Does our goat need a goat friend??

[Ericasl]

Hi all we have a goat Reggie, we got him at two weeks and bottle fed him. We also have two sheep so he is not alone. Here is our problem he is driving us nuts. When ever we are at the barn our in the yard is ia all over us jumping just going nuts he is into everyting. If he had another goat buddy to play with would he calm down. He has lots of room to run but the sheep are gettting older and do not want to play with him as much as they once did! I have things for him to jump up on. Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks

Erica

 

[helmstead]

Well, yes and no.

Yes, because goats need goat friends.

No, because bottle babies will forever be pocket pets and jump on you and play with you unless you train them not to. So even with another goat - he'll still act that way.

 

[GwenFarms]

I do think he would benefit from having a buddy. Goats are herd animals. Many people find they can't keep one goat in a pen, but if they put another in they stay just fine.

Kate is right though. Bottlefed babies will always be brats.

 

[ZykloniaDark-GothikRanchr]

My boy, Jake was never bottlefed, but he is my little shadow when I go outside. I have had him since he was 5 mo. old, and have loved him ever since! They become like another child, so you may have to use a gate if you actually want to get some work done!! I do!!!

BTW I have 13 now, and they ALL follow 'mom' around the yard!!

 

[gritsar]

Getting a friend for my Billy wasn't an option. Just getting one goat past my SO was nothing short of a miracle. I'm lucky that I have Charlie dog. She and Billy have become good friends and are almost inseperable. When I keep Charlie in the house, she's an old dog and tends to wear herself out easily, Billy stands at the screen door and hollers till I let her back out.
Without Charlie to keep Billy entertained, I'm afraid he would make a pest of himself like yours. I would get a friend for a goat if I had that option.

 

[Chirpy]

Goats absolutely need a goat friend. They are very, very social. Having your goat with the sheep is good but they really need another goat friend.

The others are right about him continuing to be a 'sweet pest' because he was bottle raised. He might stop with some of his pestering on you if you did have a goat friend to blow off some steam.

 

[Haviris]

I don't think it would hurt any to ad another goat friend, although I think if he's friends w/ the sheep he's probably fine. How old is he? Getting another goat may not help w/ his behaviour at all, he may always be a pest or he may out grow it.

I have to disagree that bottle babies are pests, properly raised and trained bottle kids are no more pesty then non bottle babies, I have 16 goats total (not counting the new kids) and about half are bottle kids, none are bratty, the brattiest goat I've had was my boer who was simi bottle fed (her mom wasn't producing enough, so she had her mom and bottles), and she out grew it. Chances are if you met my herd you'd have no idea which were bottle raised and which were dam raised.

 

[MissPrissy]

A goat without a goat friend is a lonely goat who will get more and more mischevious as there isn't another of his kind to keep him entertained and occupied. Micshevious goats that are lonely and bored can be VERY destructive goats.

 

[kstaven]

Get him a goat friend and a lot of that energy will be displaced with another goat. Is Reggie a wether? If not it is something to SERIOUSLY consider getting done also.

 

[Ericasl]

Ok Reggie is going to get a goat buddy!! Yes he is a wether and we had him dehorned. He is 10 months old he is good friends with the sheep and he plays with our dog. I have been trying to train him but he has his own ideas!! We love him but he can be a pain. So after spring break he will get a friend should he get a girlfriend or a another Wether friend?