They’ll grow out of it somewhat. 
Probably a dumb question but.....
Is there any way to "condition" new babies to not scream when they see you? We just brought a couple of 3 month old nubians home and they are quiet during the day and when we are in the pen, but when we leave them, they yell only until we are out of sight/earshot. It was somewhat expected being babies and new and...nubian... but is there anything we can do to not make them worse? Routines? Tips? Tricks? (Besides earplugs.) I've had boers in the past and they only bleated when they say us with food, never just because they saw us or because we walked away. Right now, they are in a little run attached to the barn, but eventually we want them to pasture, but we dont want them screaming and running to us every time they see us! Are we/they doomed, or is this something they grow out of to some extent, and is there anything we can do to help set us all up for success?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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Yep, it will likely get better with age. Just don't indulge them when it happens. Ignoring them when they are loud teaches them that they don't get anything from you when they do that. Mine pretty much only yell when they first see me come outside just to say hello and then they yell at feeding time until I feed them, but that's pretty much it.
I had a Nubian that screamed every time she saw me. It didn't matter if I ignored her. She knew the routine but still screamed the entire time she saw me. She was an adult when I bought her. So time will tell if they quiet down or not. Hopefully yours will quiet down.
Destiny screams when she sees Chevani. But stops if she ignores her. It depends on the goat. Gizmo only screams at feeding time or if he sees something that upsets him like my neighbors dog or a black eagle.
Honestly, I’m having the same issue but one of my does is fully grown. She yells... and yells, and yells, and yells until we come back. Which we don’t, but I end up getting worried she’s yelling in pain. Just my own worried brain. I’m assuming this is just something that will last for her lifetime? Unfortunate, but I’m willing to deal.
Do you go back out when she hollers like that? If you do then its a habit she has now learnt?Honestly, I’m having the same issue but one of my does is fully grown. She yells... and yells, and yells, and yells until we come back. Which we don’t, but I end up getting worried she’s yelling in pain. Just my own worried brain. I’m assuming this is just something that will last for her lifetime? Unfortunate, but I’m willing to deal.
Not usually, no. We just got her about a month ago so she might’ve learnt it from the previous owner.Do you go back out when she hollers like that? If you do then its a habit she has now learnt?
Yeah. It will take time to out learn it. I learnt it takes 4 days for my 2 to unlearn a bad habiy
Thanks for the replies, guys! My poor husband was thrown off by the noise even though I warned him that they could be loud around feeding time. I guess we're both a little thrown off because it's not just feeding time. But like I said, I had boer and not nubian. He's mostly worried about the neighbors hating us lol. We went out to their pen randomly for the first 2 days to make them feel welcome, and then decided to only go out there in the evenings for feeding. Is that counterproductive? Like if we only go out there to feed, will they then associate us with food and make it worse? Should we casually stroll by their pen randomly and ignore them if they start up so they get used to seeing us walk around without the expectation of food or attention?
I feel like I'm overthinking and it's probably largely dependent upon the goat, but I want to do my best to try!
I feel like I'm overthinking and it's probably largely dependent upon the goat, but I want to do my best to try!
My goats all tended to yell when they were kids. Either for food refills or milk (kids being weaned). My buck still calls every time the house door opens. 🙄
I had to learn to just make sure they had everything they needed and wear my earplugs.
I find they get used to the time of feeding. It helps for mine if I show up without food once or twice a day. They learn that I am not just food.
The day will come that you say, “Hey, remember when they screamed all the time?”.
I had to learn to just make sure they had everything they needed and wear my earplugs.
I find they get used to the time of feeding. It helps for mine if I show up without food once or twice a day. They learn that I am not just food.
The day will come that you say, “Hey, remember when they screamed all the time?”.
If you only go out to feed, they will learn to yell worse. If you can, go out at random times, ignore them, and do stuff- anything- then leave.
Don't make eye contact. (of course check them, but don't let them notice you doing so). Eventually, they will hopefully, not yell everytime they
think they want you or that you appear for something and leave. (but sometimes, Nubians are not known for being quiet!) In other words, Good Luck!
Don't make eye contact. (of course check them, but don't let them notice you doing so). Eventually, they will hopefully, not yell everytime they
think they want you or that you appear for something and leave. (but sometimes, Nubians are not known for being quiet!) In other words, Good Luck!
I find it is more a kid thing than breed. My nubian is the quietest, except when she is in heat.
