure some of that will come in time, but my goats do not come around me at all. Any tips on how to make them more tame? I bought animal crackers as a treat, but I'm still working on them just being comfortable around me.

I have two Boer does, 6 months old, and four Nubian/Boer cross does 3 months old.


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## Einhorn (Jan 2, 2014)

Delicious treats and scratches work wonders. I'd try straight up junk food like donuts. And scratches right on the chest Where they can't scratch themselves. Or at the base of the tail. 
Also just sitting quietly while they do the coming and going helps a lot.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep time, love, scratching and treats.

Sit in a chair and have them approach you.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Good advice!


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

My girls went from the absolute certainty that my plan was to murder them to climbing in my car when I get home, following me inside the house, standing on me, literally demanding attention. It took awhile... felt like a long while... but now it's hard to remember they were ever that way. All the advice here is great. Time, love, and snacks. Bad snacks, as stated above! Lol I originally bought goat treats. That was a joke. They didn't eat one. Mine especially like hot (or regular) cheetos, takis, and gummy snacks. They also like some good stuff like bananas and peanuts but when you are trying to win their love I think anything goes. Lol Enjoy those sweeties. I am sure they will come around in no time.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Apples! Lossa apples and carrots. Ours love the licorice goat treats too. We would just go do our normal chores talkin the whole time to them so they got used to us movin round them and our voices. And we would sit a lot in their pen. Quietly or readin aloud but not payin them any mind. They eventually got curious of us and started sniffin round. At first all we got in was a quick scratch on the butt or head or the slide of a hand down a belly as they ran away from the movin hand. But the more we did our normal things and then sat and talked the more they came closer. When we would go in to sit we always put the treats in our lap or out in a hand for them to be able grab and run. When they realized we were the bringer of yummy things it was all over lol! Ours dont like animal crackers at all. Apples for four of ours and carrots for the wether. One of the ladies loves her some blueberries too but they must be fresh and not cold. Monsters the whole lot of them are!


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## yankeedoodle (Apr 13, 2018)

Gettin them used to your voice helps, too. just talk to them while you go about your chores.


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## Mom_of_8 (Mar 10, 2018)

My 'don't touch me' doe, Sally, will come to me for rice cakes. I tried popcorn, apples, bananas, carrots, nope, she likes rice cakes. Ok. She now lets me stroke her beard (she has an amazing beard) and I can touch her face. We have had her since February and she kidded two weeks ago. We have been feeding her on a milk stand for most of the past two months. Tomorrow, we milk her for the first time after keeping her from her kids overnight. I anticipate much struggle. However, just being able to get her on the stand is a triumph! 
Just sharing all that so you know you are not at all alone in having poorly socialized or under socialized goats. I just keep trying and talking sweet to her and trying to never hurt her or startle her. Treats and scratches (not that she lets me) and constant presence. I will win her over eventually.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Mom_of_8 said:


> My 'don't touch me' doe, Sally, will come to me for rice cakes. I tried popcorn, apples, bananas, carrots, nope, she likes rice cakes. Ok. She now lets me stroke her beard (she has an amazing beard) and I can touch her face. We have had her since February and she kidded two weeks ago. We have been feeding her on a milk stand for most of the past two months. Tomorrow, we milk her for the first time after keeping her from her kids overnight. I anticipate much struggle. However, just being able to get her on the stand is a triumph!
> Just sharing all that so you know you are not at all alone in having poorly socialized or under socialized goats. I just keep trying and talking sweet to her and trying to never hurt her or startle her. Treats and scratches (not that she lets me) and constant presence. I will win her over eventually.


Rub her while she is occupied with eatin on that stand.


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## Mom_of_8 (Mar 10, 2018)

Oh, I do. she hates it, but I rub her.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She needs to earn your trust.
With some, it takes time.

Keep trying and find a source of something she loves, as in treats. Favorite leaves, or a grain, all in moderation. With leaves if you can take a branch of it, and sit in a chair and talk to the goats, they may approach. Then, I find they love to be scratch between the horns. Do not do this with a mature buck though. 
But taming young kids or Does, they do come back for more, and want more scratches in that area, as they cannot scratch there, they love it.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Hi there! I am also fairly new to goat ownership, and when my two babies came home they wouldn't go near me! The first thing that helped... TREATS! So many treats! But the goats wouldn't take them from me, so I made the best decision of my life and got a picnic table. The picnic table sort of... broke the ice. That way, when they jump on it they come up to your level and you can start feeding them treats. I've also made it a pact to give 90% of their treats while they are on the picnic table. Now when I walk over to see them, they immediately jump on the table to get treats. And they aren't skittish. They aren't skittish because they know the routine. Same place, same time, same treats. But still sometimes when I walk up to them on the ground, they run away. But the more they learn to be social ON THE table, the more they learn to be social OFF THE picnic table.

