# Goat screaming for hours when I leave



## turtleshoes (Apr 24, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

I've already had 2 of my newbie to goats questions answered and now I have another one. 

When we are done with our morning ritual of milking, feeding and interacting my goat, Missy, screams as loud as she can for hours. She is calling to me, I can tell that. 

So: 1) is this normal? 2) if so, how can I help ease her separation anxiety? 3) How often should I exercise her? 4) Do I need to bring along her 8 week old doeling if I intend to walk her?


Thanks for any help and advice! 

Donna


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Many of our goats are very attached to us and have anxiety when we leave to doother things. Many this happens when the does are hormonal. They do tend to settle down after awhile though. But if I crack that back door...it starts all over again. Your not alone and yes it is perfectly normal. 
It isn't good to pamper them too much, they become screaming idiots Just go about your normal routine. Missy might be cycling 
Tam


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

All goats are different, and some are louder than others. I'm sure she'll settle down once she's all settled at your place. I have one yearling LaMancha that, when she was moved to 'the big girl pen', cause she was milking, did not want to interact with anyone and just stood there yelling for my daughter or me. She's 2 months fresh now, found her place in the herd and is all quiet and happy.

You ask how often do you need to excercise your goat, so do you have them in the barn/shed? How large is the pen? They do like to browse a bit, so if you're working outside you could let her browse around for awhile, you don't always have to lead her (unless she's a runner, of course, but none of ours are).

Good luck!


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

Is Missy an only goat? She may just want companionship. When I separate goats I make sure there are at least two in the pen, because goats are herd animals and can become upset if left all alone. Sometimes they can buddy up with other species, for example a horse or a llama. But they really don't like being all alone. They somehow "know" that it's the lone goat that gets eaten by the lion, so they prefer to be in a group of at least two.


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## turtleshoes (Apr 24, 2011)

Thanks for all the quick replies!

Missy is with her doeling which I am keeping. She has a barn/stall that they sleep in at night and they have a pen that is about 250 square feet, maybe a little bigger. I take her out of the pen to milk her but she was yelling for me even before I started to milk.

If I let her out in the yard she may fall in the pool and she will definitely eat all the leaves and buds off the fruit trees..lol..so I think I'd like to take her for walks with a leash. I'm just wondering if I can leave the doeling alone. She screams for her momma if Missy is too far away. The dog is going to get jealous. 

Speaking of the dog, I haven't let them close to the dog with the exception of through the fence. My dog will kill my chickens if he is alone with them so I am not sure I want to risk that. He's a docile dog but is a hunter. He's an English Pointer. If anyone has any dog advice it would be very welcome.

You are all wonderful!

Donna


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## peregrine (Dec 9, 2008)

I think she will calm down wen her doeling is older. She probably feels vulnerable now as a lone adult and wants to be with you, the other half of her herd. 

I wouldn't leave the doeling, personally. I would take the both at the same time. They will be stressed being apart. The doeling will learn quickly enough how to walk on a leash, and will want to keep up with her mama. You will be taking lots of breaks no doubt, stopping to eat weeds and leaves along the way.

My dogs listen well and stay away from the goats. The one that does show interest (she knows where the milk comes from AND I used to call her onto a wether than continually jumped the fences so she could herd him back in). That dog acts kind of slinky and stalky sometimes when following behind. But she is extremely respectful of me and will not go near a goat unless I specifically request it. She's a chaser, not a biter though. I think your English Pointer is more of a bird dog, right? So a full sized goat is probably not going to be an issue for the dog. You could slowly introduce and see how it goes. I would guess the dog will not want much to do with the goats.

Good luck!


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

That sounds like normal behavior for that situation. A doe new to you with only a kid for company. Another adult or two would be ideal. Can you put her closer to your house until you get another companion for her or until she calms down? 

I will admit to having a doe that is very, very attached to me and this year after kidding would NOT stay in our electric mesh fencing no matter what. We tried putting her in a cattle panel pen beside the garage, but although she could see the house she would scream for hours. I couldn't take it so now she now lives in a small pen off the back porch with 4 kids that are not her own. Anytime I'm home she is out of the pen and running loose eating the foot tall grass in the yard  Course, this is a new farm and I've not planted any flowers yet so this is safe for now. Next week we start on real pasture fencing and she WILL stay in with the herd! 

Good luck with your doe. I HATE it when they scream and scream!


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## Legend Hills (May 29, 2008)

I have a LaMancha that does that but thankfully does not scream for very long.


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## stacy adams (Oct 29, 2007)

I would say that your goat is screaming because she is alone.. yea, she has a baby with her, but as a heard animal, a baby is just a baby and not much of a companion as far as adults go. I would have gotten an older wether or another doe to keep her company, and yes, the baby will cry when you take mom away to go on walks. same reason. 
I'm surprised and not surprised at the same time that someone would have sold you a single goat. :~/


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## icboers (Feb 1, 2009)

> I would have gotten an older wether or another doe to keep her company


So what is Flag's excuse Stacy? :biggrin Just kidding but she is very vocal.

Karla


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## turtleshoes (Apr 24, 2011)

There were some goats that had to be adopted because a woman had too many goats and got very ill, couldn't take care of them. I wish I had known that I needed another adult goat. They do play together and she is much happier now that the buckling is gone.

Also, she's not yelling so much now. Just when I walk away. There are goats across the street, 3 adult females, two with some babies left over, and they seem to yell too when the folks go back in the house.

Well, when the baby gets older will it suffice for a companion?


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

Yes, I'd think the grown up doeling would work for that.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

As someone who has a breed of dog that is extremely prey driven, I never let my dogs anywhere near the goats unless they, and the goats, are penned separately. I'd be especially concerned about the kids.

My dogs are behind livestock panels and chain link panels with the entire pen having a hot wire running along the top inside.


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## turtleshoes (Apr 24, 2011)

The dog is afraid of the goats right now. They visit through the fence but he won't go near them otherwise. I am always on alert, though, as he has killed some of my chickens.


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