# introducing new goat to herd



## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

Just picked up a new 3 yr. Old doe and put her in the feed lot with my 2yr. Olds. They act like she has goat cooties. :sigh I don't bring in outside goats very often, infact its been five yrs. Since I brought in a new goat. Is there anything I can do to help her. I feel sorry for her. They stand in opposit corners of the field and if she walks toward them they run from her. :down. What is wrong with them. :help


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I would never add a new goat to my existing herd without a long quarantine. Not just for the health of the new goat, but for the health of my goats.

While in quarantine, no nose to nose contact with my herd, they can be tested for CAE, they can be watched for abscess, they can get used to me and my dogs (my quarantine pen has no contact with my dogs unless there is an emergency where Merlot can climb anything if needed, but our dogs freak most goats out). They get slowly put onto my hay, my grain, my minerals, my alfalfa pellets. I also fecal and worm and makes sure that they don't poop all the worms and larvae onto my pasture and stalls that are used by my goats. Some peoples worming programs are crazy, I don't want their super worms on my place. She also gets her feet trimmed and since we don't have lice etc. here, I usually shave them off so I can see their skin.

Once 21 days in, they then go on day trips with my goats, still getting their breakfast and dinner in their own stall....soon when I see them eating with my goats, I leave them in the main stall, and clean the quarantine pen. It's also why I like to buy in pairs, or after a few days in quarantine from somebody I know really well, I will pull a doe the new does size for them to buddy up in quarantine together. Vicki


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

It took me almost a year to introduce an adult doe into our established herd. I kept her in her own stall/paddock area beside the other goats with an electric fence for safety. After she kidded I attempted to introduce her to the herd but I can't stand fighting and I don't let it continue long. Eventually I was able to put her out into the very large pasture with the other goats but she still had her own stall to retreat to. After 2 years she became the all-time herd queen...NOBODY crossed her, EVER! Luckily, she loved me quite a bit and was very affectionate to humans. My point is....it took a very, very long time and if I ever bring in another adult, I'll have separate quarters for a long time.


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

vicki, i am not new to goats nor am i stupid. the goat has been in quaratine off the property for 30days. all tests are done and clear. just wondering how quickly they make friends after they get here. like i said i dont usually bring in adult goats but couldnt pass up this sweet girl. they are not fighting just not getting close to her. its like she has cooties or something. maybe it takes time.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

At no time did I write anything that should make you feel stupid. I am to know how long you have had goats, or how much you know about them, from what in this post? I answered the question you asked, sorry it offended you. Vicki


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Guess my goats love having new friends arrive. After they butt heads a few times they act like they have always been together. So I can't help with the how long question since my animals are the opposite.


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## [email protected] (Sep 18, 2008)

Wow--you're lucky!!  My goats would try to beat the snot out of anyone new. :/

Maybe if you go out in the pasture with her. Take a chair and just sit. She'll probably stay close to you and you can fuss over her or such and the others curiosity might get the best of them.


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

Vicki, never say never. I said I would never bring an adult goat to my farm yet here I am with an adult goat. I like the 3 day olds that I can bottle feed next to the adults so they all know what's coming. 
Denise, your going to laugh, I went into the pen with her and sat on their resting bench with her and did exactly what you said. Lol my Buttercup couldn't stand it and came between us and put her front hooves on my shoulder as if to protect me but she ended up punching me in the face and I now have a fat lip and a bruised jaw. Oh well. I still love them. This morning thing are a little better out there.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Mine fight like crazy, so I have to do the introductions slow and thru a fence. After being released from their quarantine, I put the new goats in a small pen that shares a fence line with the main herd. They do their howdy-do's nose to nose thru the fence (panels), do some ear nipping or head butting and posturing. Once they get that out of their system, I leave them like that for a month or so. When I am ready to move them into the big pen, I take the milkers out to be milked for their midnight milking and keep them out while I slide the new ones in. Once the milkers are all milked, I put them back in the pen. The hay is outside, so they run outside and i shut off the lights. The only lights at this point are outside in a big area with hay, so they all fill their bellies before they really notice the trespassers. There is a bit of head butting, tail or ear biting, but there is enough room for the new ones to stay away form the real nasty ones. The head butting continues for months, in the case of my LM doe, she has been fighting with the rest of the herd for over a year now. They are just minor squabbles but they do have them on a daily basis.

I have 2 dry yearlings that are getting ready to be integrated into the main herd as soon as I finish the addition to the outside pen area. Should prove interesting.


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## Laverne (Apr 4, 2010)

I got the dam of my two milkers back and she needed some groceries and worming, so was in quarantine for about 6 weeks. fortuantely she was with only clean goats in her absence. I wanted her to be herd queen again, to hopefully lord it over her hard headed bully daughter who took over in her absence. I put them together briefly early on, but her two daughters ganged up on her. So a few weeks later, when I felt she was ready, I put them all together in an area that is not their regular stomping grounds, so not fighting over territory. They scuffled briefly and the hard headed daughter submitted to her, and is now very intimidated by her mothers stalking her. Her mother follows her around slowly and deliberately with her tongue sticking out, making buck sounds, and her hair raised on her back. She is so spooked by her, it is hilarious. She literally runs from her. She is usually a fearless bully, getting her way with everything. So what worked with my situatiion was putting them in an area that was neutral to everyone, not their home territory, and letting them work out the pecking order there, then hoping it carries over to the regular area.


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## VictoriaK (Jul 8, 2012)

When I introduced the 1st LaMancha to my herd of Nigerians, they thought there was a monster in the goat pen!
They avoided her like the plague..it wasn't until 6 months or so later when she freshened, and her babies were accepted that
she was accepted, and loed like a long lost friend. 
I was so glad when she had her babies so she wasn't all alone. 

Then, when she came back after a year of being gone, she was evil, wanted nothing NOTHING 
to do with the herd. She was horrible, beating up, stalking (like Lavernie's doe) and I swear she was
demonized. I ended up selling her again, she was even evil with my barn kitty who everyone adores!!

It breaks my heart how mean some of my goats have been...


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