I guess I just treat them like the does, of course I have Nigis sooo... But all of my bucks are very well behaved.

 

i would treat him like you do any other goat. Dont let him do anything now that you wouldnt want him to do as a big heavy buck. So the lap thing isnt as advisable. But petting and loving are not bad.

Now honestly I have not raised a buck past a couple months. But i have handled bucks in the past and those that i have were tame and easy to handle because they were handled all the time.

Dont ever let him gain an inch -- because he will take it and run with it and soon those little bad habits can hurt you down the line.

Always let him know you are boss and never show fear around him even when he gets big.

 

I agree with Stacey, give him lots of love, do not let him do things he shouldn't so set limits, i.e., don't let him butt you, bite you, etc...

Mine are just big old babies. I am around them everyday. Now of course my Alpine buck is starting to 'perfume' himself so when he leans on me or rubs up against me I get the 'perfume' too :roll:

 

I have had bottle raised alpine bucks. One was easy to handle all his life. I have had 2 that were not to be trusted at all. One was mean at 2-3 years and the other 5-6 years old. All were raised the same. One was shown many times but by 5-6 years you did not dare go in with him especially during breeding season. I believe genetics play a role. My first alpine buck's sire and grandsire were not easy to handle at all per stories told about them. My last alpine buck pinned me in his shed and I thought I was never going to get away from him. Both were put down. Never had problems with does or wether kids from these bloodlines. My new buck is a Topper grandson so time will tell. All male breeding animals should be considered dangerous especially during breeding season. Love my Nigerian bucks though.

 

I've been told not to touch their heads too! I thought it was weird since I've been touching my goats heads for well over a year and none of my goats are mean or head butt. My five month old buck is nice as can be and I treat him just like my does. He would crawl in my lap if I let him, but then I would smell bad.

 

I just treat mine like any other goat. I pet them just as often as my other goats. I guess I never really knew there was a certain way you should treat them. All of my guys, 4 adult bucks at the moment are all REALLY sweet and love their head scratched and will stand there for me to pet them. I've never had a problem with butting, shoving, or being out of control, etc. I have a buck that will just stand there about to fall asleep, but when you stop petting he will rub his head on your legs. Not aggressive or anything, he' just wants attention. He's a real mellow guy though. I dunno, never knew you should treat them a certain way, sooooo ??? Oh, and mine are nigis and a pygmy so bigger breeds might be different?

 

dont let him push you around, dont grab his horns (if he has any). thats my rulaes for bucks, but i have another question to add ; if baby goats are 'playing' and butting your knee what do you do to teach them its undesirable? i usually just push their heads away. will this work?

 

i have very big alpine bucks. every one of them are so gentle. i would let a child go in with them. i train them by there beard i hand raise them i treat them just like the does. i can go down to the front pasture during rut & they behave as the always do. i do not let them get away with any thing as babies tho. if they start to act bucky with me i put them to the ground & they don't try it again. i have to have bucks that behave because i live alone & i keep them togeather in the front pasture. any one can handle my bucks. oh & i am always scratching there face for them.

 

I have always been told not to mess with their heads-pet their heads. The more I thought about the many bucks I have had I can say most of them have been wonderful to handle. I can't say there was any difference on how they were handled or managed. Those 2 bucks I wrote about are hopefully not the norm. Still would't allow children in with a mature full sized buck.

 

dont let him push you around, dont grab his horns (if he has any). thats my rulaes for bucks, but i have another question to add ; if baby goats are 'playing' and butting your knee what do you do to teach them its undesirable? i usually just push their heads away. will this work?

Flick their nose with your finger and say NO also dont push them on theri heads but on their chest. That way you arent chalanging them on their heads (head to hand butting).

Also turn away and dont pet or show them affection until they are down on the ground.

So this is how I trained my little bugger: Jumps up on me> I turn away, dont make eye contact>I push him back on his chest>say NO> pet him once he is down.

I hope that makes sense

 

thanks, i dont want future bucks acting like mine now, i bought him, and he was okay, but he's gotten mean! i walk in and its a challenge to keep him from butting/ spearing me. so he's for sale. im not going to tolerate a mean buck any longer.

 

i agree with fritzie. that's how i do it, and even though i have nigies and not the big guys. they still behave. they all behave better than some of my does

 

With my bucks, I actually love on my bucks more than I do my does. I always go in there and pet them and hug them, lead them around with collars etc(I don't keep collars on them) If they show me any undesirable behavior(head butting, rowdiness, etc) I usually give them a small smack on the nose and tell them to stop it. That usually takes care of it, but if they persist, I flip them on the ground and hold them there until they sigh(when they sigh that means they have given up) then I let them back up and give them a kiss(yes, I kiss sticky stinky bucks, they smell nice :shades: ) If it is an adult buck that is bothering me, I flip them over(not in the presence of other bucks though) and sit on them screaming at them until they sigh, and that always takes care of it.

Remember, its about respect, not fear. A fearful buck is absolutely useless. I've had my share of crazy bucks and if you have a crazy buck, you cannot show fear towards them at all. And just because he's a nice baby now doesn't mean he'll stay that way. They can turn crazy.

 

hah that works.. i think if i sat on my bucks i'd kill them though haha

 

question; why wouldnt you do it in the presence of other bucks? thanks

 

I suspect it's "the humiliation factor" as to the reason why he's not reprimanded in front of other bucks....a fearful buck is seen as weak and the other "boys" sense this.


I had an experience with my first nigi/pygmy buck....I babied him and loved on him as I did my girls, he was a gentleman until he turned 2 years old...then he got to "challenging" me or my hubby any time we were in with him or near "his" girls...the flicks on the nose did no good and when I couldn't trust him to turn my back on him he was sold...he would wait for us to walk away and then ram us.
My present pygmy buck has been ok as he's gotten older, I respect him as the "main man" and he respects me, though at times he has gotten persistant about getting thru the gate, I trust him, my other 2 boys are very sweet natured and are just dolls, now they are a year and a half and 5 months old, wether this changes as they age I don't know, but for now they get the same respect as the big guy(though he is only knee high and weighs 50#) :greengrin:

 

question; why wouldnt you do it in the presence of other bucks? thanks

What Liz said, and mostly because I don't want to get attacked by the other bucks. I've been knocked over in the buck pen when they've been in rut and even if they are nice bucks they still like to blubber and pee on you when you're on the ground :roll:

 

I don't understand the not scratching them on the head. :scratch: I have a 4 month old wether. He is 3/4 alpine and 1/4 ober. He is going to be a very big boy!!! I'm working at training him to be a pack goat. Training is going well. I take him for walks on lead and reward/bribe him with rasins. I can get him to jump up on a stump with the comand up. As far a touching him on the head I want to be able to touch this big guy anywhere I want because I am the big goat. I can touch my does anywhere I want. You don't mess with the big goat. Of course any of them including the wether could flaten me on the ground I'm 5'5" and 115pounds.

Suellen

 

i think it's because most buck's like to push with their head, so if they learn that you like to "fight" with them it encourages them to push humans

 

Ditto what SDK said, bucks have way different temperments than wethers. Bucks like to rub their heads on things, and most of the time that is your hand. I rub the sides of their face and their ears but I never rub or scratch the tops of their heads like I do my does and wethers. My dad lets them rub and butts his hand, so that kind of defeats my purpose :roll: