Goats (pictures, stories, tips, etc.)

[res]

Could just be my experience. But I had a big pain training my goats. If I had that much trouble I wouldn't recommend others doing it just for the purpose of walking. I remember you said you only have dairies...maybe because he's a meat goat? I dont know. But others I talk to have the same trouble. One girl told me she just smiles at the judge and drags them around the ring.

I truly am sorry that you had such a bad experience training your goat. My human kids, ages 8-16, love walking their show goats so much that they willingly get up early during summer break to walk the goats. Some days, I have to STOP them from walking the kids because it is too hot for that much exercise. They walk to the neighbors, they walk to the bus when the school is in session (and then leave me to singlehandedly walk 6 goats back to the house!) They run up and down hills...

Our goats, and all the goats at the shows I have been to, do willingly tie. They have to. They have to be tied to eat when we have 4+ sharing each pen, otherwise it is a mess. They have to tie for baths. Heck, I have left them tied at home, for HOURS, and come back to them just chillin. I know lots of competitors that tie their "mean" goats in the trailer, so the meanies don't beat up on the weaker goats in transit.

Ours are handled from birth, but we don't start training them to walk until they are about 3 months old. We have also purchased unhandled goats at ~6mths of age, and easily taught them to lead just by using the group method with 2 other already-well-trained goats as "examples" to the newby.

All the goat on my property lead, not just the "show" goats. Even the ones that will never go to a show.

 

[waddles99]

Maybe it is just the amount of work you put into the goat. I try to work with him a lot but I can't do it that often...he lives an hour away. It's hard to do 2 hours of driving for 15 minutes of walking. Hopefully when we get our own place that can change. I do agree with you about how goats will follow others. None of the other goats at the farm are mine so I can't be taking them out. With my own place I will need other goats to keep mine company, so I will be able to take them all out.

Also, sorry if I ever sounded rude or cold about anything I said. It's just frustrating to see your goat still be so stubborn after a year of training.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Maybe it is just the amount of work you put into the goat. I try to work with him a lot but I can't do it that often...he lives an hour away. It's hard to do 2 hours of driving for 15 minutes of walking. Hopefully when we get our own place that can change. I do agree with you about how goats will follow others. None of the other goats at the farm are mine so I can't be taking them out. With my own place I will need other goats to keep mine company, so I will be able to take them all out.

Also, sorry if I ever sounded rude or cold about anything I said. It's just frustrating to see your goat still be so stubborn after a year of training.

I think that's probably the problem, which of course isn't your fault. I can see why you wouldn't want to drive all that way. Hopefully you can get your own place soon! Maybe you could ask someone if they'd be willing to let you take their goat out, or they could do it with you? Or maybe you could get another goat now and keep it their, since your gonna need another one? Or is that not an option? Are you close to getting your own place?

And it's okay, I'd imagine that would be extremely frustrating. Especially then hearing all the stories of success :/ maybe he would respond better to food luring? Sure you've tried that though

 

[Mortenson1987]

I don't have goats but really really want to start raising goats for meat, I'm thinking of Boers. I also want milk goats but my fiancé is against raw milk, I'll have to wear him down on that issue, lol. If he ever agrees, I'm thinking Nigerian Dwarf.

 

[waddles99]

I think that's probably the problem, which of course isn't your fault. I can see why you wouldn't want to drive all that way. Hopefully you can get your own place soon! Maybe you could ask someone if they'd be willing to let you take their goat out, or they could do it with you? Or maybe you could get another goat now and keep it their, since your gonna need another one? Or is that not an option? Are you close to getting your own place?

And it's okay, I'd imagine that would be extremely frustrating. Especially then hearing all the stories of success

maybe he would respond better to food luring? Sure you've tried that though

Thanks for understanding. So many people take it for granted keeping goats in their backyard, and walking outside to them instead of an hour drive. Luckily i'm graduating High School in 2017, so hopefully we can move and find some acreage elsewhere. The town that goes to my school has virtually no property over an acre and livestock are illegal, and I didn't want to switch schools with only a year left.

Boarding goats isn't too common, so I could only find this place an hour away. None of the other goats are trained. I even have to be careful in the pens because they do attack people and are horned. Getting another goat isn't really an option...its already generous that they are letting me keep one goat.

I would say that I am probably 10 months away from getting a place. So its not too bad

 

[cassie]

Attack people?? Good grief!!! I can say in all honesty that in the 40 years I bred goats and of all the hundreds of animals I owned in that time I only had one goat that ever butted me or even challenged me. One. It was a not-too-bright young buckling and he never did it again.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't have goats but really really want to start raising goats for meat, I'm thinking of Boers. I also want milk goats but my fiancé is against raw milk, I'll have to wear him down on that issue, lol. If he ever agrees, I'm thinking Nigerian Dwarf.

Boers are great for that! In fact I don't know of other meat goats lol unfortunately around here, they're either really cheap (whether set amount or per pound live weight) or they're really expensive show quality, there's a supposedly great breeder in Connecticut, Feliciano Farms?? They're expensive lol he's all over Craigslist and has a nice website. The other big thing here is Nigerian Dwarfs then the typical dairy breeds and mixes. Nigerians are soooo cute.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks for understanding. So many people take it for granted keeping goats in their backyard, and walking outside to them instead of an hour drive. Luckily i'm graduating High School in 2017, so hopefully we can move and find some acreage elsewhere. The town that goes to my school has virtually no property over an acre and livestock are illegal, and I didn't want to switch schools with only a year left. 

Boarding goats isn't too common, so I could only find this place an hour away. None of the other goats are trained. I even have to be careful in the pens because they do attack people and are horned. Getting another goat isn't really an option...its already generous that they are letting me keep one goat.

I would say that I am probably 10 months away from getting a place. So its not too bad 

It's okay, I understand how that could be a pain! I guess we're lucky with the land even though we're in a town. Our town and most of the towns around us are also right to farm communities so that's nice I can understand not wanting to switch schools, probably smart.

Yeah, I was gonna say, I've never heard of boarding goats except maybe 4H lol. But wow that stinks! Sounds scary even. And ohh okay, that makes sense.

That's not too bad then

 

[ShrekDawg]

Attack people??  Good grief!!! I can say in all honesty that in the 40 years I bred goats and of all the hundreds of animals I owned in that time I only had one goat that ever butted me or even challenged me.  One.  It was a not-too-bright young buckling and he never did it again.

It seems really strange and kinda scary. Wonder if it's maybe because Wattles isnt there that often?

 

[waddles99]

Yes, I board with 4H. It's not really bad at all except for training them and conditioning...I have no control over what he is eating. Hence the pizza comment I said before. They feed him anything...which isn't good for his nutrition let alone him as a show animal! And as far as the attacking people, these goats are rarely handled or even interacted with. Their problem is that they see humans as a threat to their dominance. Usually they behave themselves. Sometimes they'll rear up and charge you in the pen but in that case I just back away and ignore them. I never face away from them, always keep them in my sight. I think the fact that I am one of tens of people that visit the farm so I don't know what others are doing. If they are play head butting them or smacking them when they do it...they are perpetuating the behavior.