I don't have this issue.Is there any way to "condition" new babies to not scream when they see you? We just brought a couple of 3 month old nubians home and they are quiet during the day and when we are in the pen, but when we leave them, they yell only until we are out of sight/earshot. It was somewhat expected being babies and new and...nubian... but is there anything we can do to not make them worse? Routines? Tips? Tricks? (Besides earplugs.) I've had boers in the past and they only bleated when they say us with food, never just because they saw us or because we walked away. Right now, they are in a little run attached to the barn, but eventually we want them to pasture, but we dont want them screaming and running to us every time they see us! Are we/they doomed, or is this something they grow out of to some extent, and is there anything we can do to help set us all up for success?
Thanks!
Eh, kinda. Jimmy, our pygmy, sounds like if death was a goat whenever he wants a back scratch.
Just give them a treat when they're quiet, and it might catch on.
I also found this:
Exhaust – Goat Built
goatbuilt.com
I know it's an Ibex muffler, but I'm sure you could use it for goats. Ibexes are just big, exotic goats. That just means it'll be more power to a goat and will keep them extra quiet!
Right?
Following. My Mini Nubians yell a lot, mostly when I’m feeding, but also often when they spot me in the garden or the front yard (they can see about half of my front yard from their yard). And when I’m milking the ones not getting milked stand at the fence and scream until I’m done. I’ve tried ignoring them but they still do it every day. Lol. I was worried about them annoying my neighbors so I tried a no-bark collar once, but either their screams weren’t barky enough to set it off, or it wasn’t sitting right on them, because that didn’t work at all.
Mine did yell alot when i first got them. And they yelled a ton for a couple weeks when i moved them to the new pasture. But they quieted down once they got used to it.
They still holler a couple times when they see me, but once they realize I'm not going to feed them, they just go back to eating.
I don't know how long you've had them, but once they get used to your place and settle into a schedule, they should quiet down. Also always having hay available helps, so they're not bored or hungry.
Yes, I would think walking by the pasture a few times a day without paying attention to them would help. Gets them used to your presence without food, so their not expecting anything from you during the day.
They still holler a couple times when they see me, but once they realize I'm not going to feed them, they just go back to eating.
I don't know how long you've had them, but once they get used to your place and settle into a schedule, they should quiet down. Also always having hay available helps, so they're not bored or hungry.
Yes, I would think walking by the pasture a few times a day without paying attention to them would help. Gets them used to your presence without food, so their not expecting anything from you during the day.
Thanks everyone! Today was a tiny bit better. One boy is pretty good. All about the food and once he stuffs his face he doesn't yell. He bleats with his mouthful and it's kind of funny. The other one tho... He seems to be all about attention right now and is the screamer when I leave. He didn't seem to be quite at the decibel as yesterday and quieted a little faster. Hope it keeps moving in the right direction..
Sooo they were quiet for the most part yesterday. They called a few times when they could hear and see us in the late afternoon, but they really started up when they saw me coming with food. They were too busy scarfing it to care about me leaving. Which begs another question (one possibly for a new thread): Am I feeding them enough, or are they already starting to play me?
They are about 3.5 months old, I don't have a way to weight them, and they get 1/2 lb of medicated grower pellets (that they came to me eating) each and free-choice coastal and alfalfa hay with loose minerals. I planned on swapping the grain pellets for alfalfa pellets once this big bag was gone. They are also on a tiny "taste" of the pasture they wil eventually be turned loose on to (at what age can that happen?).
Thanks y'all.
They are about 3.5 months old, I don't have a way to weight them, and they get 1/2 lb of medicated grower pellets (that they came to me eating) each and free-choice coastal and alfalfa hay with loose minerals. I planned on swapping the grain pellets for alfalfa pellets once this big bag was gone. They are also on a tiny "taste" of the pasture they wil eventually be turned loose on to (at what age can that happen?).
Thanks y'all.
Sounds like enough food. Medicated pellets need to be fed according to instructions on bag to get the proper amount of medication per feeding.
Right that's what I wasn't too sure about. It says 1.5lbs per 50lbs, so at an estimated 35lbs they technically should be getting about 1lb each to be effective. That sounded like a lot of grain though and the previous owners went by the ambiguous unit of measure - "scoops" - instead of lbs... so I didn't want to upset their stomach by giving them a ton of grain if they weren't used to it, if that makes sense. Should I bump it up to 1lb each? That'd be double what I've been giving them the past 4 days.
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