The reasons we choose to add to an existing herd of goats are many, from bringing in new bloodlines for a breeding program, to show wethers for folks wanting to do showmanship, or just because we love them and want more! But for as much as we all adore our animals, the introductions of those new friends to the herd can sometimes be tricky or even tumultuous.
Just as poultry flocks have a pecking order, goat herds have political dynamics including the dominant does and crazy moms, and much more. So new animals, whether dominant or passive in nature, have to figure out how they fit in and who they want for their best herd mate. This takes time, patience, and enough of a watchful eye to make sure no one is hurt or isolated, but without interfering too much. That can be a fine line to walk.
When Bailey, Wyatt and I brought home the first of our goats several years ago, we let them ride in the back seat of the Camry with the kids, and there were just the two does. They hadn't been particularly good friends at the breeder's place, and Glory was a truly fussy dominant doe who had been returned from a home previously, and had never been worked with. The breeder called her a nitwit, and said she wasn't much good for show but could make a good companion for the little show goat Bailey had selected. It turns out, Glory usually placed at the front of her class, and the little show goat, spoiled little Vital was more friendly and less show goat. She didn't place that well and as known for pirouettes during showmanship, but was really a sweet little goat who managed to win my husband over sitting on his lap.
Being new to goats, and to 4-H, in a club that didn't really want to work with the pygmy goat kid, Bailey and I believed folks at fair when they said she couldn't show the following year unless the one was bred. So we carefully selected a couple of bucks, and chose to bring home two more does to add to the herd. One doe had produced some wonderful babies in the past, and kidded easily, which made us more comfortable with this since pygmies can have lots of difficulty in the kidding department, and the other came from a well known breeding line, but had a few concerns and we sort of took in as a friend for the one we were bringing into the herd, hoping to manage the balance with an even number of goats.
Just yesterday, someone mentioned to me that we all rather expect the animals to get together and cuddle up and make friends. I think we had sort of expected that, too, as our first time adding to the little herd. But this isn't always how it works.
The four of them came home in crates in the back of the big farm truck, from the same breeder as the first time, and when they were introduced, the bucks wandered their pen and began to settle in, but the does squared off. Glory and Treasure instantly began sizing one another up, determined to be the head of the herd. There was competition for top spot on the play structures, head butting, ramming, talking, screaming, and even a little bullying over food. I called the breeder, who said this was normal. She gave me a couple hints, and Bailey and I worked on it all too, even employing the kind of tricks we had used in bringing home new dogs to help us out.
These are a few of the things we found to help:
- Multiple food and water sources- We free feed hay pellets all the time. I know some folks prefer to feed on a schedule so that it builds their appetite and keeps them eating, but Glory didn't maintain her weight well this way, and we have better luck with the free feeding. Having more than one spot for food means you have to monitor a little more closely, so that food doesn't sit in one feeder and become stale while they eat out of the other, but it helps. Sometimes mama does and their best doe pals won't let others eat when there are babies in the herd, too, so this is a good thing to have everyone used to. Make sure the weather won't make the feed deteriorate quicker, keep a bit of shelter for it.
- Use their treats to bring them together. When you go out to sit in the pen and spend time with your goats, let this be the time they get their treats, like their delicious tasting supplements or grain. You will have to watch how much they get, but this helps everyone see they are all loved and wanted, and helps them realize you will make sure they all get treats and back scratches and affection. Countless hours and research have been done while sitting int he pen with books. Sometimes those goats who wanted to convince you of your uselessness will find you reading, and starting edging up to, then nuzzling you for attention.
- If you do goat walks outside their pen, select pairs to walk together in a strategic manner. Take two out that might both want to be in charge, letting them have that time together away from the remainder of the herd. As a 4-Her, the walks were more Bailey's training thing, but since the first two hadn't been worked with, I walked Glory as Bailey walked Vital (Glory would through herself on the ground, so she had to learn that it took better behavior to get Bailey); then as we added to our little herd, Bailey would select two that needed to learn to know one another to have together in the pen, and she and I would walk the others far across the property. Over time, those still in the pen would play while we all walked, or plan a prank like moving the house in front of the gate in protest of not getting the first walk.
- Lots of Stimulation! Balance beams, spools to jump on, playhouses, whatever you find your goats like, if there are enough of them in the goat enclosure, the goats will be physically occupied and will have far more stimulation that merely fussing at one another. Happy, tired goats put less energy into the political wrangling of the herd. Lots of prime bedding and sleeping spots help, too, and help each goat know that there is a place for her (or him).
- Patience and a calm demeanor. Our animals sense our apprehension, even the new ones who aren't sure what our apprehension means just yet. This apprehension, coupled with the stress of being somewhere new, can lead to more acting out than they might otherwise be predisposed to do. Funny, but my husband has a habit of taking one of our dogs along running errands like taking things to his folks' house. The men tend to not worry much whether their dogs will get along with ours, so once the initial my owner pets me first thing is out of the way, there are few troubles. When his mom and grandma are around, they are worried over the dogs, and the dogs sense it and instinctively want to protect their owners. Same dogs, different energy, different outcome. It is the same with any animal. Now, you don't have to have the same conversations with the herd that we do, like Bailey calling them silly goofballs who should know by now that her heart has enough love for all of them right before scooping one up on her lap for a cuddle, or the mama type conversations I have with them, but once they know they are all valued AND expected to get along, it tends to work out a little better and quicker.
- Introduce more than one new member of the herd at a time. This is NOT always possible, and is not a reason to go on a goat buying spree beyond the herd you can manage, and there are caveats to it. Still, if you have two well bonded goats, and bring home one more, they may pick on the single one. If you are thinking of bringing home two new goats, even if not from the same herd, bringing them in at the same time, or quarantining them together can give them an ally in acclimating to a herd where every one else knows one another. Kind of like having at least one friend on the first day at a new school.
- Use a barrier for the initial introduction. if you can, divide a safe section off of the pen for the new animal(s). They will acclimate to you, and see the remainder of the herd and meet them through the fence. If you are dealing with quarantining new goats, see if there is any way to place the quarantining pen where they can see one another, then after the quarantine time has passed, bring them side by side with only the one fence for a short time before the actual herd introduction. The new goat will likely have made a friend in your herd through the fence to hang out with once the introduction happens.
