Goats are some pretty awesome chicken protectors

[haemony]

I had planned to adopt a few Nigerian Dwarfs but now I am curious about the Myotonic goats. Those two are adorable.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I live in the woods, with lots of predators (and neighbor dogs) around and have always wanted goats

You do realize the goats aren't really "protecting" anything at all don't you?

Especially Myotonic goats , since they FAINT if you scare them

A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled.

Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita.

When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fainting_goat​

 

[red166]

Depending on where you live ... Goats sometimes will attract lions & coyotes.... just so you know.

 

[haemony]

I went and looked up those goats. That is hilarious. They actually look dead when they do that. I guess those would be the perfect pet for a practical joker. I want goats because they are cute but I still think that the best protection for my flock is vigilance and a BB gun.

 

[mkeawsh]

Quote:
You do realize the goats aren't really "protecting" anything at all don't you?

Especially Myotonic goats , since they FAINT if you scare them

A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled.

Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita.

When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fainting_goat​

My goats just hang out with the chickens free-ranging. They don't have to chase after the predators - just hanging out with them keeps the hawks, owls and huge black birds, in the trees and in the sky. There is no reason for them to need to freeze up. I have coyotes around here even in the day time and that is one of my concerns but my American Foxhound is the best alarm system for that. Those coyotes are scared to death of her. LOL

Don't let this relax stance fool you -

- outside she is a wide woman.

 

[mkeawsh]

Meant "wild" and typed "wide".

 

[FarmGirl01]

Well, I know they really don't protect anything. But, when anything comes in the pop door it gets a face full of mean doe horns.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Fainting goats were put in the herd of more prized goats. When a predator came, the goats faint, then they get eaten. Its called a "scapegoat". Its very interesting how things come about.

 

[mkeawsh]

Yep, that is exacting what they were used for "bait". To keep them away from the flock or herd.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Love my 4 withered fainters, they are very funny to watch kick and play. Another bonus they don't jump & climb like other breeds so easier to keep where you put them.


----some background on them---

This breed of goats has many names: Myotonic, Tennessee Fainting, Tennessee Meat, Texas Wooden Leg, Stiff, Nervous, and Scare goats. The names refer to a breed characteristic known as myotonia congenita, a condition in which the muscle cells experience prolonged contraction when the goat is startled. The transitory stiffness associated with these contractions can cause the goat to fall down. This is not a true faint, but a muscular phenomenon unrelated to the nervous system. The degree of stiffness varies from goat to goat, with some showing a consistently stiff response and others exhibiting stiffness only rarely.

The breed’s history can be traced back to the 1880s. An itinerant farm laborer named John Tinsley came to central Tennessee, reputedly from Nova Scotia. Tinsley had with him four unusual, stiff goats. Goats of this type gradually became known across the region. They were less apt to climb fences and escape from pastures than other goats, and their muscular conformation and high reproductive rate were also valued. Farmers began to appreciate them, and the numbers of “stiff,” “nervous,” or “fainting” goats increased. During the 1950s, some Tennessee Fainting goats were taken to the hill country of central Texas. They were further selected for meat qualities, including larger size, and came to be known as “Wooden Leg” goats.

Tennessee Fainting goats are found in almost all colors known in goats. Kidding season is always exciting, as new color combinations pop up. Does are prolific, with an extended breeding season and most does produce twins or triplets regularly with plenty of milk to raise them.

Besides the myotonia, another distinguishing feature of the fainting goat is their prominently set eyes. The eyes protrude from the eye sockets, as opposed to recessed eyes seen in other breeds. The profile is straight as opposed to the convex or “roman” profile.

Even though some people breed these animals for pets, “fainting” is a disorder that most producers try to keep out of their flocks bloodlines, unless they are raising the goats specifically for their fainting ability.