[timefactor]

I just acquired a 18 month old Huge Nubian whether...which I love. I'm really at a loss for what to do with him though.
He came from the city where he was raised in a small pen with 4 other Does...fed costal/alphalfa hay and a couple of pounds of sweet feed a day. He is a HUGE healthy boy...but afraid of everything here. I am on 30 acres and have , horses cattle, chickens, a couple of dogs, and 6 head of goats. The herd quickly began pushing him around and even the smallest kid enjoys bullying him (which looks really funny). My herd goes out and forages daily... Not expecting him to take the change very well I separated him so he could eat more like he's used to with out being pushed around...he is SO picky...so far I have tried 3 types of feed...the last one he nibbles at unless I'm holding it for him to eat( I don't think his previous owner held his food for him)lol!. He will eat his coastal hay ok but picks at the alfalpha. I took him out to a tree thinking he would surely not touch it...but he devoured the leaves....as long as I picked them for him. If the leaves are out of his reach he does not lift his feet off the ground to retrieve them...he will just look at them. If they fall on the ground, he will not eat them either. I had to break off large branches and hang them with in reach in his stall. I put my most timid Doe with him trying to get them to bond. He is afraid of her ofcourse.
He will follow me anywhere and today I climbed on a large wood pile (my herd loves to jump on ) and he walked all the way around to get as close to me as he could but refused to climb to me Im beginning to think he doesn't know he is a goat. I'm a bit afraid to make him tough it out wondering if he will just waste away instead of fitting in with my herd-like a goat. or if perhaps he knows just what he is doing and is just manipulating me??

 

[KW Farms]

It would take a long time for him to starve himself to death. I personally would let him be for now. Let him stay with the other goats and learn from them. They will help teach him how to forage and eventually, the bullying will stop...or at least decrease a lot. A weak goat may always get picked on, but it should defintely improve over time. Sounds like he needs to learn how to be a goat, that's only going to happen if he's treated like one. I would only step in if he actually starves himself, but I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[happybleats]

Any time I bring home a new goat I pen him/her up in a pen that joins fence with the others..I allow them to get to now each other safely and with as less stress as possible..after a week or so I allow visits with me there to be sure they dont get bullied too much...some pushing is necessary to establish pecking order..usually with in a week or so everyone is running together..there will always be a few bullies but he will learn quickly who to stay away from and who to take a nap with... I too like to add a smaller goat in with a new one..so they can bond and he will have a hanging out buddy when he is let out with the others. as for feeding...he, as a wether does not need grain... its fine in moderation, but he wont starve without it and can actually be healthier..Balnce of 2:1 of Calcium: phophorus is needed to maintain healthy balance and prevent Urinary Calculi..As long as he eat coastal and some alfalfa he should be just fine...I have never , ever heard of a goat starving themselves..(unless they are ill of course) Goats love to eat..Give him time and space and soon he will be a wonderful part of your herd...a little extra TLC never hurts either

 

[toth boer goats]

Lock up the main bullies and instigators for 2 weeks or so, then release one at a time. Watch,
when one meanie establishes pecking order, and things calm down, put the next out and so on, until all are reunited. That way, the new guy is forgot about, won't have to worry anymore about being bullied. Make sure at feeding time, he gets to eat and not shoved off. He should adjust with time.