Possibly adopting pygmy goats

[FreckleFace]

Hi there! We have two young female nigerian dwarf goats. A lady we know is trying to rehome her two 4 year old female pygmy goats. Do you think we should take the plunge? We have plenty of room, but I'm wondering if they'll have trouble getting along. Aren't they adorable?

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Go for it! There will be some pushing and shoveing till they get the whose boss line down but they will eventually quit,just make sure they have room to get away from each other if needed. They will proably be close to the same size and goats love company.

 

[Chatychick]

It would be fine if your have horns also. But if yours dont have horns it could be a problem. Other than that it should go well. I would put them where they could see each other and then in about 30 days and no one is sick or anything let them in together. When I get a new goat I always separate it from the opthers for at least 30 days just to be safe and all.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I would plan to have separate housing for the new ones at first. Goats, like chickens, can be brutal to the newcomers and you don't want to just pop the new ones into the same pen with yours. I keep newcomers separated by a fence for a few weeks and then turn them out together in a large area and keep a good eye on them. There will be some butting and pushing and shoving and as long as it doesn't go beyond that they'll be fine eventually.

I agree with not mixing horned and unhorned goats. Mine have all had horns. When they get to rearing up and head butting each other the ones with no horns will take it pretty hard on the head!

 

[kstaven]

I have to disagree with the horns vs not being at any disadvantage. Our dairy herd is a mix of both.

Head butting is all part of new member introduction and herd social order. BTW: it is the skull plate under the horns that takes the real impact. Horns actually distribute the impact over a larger surface area and thus horned animals cannot concentrate the blow in as small of an area as a dehorned goat can.