So my best advice, is to get some sort of table or platform and start there. Also, I find it is easiest to catch the goats when they are on the table, as apposed to chasing them around on the ground!! Good luck, and remember, it's all about patience, and bribery!


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## Cleveland Chicken Chick (Jul 16, 2018)

toth boer goats said:


> She needs to earn your trust.
> With some, it takes time.
> 
> Keep trying and find a source of something she loves, as in treats. Favorite leaves, or a grain, all in moderation. With leaves if you can take a branch of it, and sit in a chair and talk to the goats, they may approach. Then, I find they love to be scratch between the horns. Do not do this with a mature buck though.
> But taming young kids or Does, they do come back for more, and want more scratches in that area, as they cannot scratch there, they love it.


I must ask.... why don't we try this with mature bucks?


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Treats and scratches on the Neck are fine, but you don't want your buck to start pushing with his head against you, creating a challenge.


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

Cleveland Chicken Chick said:


> I must ask.... why don't we try this with mature bucks?


My buck that I handle daily does not like the area behind his horns touched, scratched, or anything really. Very Rarely does he mind him scratching there...I guess its something to do with them not like their horns manipulated.


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

Treats, Love, and time. Mine love most of the above. They have specific leaves they like more than others but recently I was outside eating some tostitos bowls. Bonnie snatched one then Clyde got jealous so I gave him one...needless to say they LOVE them. So I use it now to manipulate them into doing my bidding..muahahahhaaha


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.

Bucks are another story when mature. They have a one track mind, most of the time. But some are calm in nature and like the attention, while others can turn on a dime or turn around and flirt with you, just scratching their neck or back. Then begin all the vile things they do. 

With any buck, we need to be careful around them, we have to use our best judgement always and watch, body language.

I have raised bucks who were so sweet growing up, then in rut, they get a bit cocky. Testosterone plays a lot into it.


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## winnie_and_snowbell (Jul 24, 2018)

I have the same problem! I bought a Britsih Alpine doe yesterday and the lad I bought her off said he let his goats roam around a 100 acres, so as you can imagine she has barely ever been handled. She is my first goat and extremely nervous, I have her in with the sheep and she is tied to the calf hut with a rope. The fence is low enough that a few of the sheep can jump over and so I am too scared to let her loose just yet in case she escapes and I cannot find her or catch her. I tried raisins today and she ate two, but left the other one I offered her. Tomorrow I am getting another goat who is very well handled and should be much easier to get to know hopefully, and I'm hoping having another goat with her will make her feel a little safer and happier.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I've had the best luck with grabbing a folding chair and just sitting with them reading/talking/ etc. A favorite treat here is black oiled sunflower seeds.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Please don't leave your goat tied. Goats can get themselves into trouble very quickly. She could break a leg or strangle herself.


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

goatblessings said:


> Please don't leave your goat tied. Goats can get themselves into trouble very quickly. She could break a leg or strangle herself.


I wish I could like this 10 times...Goats are experts at getting hung...so please be very vigilant with tying them up/.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, never say never with goats. 
They love finding trouble.


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## elvis&oliver (Jun 28, 2018)

My boys were shy too and none of the treats I read about worked. They were very picky! Raisins did the trick and lots of time. Everyone has great advice and its all true. Don’t lose hope they will grow to love you and yell maaa and all your patience will be worth the wait. I also talked calmly picked up their berries gave water fussed around the barn or just sat in a chair. Good luck!


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

You know one thing Ive seen alot of people put in here that I think was more then the treats, was taking a chair out and sitting with them. I let mine jump on my lap, lay down, walk around me etc. But Goats love companionship, and when they trust you, like elivis&oliver said, they will bleat when they hear you, come running, etc. When I pull up I can hear them in the back yard, raising kain until I come see them.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## winnie_and_snowbell (Jul 24, 2018)

Thanks for informing me everyone, I will let her loose this evening. I can put some wire on top of the fence anyway, that should hopefully keep her in.


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