Training a goat to lead?

[agnes_day]

yes, thats exactly what to do. my 2 girls were like that when i first got them...ran from me, didnt want anything to do with me. i started going into their pen and just sitting there..i would have some snacks or something like a book that wasnt important that they could nibble on or whatever piqued their interest. it took forever but now, they fight over who gets to sit in my lap!

as for training them to walk on a leash..they taught themselves i think! one day my son ade decided to take them for a walk and they went willingly. goats are so fun, thats for sure.

 

[()relics]

I wean my doelings that I intend to keep for replacement/show purposes in small groups...4 or 5...in indoor pens .....They stay semi confined from weaning age (60-100 days old) until they are old enough/big enough to expose to a billy or until show season....Durring this "confinement"they are fed a pelleted feed and hay 2X a day...Eventually they become accustomed to you coming in and out of the pens...This is the first step...next offer them a small treat from your hand and they will learn to be the first one to get to you when you enter the pen....that is step 2...Then I start every once in a while slipping a rope halter on them while they eat their treat...Soon they will be begging you to be the first with a halter on so they can be first for the treat...that is the next step...Then leading which is not hard by this time...then to a pincher collar for showing... then to setting up and holding...Again I do the same thing to all the does that i keep...believe me it will make life simpler when kidding season comes around or you want to trim feet or vacinate...Remember keeping intact bucklings with doelings can lead to problems as some young bucks are viable at an early age(3 months)

 

[mekasmom]

We always bottle feed just to avoid this issue. Bottlefed babies have better personalities.
I would leash her, and tie her up short in a stall for a few days where she has to learn to be handled. If you just keep her stationery, feed her by hand, and handle her for a few days it will help.
If she doesn't improve during the next week or two, I would sell her. I won't have a goat that I can't easily handle.
In the future, I really would suggest bottle-feeding anything you plan to keep. If you can't do that, then at least put them in a stall area during the early weeks, so the kid gets use to being handled early.

 

[ksacres]

We bottle feed as well. All our babies are well socialized and easy to catch/handle.

Of course, that doesn't really help *you*

I agree with others-you have a bigger problem than being able to lead her...

I would confine her, chasing her down really won't help you bond with her. You can use a food treat she likes-only let her have it if she will take it from your hand. With enough time spent in her pen, she may come around.

Some wild goats never become easy to catch/handle. Good luck!

 

[agnes_day]

i dont know..i dont think bottle feeding necessarily equals better behaved goat. i think it just takes time and patience to get them to warm up to you. i have known people with bottle babies and they werent any more friendly than mine.

 

[Cara]

She is somewhat confined already, they have a pen that's about 10 x 30, which is connected to an open ended barn with a 8' square pen. I've been in and out of the pen several times a day since she was born, to feed and water, check on them, milk their mom etc. I don't pasture any of my goats. The problem the other day began when she jumped the 6' fence when I tried to catch her

Her mother and brother will put their front feet on the fence to be petted, she wants nothing to do with me. When treats are involved they push her away. Would it be terrible to pen her separately next to them and feed her out of a bucket, so she has to come to me?

I don't have any intention of showing her, I just need her handle-able. I'm trying to sell her because I doubt she'll ever be a keeper with that temperament.

 

[kinnip]

I have to weigh in on the bottle here. I do not bottle feed mine, but have bought several bottle babies from a breeder over the past two years. My dam raised babies are very interested in me. They try to suckle my pantleg and sit in my lap. They give kissyface and are very easy to handle. My bottle babies are rude, pushy, obnoxious and downright violent towards kids, especially if I'm showing them attention. The dam raised kids are perfectly happy going off and socializing with each other when I'm busy doing something else. The bottle babies will sit at the fence hollaring if I'm on the other side. If I'm trying to do something in the goat pen, I have to restrain the bottle babies for everyone's safety. I'm sure some folks manage to teach manners to their bottle babies, but just feeding them from a bottle isn't enough. I love my bottle baby goats just as much as the others, but I really wish they were a little less focused on me and a little more focused on being a goat.

 

[Skyesrocket]

My experience has been about the same as kinnips regarding bottle fed babies. Rude, pushy, and obnoxious is harder to break than being scared of people.
There are exceptions to everything, but this has been my personal experience.

 

[treeclimber233]

I have a 2 1/2 month girl that was moma-raised that is as friendly as can be. She constantly gets in the way when I milk her mother. (I know I need a milkstand) She comes up to me everytime I go in the pen. Handeling from birth helps tame them. I have handeled her since she was wet. I just bought a doe from a woman that told me she was wild as a March hare. She is taming down rather well. If you look at the situation closer (from her point of view) you will see things a bit differently. You said when you go in the pen the others shove her away from you. Her stress level goes up everytime you go to the barn because she gets "attacked" (by the other goats) everytime you go there. She also gets "attacked" by you as you try to catch her. So she is totally freaked at the sight of you. I am assuming you feed her grain/pellets at this point. Try feeding her out of her own bucket. Tie the others if necessary to teach her she can eat without a bunch of shoving (life in the goat herd can be tough). Once she learns where her bucket is then stand sorta close while she eats. Slowly over time get closer and closer. That is what I am doing with my wild one. I have had her less than two weeks and already I can pet her all over while she is eating. I don't ever chase her to catch her because that will only keep her fight/flight response hyped up. After she will let you pet her while she is eating you can use grain to catch her. food is a strong motivator. If she has a collar on you can clip a rope to it. Let her drag it around for a few days to lose her fear of something attached to her. After that teaching her to lead will be much simpler. Good luck with your baby.